It is great news that a global coalition of activists and experts is to confront the governments and corporations responsible for the mega-carbon projects, recently exposed by the Guardian, that threaten life on Earth (Environmentalists join forces to fight ‘carbon’ bomb fossil fuel projects, 6 June).
Exposing the politicians and executives behind these madcap schemes, challenging them in court, organising shareholder and investor rebellions, and running activist campaigns to draw the wider public into the fight are essential measures if we are to avoid irreversible, runaway global heating.
But in the UK, and elsewhere, we need much stronger climate and nature protection laws to stand the best chance of winning. We also need tax and subsidy systems that reward emissions reductions and penalise the polluters.
I hope that the coalition will back Zero Hour’s campaign to persuade parliament to pass the climate and ecology bill, which would legally ensure that corporations rapidly transition away from fossil fuels and reverse the destruction of nature. It is a model law that can be replicated in any country.
Equally important is campaigning for escalating carbon taxes on polluting technologies and operations, with reduced taxes that reward companies and individuals for cutting emissions. These revenues should be directed to further accelerating the adoption of low-carbon lifestyles and other green measures, and to financially helping deprived communities and households adapt.
Charles Secrett
Brighton, East Sussex
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