A huge of interest in 'Ways Out of the Climate Crisis'

Sixty people attended a lecture by Heiko Balzter, Professor of Physical Geography and Director of the Institute for Environmental Futures at the University of Leicester, last Wednesday evening in the Congregational Church Hall in Market Harborough. Professor Balzter is a leading authority on climate change and was a member of the Expert Panel at last November’s COP28 climate summit. The talk was organized by Harborough Climate Action and is the first of a planned series of talks on climate and other environment-focused topics.

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Professor Balzter spoke about how the burning of fossil fuels and the spread of intensive, industrialized farming have contributed to global heating and the climate crisis and what must be done to limit global heating to a level that allows human civilisation to continue.

More urgent action from governments is crucial but unfortunately none of them, including the UK, are honouring the promises they made under the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015.

Indeed, the UK government has gone backwards in recent years. He also pointed out that if we are asking people to make lifestyle changes to reduce their carbon emissions, for example by flying less, driving less, eating less meat and more plant-based foods, the group that needs to be persuaded to do most are the very richest, the 1 per cent, who have accounted for most of the growth in greenhouse gas emissions over the last twenty or thirty years.

All attention on ways out of the climate crisis

Finally, he spoke about the need to balance different aims and priorities, using the example of how land use must be managed to accommodate different requirements of food production, energy production, human activities and nature.

Heiko’s talk was followed by a lively question and answer session and more informal discussions over tea and biscuits afterwards. The next talk, on will take place at 7.30pm on 15 May at the same venue. Hannah Bedard and Ellen Worrell from Green Welford will talk about how we can best act to cut our greenhouse gas emissions. For more information go to sustainableharboroughcommunity and eventbrite