Thursday, 12 March 2020

A Mixed Budget for Climate and Health

 It has been noted that, although the recent UK budget had a large element focussing on CORVID-19, some aspects seem to have lost sight of health and environmental issues (https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/mar/11/road-to-hell-budget-tarmacs-over-climate-ambition). The budget, yet again, fails to raise the duty on petrol and diesel even though the money might 'fuel' some of the needed move towards reducing the UK's carbon footprint. There is also a very large increase in the amount earmarked for road building. The fumes from cars and trucks make very substantial contributions to a) greenhouse gas emissions and b) respiratory disease rates (especially near roads). I appreciate that countering the wishes of the motoring lobby is likely to cause much anguish but we do need to provide a strong stimulus to encourage change if anything much is going to happen. Could it be that short-termism is the guiding principle?
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Seeing the Changes 2149

  Yellow oxalis ( Oxalis corniculata ) was flowering in Loughor.

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