Sadiq Khan Accuses Tory Leadership Candidates Of ‘Ignoring’ Climate Change

Sadiq Khan today accused the Tory leadership candidates of “ignoring” climate change as Britain sizzles in record temperatures.

The mayor of London said the country needed a “brave generation of politicians” in parliament, in an interview with HuffPost UK.

“This heatwave is directly linked with the consequences of climate change,” Khan said as the UK hit its hottest temperature on record of 40.2C at Heathrow.

“So rather than tiptoeing around this issue and ignoring it, as those running to be the Tory leader have done, we should be talking about it more with a sense of urgency.”

The criticism falls as the Tory leadership debate has focused on tax cuts and culture war issues, rather than the climate.

Cabinet minister Alok Sharma, who led last year’s landmark Cop26 UN climate summit, intervened in the Tory leadership race, suggesting to The Observer he might resign if the incoming PM fails to commit to a strong agenda on the climate crisis.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan with Rosamund adoo-kissi-debrah, CEO of the Ella Roberta Family Foundation.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan with Rosamund adoo-kissi-debrah, CEO of the Ella Roberta Family Foundation.

James Manning – PA Images via Getty Images

Meanwhile, Conservative MP Chris Skidmore has suggested Tory party members care little about hitting “net zero” carbon emissions by 2050 “because 90 per cent of them will be dead”.

Skidmore admitted a survey which put the climate emergency at the bottom of the list for the people who will choose the next prime minister is “rather depressing” in the Independent.

Leadership candidate Kemi Badenoch has previously branded the 2050 net zero commitment “unilateral economic disarmament” and vowed to axe it if elected.

At a hustings event on Monday she appeared to reverse her view before performing another U-turn on TalkTV that evening suggesting there were “circumstances” she would delay it. The three other remaining leadership candidates have all backed net zero.

Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, whose daughter Ella was nine years old when she suffered a fatal asthma attack in 2013 linked to severe air pollution, has also criticised Conservative leadership hopefuls for dismissing green issues.

Khan added: “I break down politicians into three areas: climate change deniers, climate change delayers and climate change doers.

“And this heatwave should make us all want to be climate change doers, rather than delayers or deniers.”

He added: “This heatwave, caused by climate change, should be a wake up call for all of us – including those running to be the leader of the Conservative Party.

“It’s heartbreaking, in my view, to see the Tories being in denial about this issue.

“I mean, just to think about one of the candidates talking about 2060, 2070, the other candidates being lukewarm at best about the issue of tackling climate change. That is not the sort of leadership we need.”

He added: “It was Conservative politicians in the 1950s during the Great Smog who made the brave decision to close down power stations in the centre of our cities – think of Battersea Power station, think of the Tate Modern, because then you could see the poison.

“The problem is you can’t see the invisible killer, but you can feel the heat.

“What we want to see is a brave generation of politicians in parliament now, tackling climate change and air quality.”

The mayor made the comments as he hosted a climate solutions summit in London’s City Hall.

A woman use portable fan as heatwave hits London, United Kingdom on July 18, 2022.
A woman use portable fan as heatwave hits London, United Kingdom on July 18, 2022.

Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Transport for London released figures that show the expansion of Khan’s ultra-low emission zone appears to have reduced toxic air levels in the suburbs.

They found that roadside levels of nitrogen dioxide in central London were now 44 per cent lower than they would have been had the Ulez not been introduced.

However, the Evening Standard suggested the bulk of the benefits were attributable to the original central London zone which launched in April 2019.

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Scientists Find World’s Largest Plant In Australia And It’s 4,500 Years Old

Researchers have made a startling discovery beneath the waters off Western Australia. A meadow of sea grass stretching more than 110 miles long was actually a single plant that had spent the past 4,500 years cloning itself to carpet an area three times larger than Manhattan.

The findings, published Wednesday in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, make the colony of Posidonia australis, or ribbon weed, the largest known plant on Earth, scientists said.

