Letter on COP26 and Earthshot

Paul Donovan, Dangan Road, Wanstead, writes:

There is often much doom and gloom when it comes to the questions of climate change and biodiversity destruction.

There are big expectations for the COP26 meeting in Glasgow, where it is hoped countries will put their money where their mouths are and set about making the changes needed to save the planet.

There is though good news about things already happening to address the crisis. The recent Earthshot series on BBC 1 told of a number of excellent initiatives across the world to deal with the crisis.

The Earthshot program focuses on the five areas of biodiversity, climate change, pollution, ocean destruction and waste. There are to be five awards of £1 million each made every year for the next 10 years.

The TV series provided a narrative on the problem but then some real causes for hope. So, there was Singapore, where the use of biophilic design, which sees the like of green walls incorporated in the development of urban landscapes to counter pollution.

In Mexico, there was an artist painting murals on the side of buildings with airlite paint that actually counters pollution.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge meeting guests during the first Earthshot Prize awards ceremony at Alexandra Palace (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

In Ghana, thanks to a grass roots campaign, there is an extensive and growing renewable energy project. The campaigners managed to persuade those in government against investing in coal powered energy, going instead for renewables.

There was regenerative farming in Australia, where farmers are learning from the ancient practices of the native Aboriginal peoples. Simple but obvious ways of living – moving animals around, thereby encouraging growth of fields and feed.

On biodiversity, rewilding can do so much to improve the situation by helping to absorb carbon dioxide, as well as increasing biodiversity.

In the UK, there are some excellent peat lands that if handled properly absorb huge amounts of CO2. Managed wrongly, the same lands will emit CO2.

The introduction of key species like longhorn cattle and beaver have a dramatic impact on the landscape.

In the Earthshot series there was a feature on the positive impact of re-introducing wolves to Yellowstone National Park. This helped control the burgeoning levels of deer, which in turn led to more trees developing and less CO2.

The sea otter is a key species in the oceans. It eats urchins, which hoover up CO2 absorbing kelp. The re-introduction of the sea otter has seen the rebirth of the kelp forests, increasing the level of CO2 being absorbed.

At the end of each of the programmes, the Duke of Cambridge introduced the three finalists for the Earthshot prize. All have been excellent, well meriting the £1m prize money.
If only five out of the 15 projects shortlisted can win the prizes, then maybe the British government can come up with the rest of the funds to support the unlucky losers?
So there is much going on to be positive about on climate, biodiversity, pollution and waste reduction. A cause for optimism that given the will, the plan.