1) How much climate change we get in future is still largely up to us
The IPCC are clear – we can drastically reduce the amount of climate change we experience, by getting off fossil fuels fast. We might get a civilisation-wrecking 4 degrees of warming, or even 5 or 6 degrees. But we also still have a good chance of keeping under 2 degrees, which might be manageable, if we act now. It's down to us. Still. Just.
2) Denial is dying
Global society is overwhelmingly behind the scientific case for action on climate change. The scientists are clear. So are NASA, and Shell, almost every Government, the CBI and the World Economic Forum. Among UK newspapers, The Telegraph and The Daily Mail, who are long-time critics of climate science, have recently signalled that they may change their tune. The debate is almost over, it's finally time to get on with action.
3) Most countries are acting
The UK is not going it alone. The Grantham Institute reports that 62 out of 66 countries responsible for 88% of the world's emissions have laws to tackle climate change. Climate plans are not adequate yet, but overall they get stronger every year.
4) China is acting
Some people often say "Oh what does what I do matter, it's the Chinese". But China is acting. Their emissions pledges are tougher than the UK's. They still have lots of coal plants, but they see the shocking damage to people's health it is causing in their cities. They built a colossal 16GW of wind and 13 GW of solar power in the last year alone. They are as committed to tackling climate change as the UK is, if not more so.
5) People are getting on with creating their own energy revolution.
Germany has seen an explosion in renewable power in the last decade – and over half of it is owned by German citizens, not big power companies. In the UK, more people are producing their own energy – either the half million people with solar panels on their roofs, or whole communities like Balcombe in Sussex joining together to go solar, rather than relying on polluting shale gas. As 10:10's fantastic web board puts it: "it's happening", everywhere. Twenty-first century energy will be renewable, increasingly decentralised, and more owned and controlled directly by the public.
6) Campaigns to keep fossil fuels in the ground are growing, and getting connected.
Grass-roots campaigns against dirty energy are joining-up, supporting and amplifying each other, and growing. A few examples include: the global Reclaim Power events; 350.org's global campaign to get pension funds to divest from fossil fuels; Frack-off, Friends of the Earth and dozens of local activist groups in the UK holding back fracking; Frackaction in the USA. Lock the Gate against coal bed methane in Australia; The Council of Canadians against fracking and tar sands; and Greenpeace's Save the Arctic campaign. The tide is turning against fossil fuel companies.
7) Young people are leading the fight to stop climate change
Some of the most dynamic new campaigns on climate are coming from younger people –these young people are forming networks all over the world. Push Europe and Young Friends of the Earth Europe have come together to run Climate Spring – uniting young people under the banner of fighting dirty energy and promoting renewable alternatives. There's also People and Planet's stunts this week on Fossil Fuels Day, the UK Youth Climate Coalition and many others.
8) In the UK, we lead the world in offshore wind.
The UK has the world' largest offshore wind farm – the London Array. This week the UK's Green Investment Bank announced £460m investment in the Westermost Rough and Gwynt-y-Mor offshore wind-farms. Last week, Siemens announced it would build a huge turbine factory in Hull, creating hundreds of jobs.
So, that's 8 - what are your reasons to be cheerful?
I'm in the UK - so, what's the good news in your country?
Lots of links to all the ideas above are here:
https://www.foe.co.uk/blog/climate-change-ten-reasons-be-cheerful
@simonbullock
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