The problem with political jokes is they get elected . . .

2006 has certainly been a bumper year for environmental issues making the headlines, especially The Independent newspaper here in the UK, but as we know, a plethora of information does not mean that action will necessarily follow.

Environmentalists have finally had it with this Government. Despite lots of warm words about the need to act quickly on climate change, and even a genuine, astute and committed Environment Minister, the promise of joined-up-government is still a distant dream. The DfT announcement last week of further support for the expansion of Britain's airports just proves how dis-connected from each other government department silos still are.

If this lack of leadership and direction were not bad enough, there is an even bigger problem. The public are confused; they are by now aware and even concerned about climate change, but most will only be motivated to act themselves when they see their government take the issue seriously. "If climate change were a serious threat then the government would be doing something" they say.

Hello - is anybody in Westminster listening?

Are we stuck in neutral over carbon offsets?

Years ago, we environmentalists were complaining that people were happy just to ease their conscience a little by paying up and supporting the plethora of green groups eager to grab their money, rather than taking any real action themselves. Today, there's a danger that people are still stuck in neutral as they pay to offset their personal carbon emissions instead of making any practical changes to their behavoiur.

Discuss.

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt . . ( Mark Twain)

Last night, at last, I saw the Al Gore film 'An Inconvenient Truth'.My guests and I enjoyed an evening which consisted of a pre-screening of the film - due for UK release on September 15th, followed by presentations and analysis from Nicky Gavron, Deputy Mayor of London, and the Rt Hon John Gummer MP, former Environment Minister currently involved with the Conservative Party Quality of Life Commission.

The film was terrifying. Despite working full-time on climate change, and being involved with UIP who are distributing the film, it was a sober reminder as to why the climate challenge is so pressing. There is absolutely nothing more important in the world today than working flat-out to try and address these issues.

The presentations after the film were interesting: Nicky Gavron highlighted some of the excellent work she and her administration were doing for London(do Londoners really use more energy than Portugal and Greece put together??), but unfortunately she was hurried and rambling. I need to put her intouch with my friend and mentor Lesley Everett ASAP. www.lesleyeverett.com

John Gummer was rabid. He was well informed and passionate but David Cameron needs to keep him on a very short lead. Faced with such blood-curdling venom, his messages were all but lost. You would think that he would have learned a thing or two about presentation skills by now. Another candidate for Lesley . . .

GO AND SEE THIS FILM. Let me know what you thought of it.
Take the pledge at http://www.uip.co.uk/pledge
For group bookings go to http://www.aninconvenienttruth.co.uk

'The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to its close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences'.
Winston Churchill. 1936.

Ten Years to Save the World . . .

As I sit in the shade of the twisted willow in my garden, swealtering in the heat of one of Britains' hottest days, I am carefully sorting through the pile of papers, leaflets and business cards I accumulated at yesterdays 'Cities Action Summit for Climate Solutions' conference in London. The postman arrives with the usual pile of junk mail and a small parcel; it's the copy of Al Gore's book 'An Inconvenient Truth' that I had ordered from America some weeks earlier.

Maybe it's a sign. Although I have been involved with climate change issues since 1991, the mood at yesterdays conference was quite depressing even for eternal optimists like myself. While many of the experts were working successfully with sustainable solutions, and companies like Shell and BP were forging ahead with new renewable technologies, many - indeed most, seemed to think that it was already too late to turn things around, that it could be be all over for much of the human race in less than 50 years as we will be consuming the resources equivalent to 3 planets. The Deputy Mayor of London reminded us that we were all now consuming as much oil in a day as we were using in a year in the 1950's.

Reading through the pages of notes from yesterday, and more and more projections and figures, there can be no doubt that we are, indeed, in serious trouble.
As a Father and Grandfather, I shudder to think what the future will be like for future generations, but when I look at the legacy we are leaving our children, it becomes personal, close to home.

Everybody agreed yesterday that we desperately need is strong political leadership to face the challenges ahead, and we were reminded of a quote by Napoleon; ' A leader is a dealer in hope' . .
As an environmentalist, I have always been on a mission, but now it's personal and even more pressing, and I'm more driven and focussed to work on climate issues than I have ever been before.

Just 'Ten years to save the World' then, and all of a sudden, an appropriate title for the book I have been writing has emerged . . .

Graham Game - At large. Yesterday London, today Essex, tomorrow the World.

How much longer can Tony Blair take the heat?

Environmentalists who have been battling for years to get Climate Change on the agenda, can hardly believe their eyes as hardly a day goes by without a climate story in the media these days. But it's not the environmentlists who are sounding the alarm bells this time, it's everybody from former American Vice President Al Gore here in the UK last week, to the leaders of thirteen of our biggest companies lobbying Tony Blair for some action - even the mighty Lloyds of London warned the insurance industry to get a grip on climate issues this week or risk extinction.

The threat of Climate Change is now well recognised, but the business community in the UK can clearly see the opportunities a green revolution can offer; we already have most of the solutions and the technology ready to be rolled out, and the UK is world renowned for innovation and even leadership. Ah yes, leadership.

Those thirteen business leaders will be pressing the Prime Minister to show some leadership this week. He would do well to listen carefully. As I joined the standing ovation at the end of Al Gore's passionate climate speech at Hay last week, I'm sure I was not the only person in that packed marquee to think that it should have been Tony Blair on that stage instead.
He could do it - he must do it, instead the world seems to be passing him by as he becomes increasingly bogged down and embattled by domestic matters. I remember a Tony Blair who used to be unstoppable when he was on a mission and had the wind in his sails, he could sweep away almost any obstacles in his path; he needs to understand that today's climate issues are unstoppable and the best position for him, and the hundreds of businesses in this country poised and ready for the new green revolution, is leading the charge from the front.

Al Gore - Green Guru?

"We face a planetary emergency. But it's crucial to avoid being paralysed by that knowledge and instead feel empowered by it in order to bring about the changes that are imperative now".
Al Gore. www.climatecrisis.net

Al Gore's presentation and debate at the Hay Festival in Wales the other night was a breath of fresh air for a seasoned campaigner like me!

Gore argues that global warming is not just about science, nor is it just a political issue; it is a moral issue and we have a responsibility to do something about it now. There is no time to lose as scientists agree that we have about 10 years before our planet reaches the point of no return.He is promoting positive soultions and a massive investment in new technology to tackle the crisis. We need a high-profile figure like Gore right now to raise the environmental agenda as high as we can - he has a lot of influential support both in Europe and the USA so we could see some real action this time.

Graham G