Elizabeth Sinclair, a senior research fellow at the University of Western Australia and a lead author of the study, said her team has been testing seagrass meadows around Australia for genetic diversity for years to see how they respond to climate change. When her team visited an area known as Shark Bay, a relatively pristine landscape untouched by development, they went beneath the waves to collect samples of seagrass to see what types of plants were growing across the ocean floor.

The answer was one.

“It’s quite bizarre when you think about it, there’s this plant in one end of the bay and then you move 100 kilometres down to the other end and it’s the same plant,” Sinclair said.

Scientists say the meadow of ribbon weed is all genetically identical after cloning itself to cover an area three times larger than Manhattan.
Scientists say the meadow of ribbon weed is all genetically identical after cloning itself to cover an area three times larger than Manhattan.

Rachel Austin/University of Western Australia

Her team hypothesised that thousands of years ago, a single seagrass seedling landed in the bay. It was particularly suited to survive in different oceanic environments due to its unusual genome.

Most comparable plant offspring contain 50% of each parent’s genes. But Posidonia australis has 100% from each parent, making it a polyploid, meaning it has double the usual number of chromosomes.

“Polyploid plants often reside in places with extreme environmental conditions, are often sterile, but can continue to grow if left undisturbed, and this giant seagrass has done just that,” Sinclair said in a statement. “Even without successful flowering and seed production, it appears to be really resilient, experiencing a wide range of temperatures and salinities plus extreme high light conditions, which together would typically be highly stressful for most plants.”

The ribbon weed has slowly grown through a series of runners — like a normal turf lawn — to stretch nearly 80 square miles. The researchers estimate its age at about 4,500 years, based on the species’ size and growth rate.

Like other delicate oceanic structures, namely corals, seagrass meadows are susceptible to climate change. A severe heat wave in 2010 and 2011 sparked widespread damage to the Shark Bay meadows, killing about a third of the seagrasses. Underwater meadows are also home to many different species and serve a key role in an area’s biodiversity.

An aerial view of the seagrass meadow in Shark Bay.
An aerial view of the seagrass meadow in Shark Bay.

Angela Rossen // University of Western Australia

“You lose a plant that creates this whole environment and you lose all the biodiversity that goes with it,” Sinclair said, adding that the 2010-2011 event had calamitous effects. “The turtles were going hungry, the dolphins weren’t getting enough fish, the whole network is connected.”

Although the ribbon weed has already begun to recover and spread since that event, Sinclair cautioned that climate change still poses a threat to region.

She also noted that it was “scary” how researchers had only just discovered the remarkable colony hiding beneath the waves, noting climate change could rip such species away before humans had a chance to discover them.

“It’s scary because we might lose it before we find out about it,” Sinclair said. “It might be gone before we even know.”

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BBC Journalist Tells Boris Johnson He Looks ‘Weaselly’ After Dodging UK Coal Mines Question

BBC Breakfast

BBC’s climate editor Justin Rowlatt interviewing Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson was torn apart – and dubbed “a little bit weaselly” – for his mixed messaging around opening a new coal mine in the UK by a BBC journalist.

As he was being interviewed in Glasgow on the first morning of COP26, the UN’s climate summit, the prime minister was under the spotlight for not putting a stop to a new mine in Cumbria for coking coal.

The mine was approved to open until 2049 by Cumbria County Council in October last year but this decision was suspended by authority in February amid backlash.

The BBC’s climate editor Justin Rowlatt pointed out: “You’re going to the developing world and saying phase out coal, at the same time as not ruling out a new coal mine in Britain.

“We started the industrial revolution – we should close the mines.

“Why don’t you just say we’re just not going to open this coal mine?

“The Chinese will just says ‘we can’t take this guy seriously’.”

Rowlatt was referring to the UK’s efforts to get China to reduce its CO2 emissions, as it is one of the top CO2 emitting nations in the world.

The prime minister replied by claiming 80% of UK power came from coal when he was a child; now it’s just 1%.

