We have had more than our fair share of rain and at the time of writing the UK has already received nearly 50 per cent more rain than average for February. The resultant flooding has had devastating, indeed tragic consequences for individuals especially on the Welsh borders and we still await the risk of further deluges and a full assessment of the impact.
Parts of our area were also severely affected. I appreciate that the flooding on the grounds of Arunside School provoked many long-term residents to point out that this is not a new phenomenon! However, the regularity of disruptive weather events certainly is.
We are not alone - on the other side of the world while Australia welcomed rain as the only way to ease the appalling bushfires, which claimed 33 lives, destroyed 11 million hectares of land and caused devastation to wildlife the subsequent rain has itself caused flooding and renewed environmental impact.
The Horsham area boasts so many active groups advocating practical changes to help address climate change and spread the word.
Similarly at a national level the UK is making great strides. While we may only account for one per cent of global carbon emissions and have cut our carbon emissions by forty per cent since the early nineties our position of influence in the world makes our actions and the lead we provide vital. Having legislated for a net carbon neutral economy by 250, practical steps like the announcement on diesel and petrol car sales will follow.
For all these steps to work we need international buy-in. This year we host the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). COP26 will be the most important gathering on climate change since the Paris agreement was signed in 2015 and will bring together 30,000 delegates and 200 world leaders. The Conference is to be hosted in Glasgow, one of the UK’s most sustainable cities. Some of the countries with the largest economies appear least willing to address this immediacy of the threat. However the stakes could not be higher, we need firm and decisive progress in Glasgow.
Photo Credit: Over the weekend the Horsham Model Railway Club entertained many (especially younger) residents with their display in Swan Walk. The team were advertising next month’s open day, details of which are on line.