On climate change, the best may be the enemy of the good

Much of our emissions of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas, comes from fertiliser use. Photograph: Getty ImagesIt has taken a year from the enactment of the target of halving our greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 to reach the end-July agreement on targets for reductions by individual sectors. This Government has taken climate change seriously, and has devoted a large amount of time to driving the initial legislation and, more recently, to discussing these sectoral targets.

However, if we are to go anywhere near meeting our target reduction in emissions we need to turn to actually doing something about the problem rather than continuing to debate the size of the targets. Otherwise, there is a serious danger that the best could be the enemy of the good, with a continued focus on the targets distracting from delivering the concrete measures to rapidly reduce our emissions.

The next budget needs to continue the programme of steady increases in carbon tax. In addition, it should substantially increase the cost of owning and using fossil-fuel cars. Producing cement is an emissions-heavy process, with limited scope to make it greener. Instead, priority should be given to substituting timber-based building technologies for concrete and cement-based construction. To date there is little sign that such a change is being driven by policy.

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Houses are built to keep heat in and that's a problem during heatwaves, especially in citiesHeatwaves will become more frequent and intense as climate change worsens. Its not really an issue tbf, jaysus, how often do we get heat waves ffs. Most of the year its bloody cold. Heatwave = 5 days in a row + 25 degrees, that's 5 days, what are you trying to say we should rethink our building on account of a bit of warm weather, 7 heatwaves in 46 years you having a laugh or what! Stop the bloody drama
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We are living in a time of chronic infantilisation and it’s hurting our environmentThis refusal to believe personal action matters in fight against climate change is foolish on multiple levels Jesus times, another propaganda piece, funny you never actually target the source and always target the public with your government sponsored propaganda. ...
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