“What everybody says is incontrovertible is the progress the UK has already made,” Johnson added.

Rowlatt then pointed out: “I’m sorry to bang on about coal, but it makes you look a little bit weaselly not answering the coal question.”

Johnson hit back and said, “Sorry, I’ve answered the coal question”.

Rowlatt continued pushing him to answer his query “directly” and answer “yes or no” to opening more coal mines.

The prime minister replied: “I’m not in favour of more coal. But it’s not a decision for me, it’s a decision for local planning authorities.”

Climate experts have been hoping that world leaders would promise not to produce any new coal at COP26, but it remains unclear how many will commit to such a pledge.

Rowlatt also skewered Johnson over his personal environmental decisions and his repeated claim that the UK is a world-leading nation when it comes to tackling the climate crisis.

The BBC journalist pointed out: “A couple of weeks before the holiday starts you go on holiday to Marbella – is that world leadership?”

Johnson swerved the question by directing it back to last week’s budget announcement that air passenger duty for domestic flights would be cut.

He said: “I think that on the issue of short-haul flights – we are increasing the taxation on long-haul flights which account for 96% of emissions.”

Rowlatt then pointed out: “You decreased it on short-haul flights, the ones which there are alternatives for, and increased it on long-haul flights so you did nothing.”

“It’s very difficult, I hear you, but it’s very difficult,” Johnson admitted.

World leaders have faced further criticism as there have been an estimated 400 flights arriving in Glasgow solely for the climate crisis crunch talks.

Hundreds also chose to buy last minute plane tickets to Glasgow on Sunday night after severe problems with the rail network delayed passengers.

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COP26: Alok Sharma Dodges Questions On Cambo Oil Field Saying ‘I Have No Power’

WPA Pool via Getty Images

The UK has come under intense scrutiny over its position towards the Cambo oil field, which is situated to the west of the Shetland Islands and is thought to hold 800million barrels of oil.

Cop26 president Alok Sharma has sought to distance himself from the government’s support of the new Cambo oil field, saying he has “no power” to halt the development.

Sharma ducked a number of questions over whether the UK could claim moral authority over the summit in Glasgow given the UK’s support for the Cambo oil field, which lies west of the Shetland Islands.

A report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) recently stated that no new oil or gas establishments could be set up after this year if the UK was to achieve its net zero target.

But Sharma pushed back against the report’s findings and said the UK had decarbonised faster than any other G20 nation.

Asked by Andrew Marr whether giving the oil field the green light sent the right message to the rest of the world during the climate gathering in Glasgow, Sharma said: “You know, we as a country have decarbonised our economy faster than any other G20 nation over the past years.

“And in terms of oil and gas, we’ve been very clear: we’ve said that in terms of granting any future licences, there will be a climate compatibility checkpoint, and any licences that are granted will have to be compatible with our legal requirement to be net zero by 2050.”

Asked about the IEA’s recommendation to stop any future oil and gas fields, and whether he could stop it, Sharma responded: “Well, it is not as you say in my power, my role here is to bring together consensus amongst almost 200 countries.

“The IEA report also makes clear that, even in a net zero scenario, there is some element of oil and gas in that.”

But Marr pushed further: “I ask again — does allowing the Cambo oil and gas field off Shetland to go ahead now set a good example around the world?

Sharma replied: “That is something that is being considered. There was a consultation inquiry around all of that.

“I’m not going to go into that particular issue. When there is an announcement, an agreement, of course I’d be very happy to come and talk to you.”

The UK has come under intense scrutiny over its position towards the Cambo oil field, which is thought to hold 800million barrels of oil.

The government has sought to defend its interest in the site on the grounds that even as the world moves away from fossil fuels, there will still be an ongoing demand for oil and gas in the coming years.

But climate activists and critics have said the government’s stance towards the oil field sends the wrong message to the rest of the world and to developing nations who will find it costly to decarbonise.

And on Saturday, Sharma was heckled as a “hypocrite” by youth activists while giving a speech at the COY26 youth conference.

