Renewables are undeniably the way forward

The outcome of COP21 is something to celebrate: net-zero human emissions – a balancing of what we release into the air and what is taken out – and when the dust settles and the Paris Agreement is in the hands of lawmakers, clean energy will be the best, cheapest, and most effective way to keep their promise.  What else?

  • At least $100 billion in finance after 2020 to keep the money for poor countries flowing for decades;
  • A promise to meet every five years to increase ambition and move us closer and closer to the day the net-zero world becomes reality; and
  • A global agreement that climate change is a world problem, requiring cooperation from Saudi Arabia to Spain to Senegal to deliver a future for this human family.

Most importantly, the mobilization in the face of climate change sends a clear message to investors everywhere: sinking money into fossil fuels is a dead bet. Renewables are the profit centre. Technology to bring us to 100% clean energy is the money-maker of the future.

Time to stand up and be counted

On 29 November, the day before world leaders converge for the UN climate summit in Paris, people will come together again in the streets for the global People’s Climate March. Plymouth Energy Community has set up a ‘Stand up for Community Energy’ bloc and hopes to convene as many community energy groups as possible. They have set up a Facebook event for this (called ‘Stand up for community energy bloc @People’s Climate March), its linked to the main Facebook event page (and Friends of the Earth are adding it to the ‘bloc’ section of the new event website: http://climatejusticejobs.org.uk/.) Details on where to meet other groups prior to the march to follow… They have arranged a coach from Plymouth to London (with pick up/drop off at Exeter Services) for £25 per person return.  Page on their website for info and booking is here: http://www.plymouthenergycommunity.com/events/peoples-climate-march.