Carwyn Jones
First Minister
Welsh Assembly
Dear Carwyn,
The latest IPCC report states quite clearly that climate change is set to inflict “severe, widespread, and irreversible impacts” on people and the natural world unless carbon emissions are cut sharply and rapidly.
This report is the result of the collaboration of thousands of scientists and is the most important assessment of global warming yet published. It is clear and detailed. More burning of fossil fuels will place too many risks on the ecological system which supports humanity.Fracking will mean more burning, and we would be unwise to even consider taking such a foolhardy risk.
Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary General has sent a message to the investors of large pension funds, asking them to divest from fossil fuels. Here in Wales we can either increase the extraction of fossil fuels, or remove them from the equation completely. We should take the historic opportunity to do the latter.
Fracking sites are planned all over Wales, and the Welsh Government has full jurisdiction over the planning process, we therefore ask that you use your authority to stop the process of fracking in its tracks.
The arguments over safety, contamination and pollution should be enough to stop this insidious process industrialising our countryside, but the IPCC report lays it on the line: burning more fossil fuels will cause irrevocable damage and increase the pace of climate change.
Leaving these fossil fuels in the ground will not harm the Welsh economy either. Our renewables resource is one of the greatest in the world. Renewables will provide the strong economic base for Wales which oil did for Scotland. The difference is that renewable energy will never run out.
Poised as we are on the cusp between a clean, safe and healthy future, or a dirty, contaminating, harmful future, I would have thought the choices would be obvious.
Let us lead the way in Wales, and plan for a future we will all be proud to share.
Yours sincerely,
Pippa
Pippa Bartolotti
Arweinydd Plaid Werdd Cymru
Wales Green Party