Star comment: We mustn't get left behind on climate efforts
The day after the Met Office predicted regular 40C summers in the UK, another report says July is the hottest month we have ever experienced.
Ironically, of course, it has been rotten weather in the UK, but our poor weather is also a symptom of a change in weather patterns that has brought intense heat in Europe, Asia and North America.
This is a global issue. There has been much debate in the UK about how quickly green measures should be brought in. It has now become a political issue and the danger is that we slip into the same situation as the US and the likes of Brazil, where green policies are seen as the bastion of the left.
We must not allow that to happen, too much is at stake and our ability to negotiate credibly will be lost if there is a race to the bottom on environmental safeguards.
The UK has largely seen a consensus across the political spectrum and the UK should see greening our economy as an opportunity to be a world-leader in sectors such as wind power, nuclear, and battery manufacturing.
Politicians must grasp the nettle and think of the long term, rather than the short term. We saw in Uxbridge how green issues can be politicised where insufficient investment was put into a scrappage scheme and people voted against cleaner air because they could not afford the price.
The UK has an opportunity to rise above it and be a world leader, though, just as easily, it could find itself mired in the murky business of not taking decisive action to protect the environment.
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Jay Blades is a perfect example of a man who has fulfilled his potential despite of, not because, of our education system.
A difficult upbringing and his dyslexia held back a man who is naturally very bright. It took a forward-thinking university to have faith in him, help him study and to gain a degree despite the fact he could hardly read.
Now he is back at Buckinghamshire New University as Chancellor and he has been open about his own battle to pick up his reading skills in middle life. He is an inspiration and a man from whom much can be learned.
We can all live our best lives if we are committed to that and if we find mentors or institutions that are willing to give us a break. We can excel and make the most of our talents – providing we are focused and determined and receive a little help along the way.
Jay Blades shows that anything is possible.
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