It needn't cost the earth

Politicians, Scientists , think tanks, quango's and even the Stern report. Climate change seems to be well and truely on the political agenda as the long awaited Stern report has given politicians of all pursuasions the passion to save the planet. A stern but harsh warning to the world as a whole! 'Go Green, or face the consequences.' Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, the Batman and Robin of the political world have taken on another crusade. This time it's not to save the poor and needy of Africa or the brutally needy of Iraq. Alas, it is time to save the world, literally. No 10 and no 11 Downing Street seem atalst to agree on something! Well, agree that climate change is more important than the NHS, or the state of public transport as the singley most important politicial issue of our time. If we dont act now, ten years from now the planet's temperature will have risen by atleast 2%. It's time to bring out the rolling drums as we make way for a surprise in politics. Politicians actually care about out planet! Since David Cameron entered the political theatre, by re-inventing the Tories as the Green Party - by changing the logo and proving his Green credentials by riding along on chauffeur driven huskies in greenland, PM Tony Blair and his right hand man Gordon Brown have decided to follow where the political mileage lies. Last week in Prime Minister's Questions, the fiesty Tory leader asked the PM about whether there would be a climate change bill in the Queen's speech. To which Blair dodged it, claiming that all would be revealed in the Queen's speech. Hence, now that the caped crusader and the boy wonder have publically backed the Stern report, we now face the prospect of a climate change bill. The substance, we do not yet know what it will contain. One fact is clear from all the scientific and political banter, that is that we do need to act to atleast try to improve the state of this planet. David Miliband, Environment Secretary, and clever clogs of the New Labour juggernaut said on Newsnight in an interview with Jeremy Paxman that it was important for Western governments to take the lead on this issue and that by taking the lead, other developing nations would follow suit. Also, that by national government's taking the lead, their people would also follow suit. This is all well and good, but Mr Miliband has forgotten one important part of the equation. Just exactly how did the young gun travel to the BBC studio? Was it in a chauffeur driven gas guzzling 4*4? or was it in a Toyota Prius? Politicians and passion do not mix! Politicians can be passionate, but only when they believe it will score them votes or mileage at the polls. Cameron has succeeded, in my view, in making Blair look like a follower rather than a leader. When the PM invaded Iraq, along with Bush, he assumed that ridding the world of one less evil dictator, would be enough to put him in the record books as a true God among politicians. Now that Iraq seems to be becoming more and more of a failure rather than a success, it's time the PM took on a new challenge to try and rectify this image. We all care about the world and no one it seems more than the PM! I can't help feel sceptical about all this sudden passion steaming from the brains of the leader of our country. If politicians really cared for the welfare of the planet, then they would give up their chauffeur driven tanks or their private jets that lietrally do cost the earth. We can all do our bit, but I'm afraid when a politician tells me to do my bit, but deep down isn't really doing his, then it makes me somewhat cynical about whether I should do mine! Lastly, science is not exact, science can be politically tampered with - on both sides of the equation - It should not be assumed that figures, statistics, and academic forensics are 'set in stone' and as Nigel Lawson, Ex Cabinet Minister of the Thatcher goevernment pointed out that predictions years from now are simply unattainanble, whether it be on the economy or on tax or on climate change targets, it is unworkable. Mr John Q taxpayer is not stupid? Or, atleast I dont think he is!