FOR 30 years, all the countries of the world met to discuss the climate crisis. This year one country didn’t attend the COP but many important representatives from the USA were there. The ways people view the COP are hugely different.

Ten years ago, we were heading for a four to five degrees rise in temperatures by 2100. It is no exaggeration to say if that happened that is the end of civilisation as we know it. Thanks to the COP Paris Agreement and all that has ensued, we are now heading to a 2.8 degrees rise and possibly lower. This is far off the 1.5 degrees that’s needed to give only an even chance of avoiding catastrophic meltdown but it is still heading in the right direction.

At the same time, solar is so cheap – it fell 12 per cent in just this last year. Ninety-four per cent of all renewable energy installed last year was cheaper than the cheapest of fossil fuels. Batteries have fallen in price by 93 per cent since 2010. Seven countries already are powered solely by renewables.

Fossil fuels are increasingly obsolete and the industry knows this, but it is fighting its corner.

So, what are we to do? Talk about the climate crisis with your friends and family. Tell the positive stories to encourage change. When able to, buy into renewable energy. Ninety-nine per cent of new cars in Norway are electric, displacing two million barrels of oil every day. Spain’s industry used to pay 33 per cent more than the rest of Europe but now, due to massive investment in renewables, it pays 20 per cent less. The UK doesn’t because the price is linked to gas not to renewables.

Push for change. Apathy or cynicism is not an option.

CASA (Climate Action St Austell)