21 December 2018
This letter from Susan Chapman was published in the Bournemouth Echo on Monday 17th December. Soo is an active member of the local Green Party and is tireless in urging our leaders, both local and national, to take notice of the effect humans are having on our precious environment, and to act on the climate emergency.
Dear Sir,
At a time when the world is coming together to try and find a safe route for humanity through the crises ahead it is good to hear Cllr Mike Brooke and his scrutiny panel colleagues (Echo article 14.12.18) stand up against fracking.
I've asked Bournemouth to act on our climate emergency just as Bristol, Manchester (and now London) are doing and Cllr Anne Filer has recommended the decarbonisation question be brought to the SuperCouncil in the spring. Cllr John Beesley rightly asks us to work together to leave Bournemouth a better place for future generations. This does however mean moving up several gears with the audacious ambition of Elon Musk. Leaders have been asked to lead on this at Poland's climate talks.
#ExtinctionRebellion continue to call attention to humanity's desperate plight. France shows us how we fail to get concerted climate action while Costa Rica more successfully incentivises with renewables.
Following Cllr Michael Filer's speech at Full Council a comprehensive transport presentation on 13th December was thoughtfully discussed by the cross party panel. Even Musk's Hyperloop was looked at! As well as drones, water taxis and an underground system complete with map. The Dorset Area Rail Transport System (DARTS), a light rail system, was mentioned. First proposed by Andy Hadley, now a Poole Councillor, for Poole Agenda 21 around 15 years ago.
Lower-cost, sustainable solutions and perhaps consideration of free public transport (as in Dunkirk and elsewhere) were all on the table. Cllr Simon Bull pointed out that no new roads were needed.
Perhaps the solutions for our clean energy future can be revisited in light of Sir David Attenborough's robust warnings of collapse of civilisations and the UN Secretary General's comments that it is "immoral and suicidal" not to accelerate emissions' reductions as small island states agitate over their anticipated homelessness.
Mother Nature can recover if we take our foot off her neck!
Yours faithfully,
Susan Chapman
