Another international meeting on climate change opened in South Africa this week. So what? Surely it’s just another endless gathering of bureaucrats that will generate a lot of hot air, waste a lot of paper, and end up with little to show for it?
Of course not. The environment matters. Last year was the hottest on record. This summer the Arctic sea ice reached its second lowest level ever. And only 1% of China’s 560 million city residents breath air deemed to be safe.
Acting to save the environment is not just about fresh air and hugging trees. It is also good for the economy. Using less water means cheaper bills and more water for productive use: worldwide 87% of freshwater resources are used for agriculture and 60% of it is wasted. Waste is widespread: in the UK £36 billion worth of aluminium is thrown away each year. This metal could be recycled and used.
Countries who depend on tourism need to show that they appreciate their heritage. Tourists want to see that local people care. So the path to an ancient site should not be covered with litter and a five-star hotel should not exit into one-star surroundings.
What to do? First, countries need to enforce the law. There’s no point in having legislation unless it has teeth so that those who pollute have to pay.
Second, awareness is crucial: every single citizen has a responsibility. Waste by all of us is enormous: if all the polystyrene cups thrown away every day were lined up, they would circle the earth. And in one day the UK produces enough waste to fill Trafalgar Square up to the height of Nelson’s Column.
Third: individual responsibility: we can all play a part by recycling paper, glass and tins. For example, using fewer plastic bags (UK supermarkets give out 4.5 billion plastic bags every year, yet plastic takes 400 years to break down in landfill). Or by switching off electrical gadgets and saving water. It’s not hard. And not painful.
Meetings like the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban are important and must produce results: internationally legally-binding commitments to reduce emissions are essential. But we all have responsibility for our planet. And we all have a role to play in protecting it.