As the negotiators and analysts in Paris try to hammer out some form of agreement to limit global warming, the prognosis in Wales just got worse. Once in a lifetime events are now happening with increasing regularity, as the events in North Wales over the weekend have shown.
Wales Green Party leader, Pippa Bartolotti said, “Rising seas will render most of our sea defences useless in a couple of decades no matter how much money we spend. Wales is still not properly playing the part it should in reducing greenhouse gasses.
“The Welsh Government is as guilty as any other in not reducing greenhouse gasses, and has taken next to no steps to combat the warming, yet it has powers already to be part of the solution.”
The weekend floods were foreseeable. Flooding and extreme weather have been forecast for more than 20 years, and governments all over the world have been dragging their feet, preferring to put economic gain before their responsibility towards averting the global 2 degrees of warming which without fail will deliver more flooding and extreme weather, mostly to those who cannot viably escape it.
Pippa Bartolotti added, “Importantly, Wales has the power to decarbonize housebuilding, to reduce packaging, to nudge us into eating habits which are healthier for the planet. And what is healthy for the planet is healthy for us all.
“We could end new roadbuilding, and maintain what we have to higher standards. We could invest in low carbon public transport and build the renewable infrastructure Wales could be so proud of.”
The plastic bag tax was quick to 'nudge' people in the right direction. Other similar measures can be taken on food, housing and environmental taxes, such as on waste or exploitation of natural resources are possible.
“Wales has dragged its feet on environmentally helpful measures. When we see our friends and neighbours being inundated by flood, when we see once in a lifetime weather events happening once a year, we could weep. Or we could get active and pressurize the WG to get real about climate change.”