Marr went on to say: “The chair of the climate change committee, Lord Deben, says of the oil field one you do that, once you allow that to go ahead, ‘you set an example that will be quoted throughout the world as showing such a development is acceptable’.

“And yet you’re not prepared to stop it.”

Mr Sharma replied: “That’s not my decision, that’s not my role.”

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Earthshot: Who Are The Winners And How Do They Plan To Save The Planet?

Saving the planet from the harsh effects of climate change is everyone’s job. And now, the Earthshot prize is here to reward those creating the most innovative solutions.

Created by the Duke of Cambridge, the awards present a £1 million prize to five projects working to combat the climate crisis.

The inaugural event took place on Sunday, attended by celebrities who did not fly to the event in London, and who were asked to consider the environment when choosing an outfit.

In a pre-recorded video for the ceremony, Prince William said: “We are alive in the most consequential time in human history. The actions we choose or choose not to take in the next 10 years will determine the fate of the planet for the next thousand.

“A decade doesn’t seem long, but humankind has an outstanding record of being able to solve the unsolvable. The future is ours to determine. And if we set our minds to it, nothing is impossible.”

The winners – decided by judges David Attenborough, Cate Blanchett and singer Shakira – were chosen from five different categories, from a shortlist of 15 entrees.

The Earthshot prize was started by the Duke of Cambridge.

Samir Hussein via Getty Images

The Earthshot prize was started by the Duke of Cambridge.

The 2021 EarthShot winners

Protect and Restore Nature:

  • The Republic of Costa Rica: Costa Rica is working on a scheme to pay local citizens to restore natural ecosystems which has led to reviving their rainforest.

Clean our Air:

  • Takachar, India: Farmers who burn agricultural waste can cause huge air pollution, so a portable machine has been created to turn the waste into fertiliser.

Revive our Oceans:

  • Coral Vita, Bahamas: Coral reefs are beautiful to look at but they are dying out. So two best friends from the Bahamas developed special tanks which restore the world’s diminishing reefs, growing coral up to 50 times faster than they would grow naturally.

Build a Waste-Free World:

  • The City of Milan Food Waste Hubs, Italy: Food poverty is real around the world, while waste is a huge problem. The city of Milan has found a way around it, collecting unused food and giving it to the poor. This scheme has dramatically cut waste while also tackling hunger.

Fix our Climate:

  • AEM Electrolyser, Thailand/Germany/Italy: Hydrogen is usually produced by burning fossil fuels. But a new design in Thailand is using renewable energy to make hydrogen by splitting wanter into hydrogen and oxygen.

The Duchess of Cambridge recycled an old outfit for the awards, while humanitarian and actress Emma Watson sported a dress made out of 10 different outfits from Oxfam.

The stage was also erected without using any plastic while the music was powered by 60 cyclists pedalling on bikes.

The award got its name after being inspired by former US president JFK’s project ‘Moonshot’ to get a man on the moon within the decade.

Emma Watson wore a dress made out of ten Oxfam outfits.

Neil Mockford via Getty Images

Emma Watson wore a dress made out of ten Oxfam outfits.

Prince William hopes that with the launch of the prize, more young people will be interested in getting involved in climate action.

He tweeted: “I want to say something to all the young people watching tonight: For too long, we haven’t done enough to protect the planet for your future. But Earthshot is for you. In the next 10 years we are going to act. We are going to find the solutions to repair our planet.”

The ceremony took place just two weeks before the COP26 UN Climate Change summit happening in Glasgow with world leaders.

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11 Sneaky Signs You Have ‘Eco-Anxiety’ (And What To Do About It)

In tandem with the relentless reports of higher temperatures, extreme weather, natural disasters and depleted resources saturating your newsfeed, you may find yourself experiencing an uptick in anxiety, depression and existential dread – better known as eco-anxiety.

