John's Letter

To my grandchildren,

The fossil fuel industry has known about the damaging impact it was having on the world's climate for well over 50 years.

Politicians have known this for at least 30 years, but unfortunately they haven't had the courage to take appropriate action in the past, and they still aren't taking sufficiently drastic action to control damaging emissions, build resilience against global heating, and secure a world that will be safe and sustainable for you.

Their complacency baffles me. The costs of early actions to head off global heating - actions they have not taken - are going to be dwarfed by the costs your generation will have to pay to counteract the disasters to come when the full effects of global heating come to fruition.

I am sorry that my generation's campaigning has been insufficient to generate the necessary political will to make the essential behavioural changes accepted by the public. I hold the UK's Tory governments from 2010 onwards in total contempt for their craven complacency and stunning inaction in the face of an overwhelming scientific consensus.

I hope your lives will be rich and fulfilling, but I very much fear that the legacy of my generation will be a world with a severely damaged natural environment which will be a huge challenge for your generation to cope with. I send you my love and good luck wishes.