Letter: Is it now time to get angry about climate change?

SIR — When do we get angry? When do we demand change? Reading about the Australian wild fires made me ask these questions.

Climate change caused by human activity turned a natural phenomenon into an apocalyptic blaze destroying whole ecosystems and devastating wildlife and creating its own climate, causing thunder storms whose lightning reignited or started new fires.

I wonder, does climate change seem real to Australians now? Are they getting angry with their government for continuing to invest in and subsidise fossil fuels; for failing to commit to Zero Carbon by 2030 like their progressive neighbour New Zealand?

What will it take for us in the UK to demand change; to say we are prepared to make short term sacrifices for long term gain; to reject investments and subsidies for fossil fuels; to create citizens assemblies to provide a democratic mandate for local governments to make changes?

There is much we can do individually. The big one, the radical one, is to stop investing in fossil fuels – to switch pension funds or banks to those that don’t invest – to lose our 6% returns in Shell/Esso for less money (to buy more things we don’t need) but more sustainable returns for the planet.

Another biggie is to reach out to others, talk about it, and join local groups to work collectively to create change. There is strength in numbers: New Forest Extinction Rebellion, New Forest Friends of the Earth, Transition Lymington, Plastic Free Lymington are all active locally.

Finally, tell our MPs that this is important and the time is now to work towards zero carbon by 2030 otherwise it’s too late.

Or do we wait for the devastation to happen closer to home – floods to devastate our crops, disrupt transport and make our homes uninhabitable (hard to imagine, right?).

Emily Hamilton

Lymington.