A 2020 poll by the American Psychiatric Association found that more than two-thirds of Americans (67%) are somewhat or extremely anxious about the effect of climate change on the planet while more than half (55%) are somewhat or extremely anxious about how climate change affects their own mental health.

Though not an official clinical diagnosis, the American Psychological Association defines eco-anxiety as “a chronic fear of environmental doom.” Eco-anxiety is just as real as any other form of anxiety in that it typically involves the same physical and emotional sensations.

“It’s even more real, in a sense, because the problem triggering the anxiety symptoms is objectively real and massive in scale,” Erica Dodds, chief operating officer of the Foundation for Climate Restoration, told HuffPost. “There used to be more distance between any one person and the world, but now it feels like every problem in the world is right in our living rooms with us.”

Like other forms of anxiety, eco-anxiety can affect anyone, and to varying degrees. “Some people might be proactive in taking measures to protect the planet’s resources, while others might feel so powerless to stop the degradation of the environment they can’t handle thinking about it at all,” Dodds said.

No matter where you fall on the eco-anxiety spectrum, the steps you take to recognise your symptoms and improve them will likely be advantageous for the planet, too. Where to begin? See if any of these eco-anxiety symptoms sound familiar and use the expert-backed strategies provided as fuel for positive change.

1. You’re in a persistent state of anticipatory anxiety

Our animalistic need to feel safe operates on the most primitive level. “When we don’t feel safe, we naturally scan our environment to detect any hint of threat,” Carla Marie Manly, a California-based clinical psychologist and author of Joy From Fear told HuffPost.

When a threat like climate change is continuously felt yet isn’t readily discernible in the present moment, you may end up with chronic anticipatory anxiety. Because anticipatory anxiety is future-based, the best way to counteract it is to reconnect with the present moment, starting with a few deep breaths to calm your over-revved sympathetic (“fight or flight”) nervous system.

“Keep a rock, dried flower, twig or other natural object around that you can look at and touch when you’re feeling overwhelmed,” said Holly Schiff, a licensed clinical psychologist based in Greenwich, Connecticut. “This acts as a grounding technique.”

2. You feel guilty about not doing more to reduce your carbon footprint

Odds are your guilt stems from all-or-nothing thinking — you consider your actions as successes or failures, and there’s no gray area. Meanwhile, the grey zone is where many of our daily actions land.

“Recognising this maladaptive thought pattern is the first step toward alleviating guilt and shame related to your feelings of personal responsibility for your carbon footprint,” Tyson Lippe, a psychiatrist at Heading Health in Austin, Texas, told HuffPost.

Learn to acknowledge the positive decisions instead of focusing on how much more you could have done. “By ignoring everything less than 100%, it becomes easy to feel your efforts will always be in vain,” Lippe said. “One setback or shortcoming doesn’t negate the rest of your efforts toward ensuring our planet’s health.”

Because the brain is hardwired to remember negative instead of positive experiences, documenting your achievements can keep your efforts in perspective.

“Constructing a record of accomplishments provides an easy way to review them and remind yourself that you made a difference,” Lippe said. “This method provides positive reinforcement and a way to override our propensity to focus on our shortcomings.”

3. You deeply regret choices that harmed the environment

Regret can be both constructive and destructive – and it’s important to learn the difference.

“A normal and desirable part of life is learning new information as we grow and change,” Lippe said. “But becoming aware of the unforeseen consequences of our acts and assessing past behaviour in the light of new knowledge can lead to being excessively self-critical.”

The next time you find yourself in a regret spiral, pause to notice if you’re now engaged in more eco-friendly behaviours. If you are, focus on all you’re doing now to change the world for the better.

Regret about your past environmental impact might also be a signal from your psyche that you’re not currently taking care of the planet. If that’s the case, “use the regret to create new behaviours that will make a positive, if small, difference,” Manly said. Think: using reusable produce and grocery bags, trying waterless cleaning products, shopping sustainable beauty brands and more.

Doomscrolling news about climate change can reinforce anxiety without being productive.

