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Low sun on snow through trees

Polar Ice

Tuesday 11th of June 2024

I started writing this at the end of a week (in mid-May 2024) in which both the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, and the Leader of the Opposition, Sir Keir Starmer, had made significant political speeches.  Keir Starmer’s, in particular, had something of the feel of a “manifesto launch”.  Some weeks later, having not posted this before this point, we are now in the middle of an election campaign.

Agent for Change

Monday 8th of January 2024

There have been a number of changes to the MPs in the UK Parliament featured in the media over quite a large part of 2023.  Some of these have already taken place, but the majority are still in the offing.  I want to write here about one that has affected me more than most.  Given the subjects I have covered in blogs here over the last few years, it perhaps won’t come as a surprise that it is t

Pond and Vegetation

Do No Harm

Wednesday 20th of September 2023

Rishi Sunak has today announced changes to some practical elements of the government's climate change strategy.  He has suggested that this is in order to reduce the burden for this on the people of this country.  I find it difficult to believe that this is actually what is going on.  I have no idea if it will be published but I have sent the letter below to The Guardian:

Hadrian's Wall

Seeing Beyond

Saturday 22nd of July 2023

I haven’t posted a blog on here for quite some while.  I’ll explain why at the end of this piece.  This was actually written about six months ago, but I am only now going ahead and posting it.

choir

Joy in Music and Nature

Friday 31st of December 2021

A radio programme called Soul Music may sound like an unlikely starting point for writing about the natural world, but inspiration sometimes strikes in unexpected ways. A couple of weeks ago, I was listening to an episode of this Radio 4 programme, which was broadcast a good number of years ago.

Fruit tree with fruit

Thoughts after COP26

Thursday 9th of December 2021

I have been having various thoughts since the end of COP26. To be honest, most of these are not directly connected with what was happening at this climate conference. I say that because much of what took place in terms of negotiations and announcements reflected arenas to which I don’t have direct access.

Bee on a sunflower

Anthem

Friday 12th of November 2021

For some years, I’ve wondered if the ecological movement would benefit from some sort of “anthem”. Part of the potential value of this would be something that used music to unite, inspire and galvanise people. That sense has only increased during protests such as the school strike movement. COP26 has inspired me to re-visit this and I’ve written the following.

Whither the Wind?

Friday 12th of November 2021

Some of the focus within COP26 has been about the use of fossil fuels. I can remember attending a conference in the mid-1990s where one of the speakers, Hermann Scheer, said something that I have never completely forgotten, but of which I have been reminded recently. (It is also only latterly that I have been made aware how influential Dr.

Phases of Earth

Post-Olympic Thoughts

Thursday 7th of October 2021

For some weeks I have been wanting to write about a very specific idea.

Squirrel on tree-trunk

Economics, Ecology & Essentials

Wednesday 6th of October 2021

It is some months since I have posted a blog. There are a number of reasons for this but one is that I have wanted to get to grips with the Review by Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta. (I can’t claim to have read the five hundred plus pages from cover to cover even so).

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