healthier, happier and richer

Spain and South Africa both have lots of coal, but no significant oil or gas. Yet their responses to the energy security issues this raises have been dramatically different.

The International Climate Challenge brings together young people from around the world for online discussions and exchanges of information about how to control climate change. There are also actual meetings and, last week, I attended one in London.

Agriculture is only directly responsible for a small percentage of carbon emissions, but it is responsible for a higher percentage of total greenhouse gas emissions due to emissions of methane (particularly from cows) and nitrous oxide (from the use of manure and artificial fertilizers). As far as forests are concerned, as well as being beautiful, vital for biodiversity and home to millions of people, they are crucial carbon sinks.

In my opinion, electric vehicles should be strongly supported. Those concerned about climate change too often take an overly anti-car position.

All three main UK parties take climate seriously and promise to reduce emissions and expand low-carbon energy. They all recognise the energy security and employment benefits. This article includes quotations from the relevant parts of the manifestos of the three main parties on heat and electricity – energy efficiency, fuel poverty and energy production.

People often use the word ‘energy’ when they actually mean electricity. Only 20% of EU energy consumption is electricity (although this will rise as transport becomes increasingly electric.). The rest is for heat and for transport and, therefore, it is essential to expand renewable heat very substantially.