The insurance industry is increasingly vulnerable to climate change as ‘natural’ disasters become more and more frequent, and payouts spiral upwards. This month’s floods in Scotland will see home and business owners making claims on their insurance and insurers looking …
Climate change accelerates, Tories retreat
The heavy flooding over the weekend graphically reminds us that Scotland is already feeling the extreme impacts of climate change. Farmers say millions of pounds worth of damage has been done to crops and the insurance bill for flooded homes and businesses …
Rosebank – racing towards climate chaos
Following Rishi Sunak’s disastrous leap backwards on climate policies, the UK government has decided to give the go-ahead to the controversial Rosebank oilfield development, to much international and domestic condemnation. In 2021 the International Energy Agency, not known for its …
Fossil-fuelled vehicle phase out – SNP roll over
Rishi Sunak may have gone backwards on the environment, but the SNP have been too quick to roll over on the ban on petrol and diesel vans. Despite delaying or scrapping a number of key commitments, Sunak claims that the …
Wales forges ahead on the environment
On Sunday a default speed limit of 20 miles an hour in urban areas came into force in Wales. A public health study estimates that this will result in 40% fewer collisions every year, saving 6 to 10 lives and avoiding 1,200 …
Environmental principles under threat
The argument raging down south over pollution from new housing developments is the first big test of the UK Government’s post-Brexit commitment to the environment. We have already seen proposals to scrap thousands of European regulations. Fortunately this exercise has …
Time to join alliance to end oil production
In an unprecedented referendum this month, the people of Ecuador voted to stop oil drilling in the Yasuní National Park in the Amazon. Despite dire warning about economic collapse, 59% backed the ban and the state oil company now has a year …
Councils and climate action
Your local council has a vital role in helping deliver reductions in climate change emissions, not only from their own operations but in how they shape the lives of all their citizens. The public sector should be leading by example. Scotland’s …
Greenwashing LNG
Threatened by action to reduce climate emissions the gas industry has a long history of claiming to be green. Leaked documents show how they are now trying to convince the world that liquified natural gas (LNG) is the best thing …
A climate information campaign for Scotland
Fortunately the days of giving air time to climate sceptics are gone, but the backlash over the extension of the London Ultra-Low Emission Zone and the nonsense talked about Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme show that the public and some politicians …
More climate ambition, not less
The world is heading for its hottest year ever, with some parts of the world reaching dangerous new temperature highs last month. According to UN Secretary General António Guterres we have gone beyond global warming, beyond even global heating and …
Politicians retreat as climate impacts advance
In the Greek islands people are running away from the results of climate change, meanwhile the UK Government is running scared of taking action to reduce emissions. Some commentators put the Conservative Party win in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip …