Driven by the mass burning of fossil fuels, modern life is killing the planet. So writes Dale Vince OBE, founder of the world’s first green energy company, and trailblazer for the now global green energy movement.
In his first book, Manifesto, which is comprised of part memoir and part mission statement in his own words, Vince explains that the climate crisis we are now facing is a “modern problem” and is exacerbated by the historic amounts of fossil fuels being consumed.
The solution, in Vince’s words, lies in changing how we power ourselves as human beings, and this boils down to making changes in three key sectors: energy, transport and food.
To make the required changes, Vince makes clear that three sectors of society are required to act: government, business, and people.
The UK government has already laid its cards on the table regarding climate change. It has enshrined into law the world’s most ambitious green target: to reduce emissions by 78 per cent compared to 1990 levels. Ministers have also brought forward the phasing out of new petrol and diesel cars to 2030, with all new cars required to be emission free from 2035. All this forms part of plans within Westminster to accelerate efforts toward achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
But what of the other two sectors that Vince singles out: businesses and people?
While many businesses, including the likes of construction sector operator iDCC, have committed themselves to the green movement, when we explore the course of action we can take as people, there has been some key and rather interesting progress made in the education sector.
Cheryl Hudson, headteacher of Limpsfield CE Infant School in Oxted, spoke to The Parliamentary Review about how her school has prioritised sustainability moving forward.
Hudson said: “We have signed up to a project called Less CO2 and Let’s Go Zero 2030, which looks at how we can engage children alongside the wider school community to integrate sustainability into our lives.”
Furthermore, Hudson explained that at Limpsfield, teachers place a real emphasis on educating pupils about the need for sustainability and protecting the environment.
“In looking at ways to reduce our energy consumption and educate the children on the need for sustainability and protecting our environment, we aim to develop a strong feeling of belonging and care to ensure they understand the need to safeguard the planet for future generations.”
Another Surrey school that has placed sustainability at its heart is St. Alban’s Catholic Primary School in East Molesey.
Ever since his arrival at the school, headteacher Martin Brannigan has set about developing a broad curriculum which is underpinned by three key pillars: building skills for life, creating community, and crucially, developing environmental awareness.
Brannigan outlined: “It is around these three key pillars that all teaching and learning gravitates, and they form the platform for all decision-making and underpin our educational philosophy.”
One of the practical ways in which the school has sought to reduce its impact on the environment is by actively seeking to reduce waste and bring down its levels of gas and electricity consumption.
Brannigan explained: “Our school Green Team which we created to become more eco-friendly has worked to cut food wastage in the school kitchens, and through monitoring our energy usage, has found ways for us to reduce our gas and electricity consumption.
“We are always looking forwards and searching for new opportunities, and I think this has been a great strength when it comes to confronting obstacles to our ambitions.”
In related news earlier this week, the UK's COP26 president-designate Alok Sharma was in Bolivia to meet with President Arce in a bid to strengthen relationships ahead the crucial climate change summit in Glasgow this November.
