Greece burning.
China and Germany flooding.
Canada and the US having record temperatures.
2020 equal warmest year on record.
Just some of the headlines over the past few weeks.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report yesterday, we will now reach a 1.5C increase in global average temperatures - the previously agreed target - within 20 years.
It also said we should expect to exceed this - and for the climate to warm further still.
The absurdity of the situation is that, despite finding ourselves in the midst of extreme events, the report still has to spend time justifying itself and convincing those in denial that climate change is a real thing.
“It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land” - IPCC Report
It is plain to see climate change is already taking place.
"Dangerous climate change is here and now,” said Michael Wehner, an extreme weather researcher at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and one of the lead report authors.
It is now undoubtable that we will see more of these extreme weather events. That more people will suffer and be driven from their homes as a consequence of climate change. That there will be an even greater loss of biodiversity, and resources will become more scarce. There will be increased conflict worldwide and mass migration, as livelihoods become untenable.
But what the IPCC report also said, is that we can STILL mitigate some of this. If we take decisive action, there is still PLENTY we can do to minimise the increase in global temperatures since pre-industrial times.
Governments are too slow to take action. India the world’s third largest carbon-emitter is still yet to set a date to become carbon neutral.
If we reported climate change the way we have the pandemic with daily stats, death tolls, vaccination updates and briefings where we hold governments to account… if we took the issue seriously rather than burying our heads in the sand and leaving it to someone else... if we took action and made corporations responsible for their global impact... we may, just MAY, be able to mitigate catastrophe.
This autumn sees the most important climate summit of our time, COP26, take place in Glasgow.
Now is the time for urgent action not just for pledges and platitudes.
According to the UN, the fashion industry is widely believed to be the second most-polluting industry in the world.
At MLGW we’re trying to make a change by asking consumers to buy less, and only buy clothes that are more sustainably-sourced and ethically produced.
We must do better for ourselves and for our children.
Change is already upon us. So be the change you want to see.
With love,
Lucy
X
Author: Lucy Todd
Lucy Todd is the founder of My Little Green Wardrobe. She started her own ethical clothing journey after spending countless hours trying to find suitable clothes for her own children. Her expertise are in the manufacturing and distribution of clothing, with a particular focus on sustainability, ethical working practices, harmful chemicals, and the environmental impact of the apparel industry.
About Me | Linkedin