Oscar Wong via Getty Images

Doomscrolling news about climate change can reinforce anxiety without being productive.

4. Your doomscrolling is getting out of hand

Compulsive actions emanating from eco-anxiety – like doomscrolling for the latest climate change tragedies and grim predictions – often occur in conjunction with hyper-focused, obsessive thoughts, which stem from a lack of internal safety and control.

“Such behaviours are the mind’s way of coping with the stress and anxiety of feeling powerless,” Manly said. “Seeking relief, the mind becomes stuck in ruminative patterns.”

Consider setting limitations on the daily or weekly time spent examining eco-associated information if you find yourself worrying excessively. “Being situationally aware is good; being overwhelmed is not,” Lippe said.

Another option would be to balance the scales: For every doom-filled piece of information you consume about the environment, find another on the latest successes and innovations, or hope-filled intel you can translate into action.

“It’s far more helpful and uplifting to channel the time researching climate change to doing something about it,” Manly said. “You’ll feel far more empowered and better about yourself if you switch gears to take action.”

5. You feel extremely resentful when other people do things that damage the planet

One of the key messages around climate change is that a collective effort is essential to rectify what’s happening to the environment.

“This means everyone’s individual and moral responsibility is engaged, and our response to climate change is based on cooperation,” Lippe said. “Resentment occurs as a result of perceived violation of this moral contract.”

Although it’s a subconscious emotional response, it can be draining and contribute to negative thought patterns. “A helpful way to combat resentment is to first recognize it, then consciously deflect resentment in favour of acceptance,” Lippe said.

You can’t control how eco-friendly other people’s habits are — only your own. Lead by example and educate where possible.

“Resenting others for not doing their part isn’t helpful,” Manly said. “However, modelling eco-friendly actions has the potential to inspire change in others, one person and situation at a time.”

6. You’re paralyzed by being overwhelmed as you build eco-friendly habits.

Because of the urgent reasons behind your desire to build eco-friendly habits, you might find yourself taking on too much too fast. “This makes maintaining those changes exhausting, and you burn yourself out,” Lippe said.

Intermittent and small tweaks are more tolerable than sudden, large ones and can lead to compounding changes, much like rolling a snowball down a hill.

“If feelings of overwhelm make you feel stuck, create a can-do calendar as a guide to monthly macro-changes supported by micro-changes,” Manly said.

In the first month, for example, your main goal might be to focus on shopping for fresh, local groceries that require less packaging – which might involve micro-goals like biking to the farmer’s market, sharing a box of fresh veggies with neighbours or planting a winter garden.

During the second month, your main goal might be to use less energy, and your micro-goals may be setting the heater no higher than 68 degrees, turning off lights when leaving the room and taking shorter showers.

“Making small, sustainable micro-changes can strengthen your resolve and your relationship with the environment,” Manly said.

Intense fear about potential extreme weather events could be a sign that your eco-anxiety needs to be addressed.

japatino via Getty Images

Intense fear about potential extreme weather events could be a sign that your eco-anxiety needs to be addressed.

7. You’re phobic about extreme weather

A phobia is a fear that’s out of proportion with the danger it represents. “However, recent events, including wildfires and floods, have surpassed the scale of what we’ve experienced before and is blurring the boundaries between fear and phobia,” Lippe said.

Fears – and fear’s close relatives, anxiety and phobias – can leave us paralysed, but being stuck in fear only does more harm.

“Constructive fear (the side of fear that guides us to make healthy change) simply asks that we look at what we can do as individuals to shift the situation for the better,” Manly said.

If you’re feeling bogged down by destructive fear (the fear that keeps us feeling stuck and paralysed), assess the situation and do one small thing that makes a difference, such as making a donation to a charity that helps people affected by wildfire.

“When you practice this behaviour pattern, you’ll notice your fears subside because you’re taking action to create healthy change,” Manly said. “Sometimes that’s the best and only thing we have the power to do.

If your fear is a result of personally experiencing a natural disaster, it might be part of a post-traumatic stress disorder: “Seeking out professional support for diagnosis and treatment is advisable,” Lippe said.

8. You have a serious case of existential dread.

You might feel like no matter how hard you try to help the planet, it’s never enough, so you avoid taking proactive steps because they seem to make so little difference. This, paradoxically, forces you to confront the incredible scale of the problem.

“There are many approaches to decrease one’s own carbon footprint ― choosing to bike rather than drive, eating less meat, having fewer children ― but ultimately the problem is beyond the scale of individual actions,” Dodds said.

With collective action, however, individuals can work together to drive the systemic change needed to address the roots of climate change and eco-anxiety — say, by joining or supporting groups actively working on a global level, like the Foundation for Climate Restoration, Extinction Rebellion, Sunrise Movement and Citizens Climate Lobby.

This can also help you make peace with the fact that you can’t do everything. “I find it helpful to network and see firsthand that other people are working on issues I care deeply about but don’t have the time to contribute to,” Dodds said.

You can also make small recurring donations to organisations working in areas you care about or subscribe to their newsletters to keep yourself engaged with their causes.

9. You have meltdowns about how climate change is affecting wildlife

A few weeks ago, Dodds was marvelling over a photo on Instagram of gorgeous whales sleeping underwater together — until she noticed the text accompanying the picture was describing the decimation of whale populations and its devastating effect on other species.

“In an instant, I went from awe to anguish,” she said.

The changes to our climate have been attracting so much social and media attention, especially lately, increasing the barrage of agonising information about the climate and ecosystems. Cue despair.

If you find yourself stuck in grief or immersed in one meltdown after another, take action to protect wildlife. “Most people do feel better when they’re actively engaged in fixing the problems that are causing them anxiety,” Dodds said.

Whether you volunteer at a turtle sanctuary, donate money to support animals affected by wildfires or plant bee-friendly flowers, “every action you take that’s positive can be deeply cathartic,” Manly said.

10. You struggle to plan for the future

When a person’s eco-anxiety becomes harmful, it’s often driven by a sense that the future is now uncontrollable and unpredictable.

“This can lead them to feel numbed out and hopeless,” Aimee Daramus, a Chicago-based licensed clinical psychologist and author of “Understanding Bipolar Disorder, told HuffPost. “They start asking questions about the meaning of having a family and career, or the worth of human life if we’re so easily swept away by increasingly common fires and hurricanes. Is life just going to get harder?”

Taking action on ecological issues can help fight the helplessness and numbness. “Start with actions that feel manageable, no matter how small, because that success will help motivate further action,” Daramus said.

If the hopelessness wins out more often than you do, eco-anxiety can be treated like any other type of anxiety and depression, using modalities like cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy.

“Eco-anxiety support groups are also forming online,” Daramus said, such as The Good Grief Network.

11. You experience physical symptoms

Eco-anxiety can manifest in a variety of physical ways, such as insomnia, panic attacks, digestive issues and lack of focus.

Sometimes these symptoms can be due to an acute stressor and may resolve on their own — but when they become intolerable or chronic, it’s important to determine if they’re due to a medical condition, such as a mood disorder.

“If your symptoms have been linked to excessive worrying, it may be necessary to speak with a counsellor or therapist, begin medication or engage in other treatment modalities to improve your health,” Lippe said.

Much like developing good sleep, food and fitness habits, adopting an eco-friendly lifestyle should be looked at as an ongoing effort. And when you take good care of yourself, you’re much better equipped to take better care of the planet.

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Heat-Related Deaths in UK Could Triple In The Next 30 Years

Heat-related deaths in the UK could triple in the next 30 years, according to a new report by the British Red Cross.

The charity’s Feeling The Heat report looks at how prepared the UK is for rising temperatures and more frequent heatwaves, and warns of a dangerous perception gap when it comes to awareness of the risks posed by heat.

