Green shoots of recovery, but plenty to be concerned about

In these times of gloomy environment news it is easy to get depressed and we should look out for good news.

Bee
Out of focus bumblebee in my garden to have something green in the post. The bees have been pretty active and love this plant.

With forests being destroyed around the world tree planting should be a priority. It needs to be done carefully to create and restore the habitats that local fauna and flora need. In Ethiopia they planted 353 million trees in one day this week! If a large proportion of those grow to maturity they will help stabilise soil and enhance the local climate. India has also had mass tree plantings.

In contrast the UK managed just 15 million in 8 years with government funding. We need far more than that. Doing so will offset some of our carbon emissions. This country was covered in forests centuries ago, but they were sacrificed for ships, building houses and agriculture.

Also in India there has been a big increase in tiger numbers in the last few years. Numbers could be up 50% since 2008. There are issues where they come into contact with people as that is likely to end badly, but it is a huge country and there ought to be room for both. My parents visited a tiger reserve in India a few years ago, but did not see any.

Meanwhile News Corporation papers are attacking climate campaigner Greta Thunberg. Very big of them to criticise a child who acknowledges her condition. That does not mean she is not spreading the right message. She is a figurehead, but there are thousands of scientists and millions of regular people ready to back her up. The papers may be representing fossil fuel companies who buy advertising with them and seek to control the agenda. Greta will be sailing to the USA to attend some meetings, but may not visit the president as he does not seem open to listening. He is also backed by the fossil fuel industry. Yes we need employment, but it has to be sustainable. Short term profits could be our doom.

Greta

If the Greenland ice melts then Trump's New York properties could be flooded.

We have to keep pushing for real action and not empty words.

The geeky guitarist and facilitator of the 10K Minnows Project.

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