So in the UK, the prime minister has just called a general election to be held on the 4th of July.
He stood in pouring rain – it’s been unusually wet for months on end, even accounting for the UK’s reputation for rain, but not surprising given relentless global heating – and recounted his government’s “achievements” as he saw them, among which was:
We prioritised energy security and your family finances over environmental dogma and our approach to net zero.
He is referring to his U-turns over some of the flagship green policies his predecessors brought in, and his decision to grant hundreds of new North Sea oil and gas licences. He did all these things hoping that there were votes to be won by making some climate-skeptic noises (even though opinion polls are clear that a lot more people are concerned about climate change). This shortsighted, self-interested, head-in-sand attitude of the leader is going to cost lives, both in this country and around the world, as flooding, drought, extreme heat, diseases, wildfires, biodiversity losses, crop failures and many other global warming-induced disasters become ever more frequent.
Earlier this month, the Guardian/Observer published a survey of hundreds of climate scientists on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on their views on the direction the world is heading, and the responses made for a grim reading. 77% of them expect a rise of at least 2.5C by the end of this century, with those who think we can hit the 1.5C target making up a tiny minority at 6%. Many of them shared their feeling of despair and frustration at the lack of action.
The experts were also asked: “What is the most effective action individuals can take to fight global heating?”
The answer backed by most (277 out of 363) may surprise you – it was:
“Vote for representatives who pledge strong climate action”
The current UK government is a case in point. Legislators can set and reset the direction of the entire country over climate action. They are powerful and they have our lives in their hands. But they are our representatives and its our votes that decide who make our laws and policies. It’s our votes that give them their power.
So if you are eligible to vote in this coming UK general election, start looking at your candidates and their manifestos, and think which party is committed to climate action. We are fast running out of time, and this is one thing we can do now. Choose life. Choose climate action. Choose a representative who is going to champion climate action.
You may also want to make it your commitment to vote only for politicians who are serious about tackling climate crisis by signing your pledge here: https://www.thecommitment.uk/
Another useful website is VoteClimate, where you can check who your constituency candidates are as well as the MPs’ climate voting records.
Not a UK voter? Many countries are going to the polls this year. If you are a citizen of one of them, use your vote for the climate.
Note: Edited 31 May 2024 to add information on https://voteclimate.uk/