Assad flees - Putin's next move ...

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The Assad family have ruled Syria for over 50 years. The father and his son killed and tortured over 100 000 of their own people to maintain a grip on power. Putin offered military force which he was allowed to use to bomb civilians and claim that they were terrorists.

Assad has fled to Russia and Putin will now made a deal with the new Syria to keep his presence in the Mediterranean. He has ships harbouredd and airports in Syria to give himself more reach into Europe and Africa. What can he do now? He will promise support and finance to the Syrian government, anything to keep hi power and influence. The war in Ukraine is killing so many and snuffing the life out of the economy. It is an offence to say the slightest disparaging word against the war or government. Typical behaviour for a dictator too weak to deal with criticism he resorts to suppressing his people with violence, threats and fake news.

He is a bad representation of a Russian person, they are intelligent creative and loyal but the goodness that they offer the world is blocked by his aura of the lust for power.

Climate Change, Trump and Truth.

In the 1950's weather scientists noticed that carbon dioxide and average temperature had started to rise. Early models of the formation of earth showed how the earth's temperature was linked to the balance of carbon dioxide and plant life. This year we have the global conference COP29, with world leaders coming together to discuss reducing the causes of climate change..

Over the ensuing years: data, experiments and discoveries corroborated the initial understanding. Politicians listened to the scientists (even Margaret Thatcher believed them) and were trying to build it into political preparation. It seemed a problem that was too far away to fit the political cycle, so it was always pushed aside and the voice of scientists was drowned out by sceptics and oil based businesses.

Today the world has become a "wild west" of truth. Now everyone can feel empowered to challenge scientists and experts. People with years of knowledge and understanding were dismissed. Initial criticism came from some oil biased scientists and internet technology spread the voice of a few sceptics and people developed a sense that they were now informed enough to form their own view of climate change. So now they developed views which used new measures of truth and based beliefs on the science on whether it was consistent with religious views or financial expediency.

So now years of scientific work and understanding are  dismissed by individual choices based on belief or simply ignorance of the facts, legitimised by a few voices.

We don't have to be experts to see that our world is changing rapidly. The climate change predictions are now coming true and even the oil industry has given up denying the science and instead is trying to slow the transition away from oil, coal and gas. Some are investing in green alternatives.

How do  climate sceptic leaders affect the way we go from here? In the first instance we can see that populist leaders in decision making roles have blocked the mitigation and preparations for extreme events like fires and floods. In Spain they even suppressed warnings about the possible storms and floods that had been warned about.

What do we know about Trump? He is firmly a climate change denier. He called it a hoax. He has made it clear that he will not pursue green energy but exploit American oil reserves ("drill baby drill"). The world needs leadership to  tackle the huge impact of climate change but Trump will be pushing the world deeper into the distress of current problems and will rob the young people of a much tamer and hospitable world. He will be dead when the devastating impact of his thinking is felt. The earth will need many years to pull back from our current trajectory which is going to result in the extinction of many species and violent weather.

We are "locked in" to the next 4 years and you may think that what you believe doesn't matter. To a large extent that is true. However, climate change is coming, so prepare your home and family for the change. Examine the risks and take precautions.

It is irresponsible to think that you don't have to believe scientists. What basis is there for challenging the science? We live in a technological age. Our modern world is based on science. If you use a mobile phone you are accessing hundreds of years of science and the scientific process which is based on peer review. Climate Change is not a scam or hoax. If you honestly think that scientists have been lying for 50 years  while the oil companies and some leaders are being honest, then you are naive.

You can't pick and choose which science you believe. We are all part of this world and the people who have dedicated their lives to understanding climate have shown us how our earth is in peril. This is important for our future we all need to accept the science and press politicians to make changes now.