Climate Action Friday 20/9/19

I arrived in Palermo Sicily on Black Swan on Thursday 19 September after wonderful sail from Sardinia.  250nm.

Having left Carloforte on Monday 16 September with my two crew men Jamie & Steve

We had mostly light winds from the South East averaging between 6 knots. So we were mostly close reaching averaging overall a speed of 5 knots. 

On occasions we did have to do some motoring but fortunately that was fairly limited when we had wind dead ahead or no wind at all. 

Black Swan is able to sail at the speed of the wind. Overall we hardly saw much shipping we had 360 degrees of or own space beautiful sea space. With dolphin sightings.

On arrival after cleaning the boat we went out to explore Palermo. The marina is close to a ship yard and it was quite a walk via an old castle ruins.

What struck me in a stark way was the amount of traffic with small scooters, motor bikes and cars and heavy vehicles.

The street in Palermo are relatively narrow and the buildings are tall. 

The fumes were noticeable and there seem to be a cacophony of noise and manic traffic. Crossing the road you have to take your life in your hands with Sicilians. Pedestrian Zebra crossings don’t seem to stop Sicilian drivers!

However in the old town of Palermo traffic has been severely restricted and completely banned.

Makes for peaceful walking and a more enjoyable sight seeing experience.

The children under the young Swedish girl Greta Thunberg we’re out on the streets again over the inaction by world governments over co2 global warming gas reduction.

But Palermo was the stark reminder about vehicle exhaust gases emissions and the virtual non gas pollution out on the Mediterranean Sea.  

Modern man lives a frantic existence of high energy fossil fuelled burning.

How are we going to make the changes needed to reduce climate warming co2 gas emissions?

This is the biggest question or dilemma modern man has to address?

Where do we start and how do we achieve dramatic reductions in exhaust gas emissions?

We have the technology available but governments and societies seem rather paralysed in how to get to grips with this existential threat. 

CO2 emissions have been rising each year and they are now at 415 ppm and rising.

Never in human history has co2 levels been so high. It’s a serious problem and we humans are in a state of paralysis over it! And some in complete denial!

We know what to do and a young 16 year old Swedish girl knows what we have to do. But it going to take massive changes in the way we live and work.

First there should be a world council for climate strategies. This needs to be done now! Well the United Nations is and has been working behind the scenes to bring climate catastrophe to all world governments attention.

Carbon taxes need to be enacted with proper consequences for all co2 polluters. They we rich must pay this tax. But it’s the most highly industrialised countries who will have to pay the most.

We all have to reduce our carbon footprints. Each and every single energy consumption device will have to have a carbon emitter monitor.

That device gets directly taxed the bigger the emitter the bigger the tax. We have digital technology to achieve this. Every smart phone has apps facilities that can be linked in with your co2 emitting device or vehicle or power station cement works.

Modern farmers use digital technology in their machines. GPS is used extensively for ploughing fields and for the weather and soil conditions.

This is the only way I can see it activating revolutionary ideas. We have to be hit in our pockets.

But we need a world strategy because it’s global problem.

Through these changes we will have to make difficult choices about energy consumption. But action is needed to be taken now not in 2025 or 2050 but today.

For us sailors we have the beauty of sailing away from polluted lands, however I do see lots of regular plastic pollution when I’m sailing which I find really sad!