Did you see any of the young people’s climate demonstrations on the 15th of February? And do you know anyone who went on strike to protest about the lack of attention to climate by government? No doubt you will have views on the rights and wrongs of this sort of action. Here’s what our Chair of Trustees thinks about it. It’s his personal (not an NAEE) view, of course. NAEE doesn’t have a view on the strikes but we do think that young people should have more chance to study the environmental problems that the world faces and what might be done about them. Government might do something here (though it probably thinks it has done enough) – but so might individual schools, working with local NGOs, perhaps. How effective is your child’s school at helping them learn about the world?
You can follow UK Student Climate Network , UK Youth Climate Coalition and #YouthStrike4Climate to stay up to date.
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The British Antarctic Survey reports that water entering the oceans from melting ice sheets could cause extreme weather and a change in ocean circulation not currently accounted for in global climate policies. The study, published in Nature (7 February) used climate models to simulate what might happen when water from melting ice sheets enters the Earth’s oceans. The Environmental News Network says that this is the first study to use highly detailed models of both ice sheets combined with observations of recent ice sheet changes from satellites. This creates more reliable and accurate predictions than has been achieved previously. Read more at British Antarctic Survey
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The Birmingham Mail says that almost 500 deaths (6% of all deaths) in 2017 in Birmingham were due to raised levels of air pollution. The figures are based on the assumption that as levels of particulate air pollution go up, so will the number of people dying. The Mail quotes Dr Penny Woods, chief executive of the British Lung Foundation:
“Having an estimate for the loss of life attributed to air pollution is one way to measure its impact, but sadly it doesn’t tell the whole story. Dirty air doesn’t just cut lives short; it also seriously effects the health and quality of life of the millions of people in the UK who have a lung disease and puts millions of children at risk of having underdeveloped lungs and getting a serious health problem in later life. It’s clear that we need the government to take ambitious action right now.”
You can read the full article here.
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Here’s a link to Good for All News, the website of the Jane Goodall Institute which says: “Every day you live, you have an impact on the world around you, locally and globally. As we go about our daily lives, we may hear stories about species loss and feel disconnected or confused about what one individual could do about the problem. But there is something you can do today, and it will take all of us working together to make it possible. The illegal trade in wildlife is threatens species, especially great apes, with extinction – it is the second biggest threat to wildlife after habitat loss. If it continues, we could face a world in which thousands and thousands of species are lost forever. That is why we’re joining together and asking all of you to participate in the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) global chapters ForeverWild #4EverWild campaign! By becoming better informed, sharing what you know and taking action in support of JGI’s efforts, we can secure a future where wildlife can live safely in the wild. …”
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Did you know that snowdrops were good for butterflies? Butterfly Conservation says: “The snow might have disappeared from some areas of the UK but the ground is now being carpeted with pretty white snowdrops instead. These delicate flowers are one of the earliest spring bulbs to bloom, providing a useful source of nectar for bees and butterflies such as the Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and Brimstone.”
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The Manchester Environmental Education Network [MEEN] is holding an Intergenerational Conference on Climate Change, Risk and Resilience on Friday 22nd March 0945 – 1500 at Bridge 5 Mill, Ancoats, M4 7HR.
MEEN says that the conference will:
- Showcase work in Brazil and Manchester schools on the risks we all face from climate change through mapping our neighbourhoods (social cartography);
- Explore how we can help each other when faced with the hazards of climate change;
- Hear from Rachel Trajber from Brazil to learn about climate change risks and resilience, and from Manchester Fire Brigade to learn about the risks Manchester faces;
- Run workshops making a recycled rain gauge; designing a sustainable farm and opportunities to talk with Manchester primary and secondary schools about the risks they face and the actions they are taking.
Working with the Sustainable Consumption Institute, University of Manchester and CEMADEN, (the Brazilian Centre for Monitoring and Early Warning of Natural Disasters), this event showcases the work of three schools, one from Manchester, one in São Paulo state and another from the Amazon region, who have mapped their neighbourhoods for climate related risks and vulnerabilities. If you would like more information or to book please email Raichael at coordinator@meen.org.uk
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The closing date for the call for presentations at the 2019 NAAEE conference is March 31st. The conference takes place from 15th to 19th October in Lexington.
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Nation Children’s Day is on Sunday 12th May [#NCDUK2019]. Wendy Ellyatt, Chief Executive of the Save Childhood Movement, said:
“Children are our future – and protecting the health and wellbeing of children is everybody’s business. No matter what role we have in society, we need to work together to ensure that every child in the UK feels safe, loved, valued. If we want to create a more caring and compassionate world, we must start with children”.
For more information contact Sally Grindley, NCDUK Project Director: sally.grindley@nationalchildrensdayuk.com
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There’s a Research Assistant position (2 years, part time) on a new ESRC community-based waterway rehabilitation study (CW2GC). The closing date is the 3rd of March. Details here.
National Geographic has a series of much magnified pictures of insects and other creatures such as a mealworm. And this is a link to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year results. The people’s choice winner was a sentimental shot of two male lions nuzzling.