Idleness, Heatwaves & Politics

I have spent this week of heatwave doing very little. Most of the time I have been in my study, which faces North & is the shadiest & coolest place in the house. I always have things to do, managing my life, being on the computer, reading, listening to the radio, gardening, swimming.....The problem I have with very hot weather is that I simply don't have the energy to do much at all. Any exertion makes me breathless & exhausted.

So I have even watched daytime TV, which is frankly anathema to me. Such a waste of my life & time.

I am used to pacing myself. I am used to varying what I do between physical & sedentary things. I am not used to doing as little as I have done this week. I found I don't even have the mental capacity I normally have. I was continuously too exhausted to make much effort at all. Even night time brought no relief. It's too hot for restful sleep.

None of this is a serious issue. It's just a trial to get through & hopefully this week will bring respite as temperatures return to normal.

According to the Office for National Statistics June 2023 was the hottest June in the UK since records began in 1884. July 2023 was the world's warmest month on record & saw the world's hottest day with heatwaves across many parts of Europe, China, and the US.

Britain recorded its hottest day of 2023 so far on Saturday, with provisional data showing a high of 33.2 degrees Celsius (91.8 degrees Fahrenheit) Saturday was also the sixth day in a row the country has recorded a temperature above 30 C, well above average for the time of year. This year's previous high was 32.6 C, reached on Thursday. Britain has experienced its eighth warmest summer since 1884, with June the hottest on record in the UK. The highest temperature ever recorded in the United Kingdom was 40.3°C. This was recorded in Coningsby, Lincolnshire on July 19th 2022.

Approximately 64% of adults in Great Britain said they were somewhat or very worried about the impact of climate change. 45% of UK adults thought the country was "not at all prepared" for more hot summers. Around 55% (15.7 million homes) of the UK's housing stock would fail the "bedroom overheating" test. Mine certainly did.

Are our politicians taking enough action to tackle the Cilmate Emergency? The first carbon budget (2008-12) and the second (2013-17) have been met and the UK is on track to outperform the third (2018-22). However, it is not on track to meet the fourth (2023-27) or the fifth (2028-32) Carbon Budgets are recommended by the Climate Change Committee and accepted by the UK Government. Lord Deben the outgoing chairman is critical of the government. 

https://www.theccc.org.uk/uk-action-on-climate-change/progress-snapshot/

In 2019 the government put the goal of reaching net zero by 2050 into law, but recently the future of the Conservative Party's green agenda has been the subject of intense debate. Downing Street has confirmed ministers are scrutinising existing pledges "in light of some of the cost of living challenges". Sunak is considering watering down proposals, saying measures must be "proportionate and pragmatic", instead of adding cost and "hassle" to households.

For f.... sake! This isn't negotiable. When facing direct evidence of the grim reality of man made climate change you need comitted, decisive, politicians who are prepared to face resitance & unpopularity in the best interests of humanity & our fragile ecosystem.

It isn't about staying in power it's about survival of everything we know. There really isn't a choice.