Heatwaves – defined as a period of extreme heat lasting three days or more – have increased in the UK, with 84 registered between 2000 and 2020, and will continue to do so, the report says, both in intensity and length.

“The average length of warm spells have more than doubled in length in the last few decades, and by 2050 the UK will be 50% more likely to experience hot summers, while heat-related deaths could more than triple, to around 7,000 per year,” the charity’s briefing says.

The report, which surveyed 2,000 UK adults in June, comes after another period of weather in the UK that prompted extreme heat warnings, and found the risks that can come from heatwaves are not matched by the level of public concern.

A man sunbathing in St James's Park, London on the hottest day of the year so far.

A man sunbathing in St James’s Park, London on the hottest day of the year so far.

Even the word heatwave has positive connotations for the public, and is seen as bringing good weather, with a survey suggesting more than a quarter (26%) of people see heatwaves as a good thing. Meanwhile, more than a third (37%) believe heatwaves will be a problem in the future, but not now.

However, August 2020 heatwaves caused a record 2,556 excess deaths in England, as well as significant disruption across the UK, it warns. A severe water shortage led to more than 300 households in West Sussex having no water for five days, and there were an estimated five million staff days lost, at a cost of approximately £770m to the UK economy.

The survey suggests the majority (60%) of UK adults have experienced at least one adverse effect of hot weather in the UK, most commonly headaches (33%), dizziness or feeling faint (22%), or heat rash (21%). However it found that 40% of adults have never seen information on how to protect themselves during a heatwave, and 9% said they’ve never had advanced warning of a heatwave.

People who are more vulnerable to heatwaves

Hot weather can impact us all, but the following groups can be more vulnerable, the report says:

  • Older people and people who live in care homes
  • Babies and children
  • People who are pregnant
  • People with chronic health conditions
  • People with mental health conditions
  • Those drinking to much or taking recreational drugs
  • People who live alone or are socially isolated
  • Homeless people and marginalised groups
  • Refugees and migrants
  • Outdoor workers

Despite those aged 75 and above being at high risk form these effects, more than half of this age group surveyed said they do not consider themselves as vulnerable to the impact of heatwaves, the research found.

“Through the British Red Cross’s work responding to emergencies here in the UK and abroad, we are already seeing the devastating impact of climate change, including hot weather,” the report says. “But we also know that extreme weather emergencies don’t need to be disasters.”

The charity is calling on the government to ensure the most vulnerable to heat have access to adequate information and support. Former TV weather presenter Sian Lloyd has joined the call for greater awareness and understanding of the risks associated with rising temperatures.

“The UK is getting hotter,” she says. “As a result of climate change, heatwaves are becoming longer and more extreme, and many people’s health and wellbeing will continue to suffer as a result.

“We already know that certain groups are more at risk from extreme heat, including people aged over 75, adults with underlying health conditions, children and babies, as well as people living in top floor flats and in built-up urban areas where temperatures are higher.”

Matthew Killick, director of crisis response and community resilience at British Red Cross, said: “Despite what many think, UK heatwaves can impact us all.

“But heatwaves don’t need to be deadly. From checking on your neighbours to providing first aid, simple early actions can keep you, your family and friends safe and well during hot weather.”

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From Plastic Use To Carbon Offsetting, The Truth About Four Common Climate Myths

LIFE

Climate activists Pattie Gonia, Aneesa Khan, Anita Okunde and Isaias Hernandez debunk some of the common climate myths currently in debate. The campaigners set the record straight If you’ve ever heard: ‘plastic use is harmless’, ‘the environment can’t be racist’, ‘carbon offsetting will save us’ or ‘it’s your fault’.

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Joe Biden Took Just Hours To Reverse Some Of Trump’s Most Controversial Policies

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Biden Considering Lawyer Who Defended Big Oil In Climate Suits For Solicitor General

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Your personal data that may be used

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To enable Verizon Media and our partners to process your personal data select ‘I agree‘, or select ‘Manage settings‘ for more information and to manage your choices. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy Controls.

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