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Some months ago Watford was on the short list as a possible venue for holding the G20 summit. Whilst it would have been prestigious and put our town on the international map, I am not quite so sure that thousands of anarchists, anti capitalists and others would have been quite so welcome if they took out their anger and frustration on Watford high street. So with hindsight, it probably was more sensible to hold it in London but at least we were in the running. As the great political leaders of the world arrived in the city earlier this month, it was with a huge expectation that by working together we can combat the recession that has taken a global grip. As I write this column we are still awaiting an update on the various meetings of the leaders. I am hopeful that those 20 men and women will seize the chance to work together for the benefit of all those on this planet and not to act in a way that not only protects their own people but does so at the cost of others.
One of the issues that has featured high on the list for discussion around the G20 has been climate change. We all know that the world is getting warmer and that the affects upon our planet are devastating. We know too that we have to be conscious of the fuel reserves that remain and the way in which we use them. That is why many companies and countries are looking at alternative sources of fuel such as wind, solar, geothermal (that’s heat from the ground) and even greater use of nuclear. I recently had the chance to visit a project in Berlin with Total who are based in Watford to look at the hydrogen fuel cell projects being developed. These prototype cars are fuelled by a rather complicated process (for us non scientists) which converts water into hydrogen which then fuels an electric motor. The partners in the project which include car manufacturers, fuel companies and the German government are hopeful that this will be a successful project and one more way in which we can help to reduce carbon emissions and make a contribution to the fight against climate change.
These are the big projects but we can also try to do things at a local or personal level. I have recently organised coffee mornings for constituents that are based on providing information and support on how to be fuel efficient. There are huge benefits in our own home from such action – it makes them warmer, saves money and doesn’t waste our limited fuel resources. There are a number of schemes which can help with better insulation for homes, especially if the occupants are pensioners. I am shortly due to hold an event with British Gas whose representatives will be able to pass on fuel efficiency ideas as well as helping people sort out their individual account problems. The G20 is about governments working together to get the best from the people and the resources on this planet. At our own personal level, we can play our part too.
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