Climate scientists call for UK election pledges

Reading's leading climate experts are calling on UK political leaders to prioritise climate action in their plans for government.

 

Twenty-three Reading climate scientists have joined a group of more then 400 who have signed an open letter to UK political parties, calling for more overt pledges on climate action as part of their respective UK general election campaign.

 

The Reading scientists include experts from the Department of Meteorology, the Department of Geography and Environmental Science, the School of Law, and the National Centre for Atmospheric Science.

 

The letter calls for political parties to sign up to five key measures: a plan to reach net zero by 2050, more action to adapt the UK to climate impacts, moving away from fossil fuels, providing more funding for developing countries for green development, and preventing further licences for North Sea oil and gas.

The letter warns: “It is very clear that a failure to tackle climate change with sufficient urgency and scale is making the UK and the rest of the world more dangerous and insecure. The UK is experiencing growing damage and harm to lives and livelihoods from climate change impacts, such as increases in the frequency and intensity of many extreme weather events and rising sea levels."

It also states: “The growing impacts of climate change in other parts of the world are endangering supply chains for food and other goods and services to the UK. They are also adding to political instability and forcing many people to migrate away from places that are worst affected. The UK cannot completely insulate itself from the impacts of climate change in other parts of the world. It is in the UK’s self-interest for other countries to reach net zero emissions as soon as possible.”

The 23 Reading scientists are: