For what are we shouting? Are we using just our voices? Or our attitudes and actions as well that speak louder than words?
What do we want? Climate injustice!
When do we want it? World without end!
It doesn’t bother me in the slightest if carbon emissions from the industrialised world are responsible for global climate change, because we are not really seeing much of an impact. The summer this year was quite good, hotter than it has been for a while. Anyway, even if it were happening and we were affected, we can still afford to protect ourselves.
You say that Syria’s untold devastation was triggered ultimately by climate change; that farmers in Kenya can no longer grow the crops they used to because weather patterns have become too erratic; that people near the coast in Bangladesh are having to move because rising sea levels are poisoning their fresh water wells; that people in Melanesia are having to entirely abandon whole islands; that the Caribbean is being lashed by ever more frequent and intense storms.
So what if poor countries weren’t responsible, are experiencing the brunt of changing weather patterns, and are too poor to do anything about it. Why should we help them? They’re all feckless and lazy.
Anyway, climate change is a myth, and even if it is happening, it wasn’t us. I blame the sun spot cycle. It’ll cool down in a couple of years and everything will go back to business as usual. My focus is on keeping the economy growing exponentially and the proceeds flowing into my bank account. The main holiday this year was spring in the Bahamas. Next year perhaps we’ll pop down to Kenya and go on safari.
Pollution not solutions!
All this environmental red tape is bad for my business. I provide a lot of employment in this place. The people need the work. So what if my factories produce a little bit of air pollution and the occasional discharge into the river. My people on the ground say they can’t see anything, and the river is big. It’s no big deal. Anyway, the guys on the other side are worse. That episode with all the dead fish last year was their problem. And that hospital emergency with all those respiratory problems was just a nasty flu bug going round. People tend to exaggerate these things.
Mine this coal! Burn that oil!
Bring the oceans to the boil!
People have a right to their lifestyles. We need to keep the lights on and our cars on the road. Renewables are flaky. You can’t power the whole country on wind. What happens when the wind stops blowing? You need petrol or diesel to fill your tank. Electric transportation is a pipe dream. Take flying. How would we fly to Kenya in an electric aeroplane? No, Britain became great on coal and oil, and gas as well. There you go. Gas has got less carbon in it. We should invest in fracking. There’s lots of potential up in the north west I hear. It’s all there to be exploited for our benefit. Someone’s going to get it out of the ground and it may as well be now.
Besides, I like a bit of sea swimming, so all the better if the temperatures are a bit more comfortable. We might even be able to have a few more vineyards near my bolt-hole in Sussex. I like a good wine after a sea swim.
Whose futures? My futures!
Whose futures? My futures!
War is good for the stock market. I’ve read that climate change is going to cause more problems over food and water shortages, more environmental refugees, and so probably more unrest, civil war, and wars between nations over scarce resources. Bring it on, I say!
2-4-6-8
Stuff the planet – I’m alright mate
For what are we shouting? Are we using just our voices? Or our attitudes and actions as well that speak louder than words?
What do we want? Climate justice!
When do we want it? NOW!
Solutions not pollution!
No more coal! No more oil!
Keep the carbon in the soil!
Whose future? Our future!
Whose future? Our future!
2-4-6-8
Save our planet – it’s not too late!
Photos from the Exeter #ClimateStrike, 20 September 2019
