What the government's 2050 emission target actually means
Almost every government in the world says that it wants to tackle climate change, but what are they actually doing to achieve that goal? We in Britain need no longer ask that question, as the government will commit to a legally-binding target of cutting our greenhouse gas emissions to 'net zero' by 2050 in Parliament today.
So, what does this actually mean? Well, 'net zero', in a nutshell, means that all emissions from homes, transport, industry and even farming will have to be offset by planting trees, or other methods of taking the added CO2 out of the atmosphere.
In a BBC report, the advisory Committee on Climate Change predicted that 'if other countries followed the UK, there was a 50-50 chance of staying below the recommended 1.5C temperature rise by 2100', a rise which would push the world over the threshold of dangerous climate change.
'This is a historic commitment that will reverberate right around the world,' Laurence Tubiana, an architect of the Paris climate agreement, told the BBC.
Tom Fyans, Deputy Chief Executive at the Campaign to Protect Rural England, also commented on the announcement. ‘Many solutions to this crisis lie in restoring our natural world. While the countryside may be on the front line against climate change, it can also provide the solutions that we so desperately need.’
The Prime Minister also predicted that low emissions would improve the nation's health and go some way to cutting costs for the NHS.
40 years ago today...
Cyclist Bryan Allen set a world record — as a pilot. Allen flew the Gossamer Albatross across the English Channel on June 12, 1979, the first-ever human-powered flight between England and France.
https://youtu.be/FfD5epGswRw?t=219
We're already set to have the wettest June on record — here's how it has affected England
Train tracks lie submerged by flood water after more than a month's worth of rain (about 60mm) fell in some parts of the country this past Monday. Unfortunately, an improvement doesn't seem to be on the cards for later in the week, with some parts of the country predicted to be struck by 60 - 80mm of rainfall, possibly even reaching up to 100mm in the worst areas affected. Bookies already make it odds-on to be Britain's wettest June on record, causing misery for millions and untold joy for Daily Express headline writers.
The Met Office has issued several National Severe Weather warnings, especially to the midlands and North-eastern parts of the country, and trains have been cancelled in and out of London. A total of 31 flood alerts are in place across the country; severity of the warnings will be amended as 'certainty about impacts increase'.
Quote of the day
'How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world'
- Anne Frank, 'The Diary of a Young Girl'
On this day in 1942, Anne Frank received a diary for her 13th birthday. For the next two years she would document the occupation of the Netherlands by the Germans in World War II. Her diary went on to become one of the most famous books of all time.
Fireworks banned to protect roosting starlings on Bideford bridge
Pretty though they may be, it has long been accepted fact that fireworks have a detrimental affect on the local animal population, from roaming wildlife right up to the sleepiest sausage dog.
Torridge District Council is doing their part to protect their local wildlife from the noisy displays by prohibiting them from the area around Long Bridge, following requests that the birds who nest there be better safe-guarded. The BBC reports that startled starlings were trampled in the area surrounding the bridge last New Year's Eve, while environmentalists claim that the shock made the birds fly into the River Torridge and drown or injure themselves by flying into nearby buildings.
Bideford Town Council now plans to replace the annual display with a silent laser show.
Stat of the day
6,800
The number of plants which can be grown in one of the new type of indoor farms which will start popping up in Britain's urban areas as of September. They're the brainchild of a Germany firm called Infarm, designed to grow vegetables inside supermarkets, schools and offices.
Full story (The Telegraph - subscription required)
Wildflowers killed over weeding mistake in Dorset car parks
No good deed went unpunished for resident Bertie Daler who, after voluntarily tending to flowers growing in a Dorset car park, returned to find them dying following an accidental spraying with weed killer. Taking to Facebook to express his disappointment, Mr Daler said that the 'bees and butterflies are going to be very disappointed'.
Poppies and hollyhocks growing against a wall in Sherborne carparks near Cold Harbour and Newland North were 'well and truly eradicated' after maintenance teams attempted to clean up areas which had been neglected in the past.
Ken Buchan, coast and countryside service manager at Dorset Council, apologised 'wholeheartedly' for the mistake.
This unfortunate incident, relatively small though it may be, comes at a bad time for the bumblebee population, which is still reeling following the turbulent weather of 2018.
And finally... looks like we'll be needing this list soon
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Today we look at why our canals have become rivers of plastic, but it needn't be that way; the scrapping
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In today's news round-up, we look at the latest efforts to tackle plastic pollution; worrying update on what might happen
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Today's news round-up looks at how dogs take on our own stress levels, tells the tale of a chance find
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The Kennel Club have released their latest stats on dog registration; the RHS are warning about a potential new garden
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Today we find out just how much better buying British can be; witness the heroics of the painter and decorator
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We take a look at the latest evidence that something extraordinary lurks in Loch Ness, breathe a sigh of relief
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Game, set, match: 12 of the world’s most beautiful tennis courtsFrom Italy to Indonesia, when it comes to hotel amenities, a picturesque tennis court will always trump a 24-hour gym. So, before you book your next holiday, take a look at our pick of the 12 best.
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Five frankly enormous mansions, including one with its own private swimming lake, as seen in Country LifeSometimes bigger really is better.
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The brilliant tractor tribute to the NHS from a group of Warwickshire farmersPeople around Britain have been paying tribute to the efforts of our NHS workers at the time of the coronavirus pandemic — but few have been as creative and clever as this one.
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London's iconic red bus at risk and 6,000 year old chewing gum gives clues into our DNA historyCuts to industry subsidies and an increase in fares has left bus use at its lowest point ever, while DNA extracted from ancient 'chewing gum' allows scientists to decipher the genetic code of a Stone Age woman.
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90-million-year-old 'swimming dinosaur' skeleton found by dogs out walking in Somerset, and the nonchalant moths who don't bother fleeing enemiesA superbly intact dinosaur skeleton — described as being 'museum quality' — has been discovered on a beach in Somerset.
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Battle to ban 4x4s from the idyllic Lake District spot bequeathed by Beatrix Potter, eagle fights octopus and the 'snail's pace' climate talksThis morning we look at Little Langdale's fight for peace, reflect on the climate change talks in Madrid and discover the soundtrack for Brexit.
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Country Life Today: How Greta Thunberg shifted the dial on climate change — and the backlash shows just how muchThis morning we ponder whether Greta Thunberg is the Joan of Arc for the environmental movement, look at a key election — one from 19 years ago — and ponder the marvel of 'dad tidying'.
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Country Life Today: Great news for those who love our great country pubs — the years of decline are overThere is a great sign of health in the pub industry, we look back at Edward VIII's abdication message and fret about Greenland's melting ice.
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Country Life Today: Spain accused of being 'a deplorable choice' for UN climate conferenceA no-holds-barred assault on the Spanish fishing industry, Banksy raising awareness of the homeless and the woes of the Christmas jumper are in today's news round-up.
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Country Life Today: 'This is perhaps the ultimate wake-up call from the uncontrolled experiment humanity is unleashing on the world’s oceans'In today's round up, we examine why oxygen loss is putting oceans at risk, discover that action to cut air pollution brings almost immediate benefits to human health and find out which bird's arrival marks the start of winter in Gloucestershire.
