The Tribune

As recently as the beginning of February, I wrote in this column about a UK initiative to partner with other countries and the United Nations in launching a global coalition to address the impact of climate change. A new body called the Adaptation Action Coalition would work to try to turn international political commitments into on-the-ground support for countries in need. I suggested this might be of especial interest to The Bahamas because of its extreme vulnerability, as an archipelagic nation with low lying islands, to the threat of rising sea levels.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, it is now well established that greenhouse gases are a major contributor to global warming that causes sea levels to rise. Such rises, together with storm surges, could be more pronounced in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) affected by hurricanes. However, the irony is those small countries least able to protect their citizens through coastal defences or resettlement away from vulnerable areas are themselves responsible for only a small fraction of the global emissions that are creating the problem in the first place.

Now, some three months later, what British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called a “game-changer”, has occurred. This is in the shape of the two-day virtual summit about climate change hosted by President Biden two weeks ago and attended by 40 world leaders. It signalled a fundamental change of US policy.

As is well known, former President Trump was, at the very least, sceptical about climate change. He withdrew from the 2015 Paris Agreement and, reportedly, dismantled certain domestic environmental protections. But it comes as no surprise that, with the Democrats’ green agenda, and in accordance with commitments made in the run-up to last November’s presidential election, the new US government has already re-joined the Paris accord and is now putting climate change at the centre of its national security and foreign policy.

At the virtual summit, whose aim was to kick-start a hitherto faltering international effort to stave off the effects of global warming, Mr Biden committed to focusing on a clean energy future during what he called a “decisive decade”. He said it was a moral and economic imperative to tackle climate change without delay and to galvanise world leaders in to taking action to prevent the potentially catastrophic consequences of allowing temperatures to spiral upwards – and it is interesting that his words have been echoed by the UN Secretary General who has said that 2021 must be the year for action to avoid an “abyss” of climate disaster.

As for the detail, the President reminded the summit that the science was undeniable. It was essential to keep the Earth’s temperature to an increase of no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. If it went above that, there would be more frequent and intense fires, floods, droughts, heatwaves and hurricanes. He said, for its part, the US had a lot of catching-up to do after the last four years of inactivity under his predecessor. But, as historically one of the worst polluters, it pledged to cut carbon emissions by 50-52 percent, from 2005 levels, by 2030.

At the summit, there were no new commitments by India and China, which are two of the world’s biggest emitters, though the latter has promised to “strictly limit” coal while countries like Canada, Japan and South Korea have stepped up with new promises and Brazil and Australia have remained sceptical.

Interestingly, all this seems to be an opening salvo in negotiations leading to the crunch talks at the UN Climate Change Conference - known as COP26 - which will be hosted by the UK in Scotland in November and where the countries that are parties to the Paris Agreement will be required to announce their new targets for emission cuts. As president of this conference, the UK – whose own performance in relation to climate change has been relatively good, going back to legislation in 2008 - is already playing a critical role in the lead-up to it.

Many people believe the issue is also a moral one. So, for example, the British and Italian Embassies to the Holy See, together with the Holy See, will convene a meeting of religious leaders and scientists in Rome during the autumn in order to provide an opportunity for faith leaders to articulate the world’s common duty to address climate change. Among other pre-COP26 events, this is designed to build momentum for the November conference.

It is significant Mr Biden is making his first trip overseas as President to Britain where he will attend the G7 summit before going on to Brussels for NATO and EU meetings. According to the White House, this first trip will highlight his commitment to restore alliances and to work with allies and multilateral partners to address global challenges - and his aim is “to advance US policy priorities on public health, economic recovery and climate change”.

Some people are wondering how the US commitment to reduce carbon emissions will work out in practice, with critics already asking why sacrifices should be made when the world’s largest emitters continue to pollute the atmosphere.

For the US, it will require sweeping changes to virtually every part of the economy. It will mean a rapid decline in fossil fuel use so that a large amount of the country’s electricity will come from renewable sources such as wind. This will need increased investment in renewable energy with more wind turbines and solar panels. It will also result in the closure of coal-fired power stations, more cars powered by electricity and a reduction of oil and gas drilling and dredging and a possible ban on their export.

Whether or not the US goals are achievable, its new role of persuading other countries to tackle climate change seriously is crucial if anything meaningful is to be achieved. American power and influence will make a huge difference. There will be much activity leading up to the UN conference in Scotland so this will be a significant period.

The new US involvement is good news for SIDS in particular, whose futures depend on keeping global warming within definable and measurable limits -- and it will surely be important for all concerned to follow developments closely.

What is it about the English?

It is fair to say national days of celebration are a source of pride for people worldwide. They provide an opportunity to express their patriotism - love and support of country and devotion to its history, its values and way of life - and are a symbol of a country’s identity on the international stage.

The national day in most countries is a public holiday; for example, to name just a couple, the 4th of July in the US and France’s Bastille Day on the 14th of the same month which is celebrated with pride and unrestrained gusto.

How is it then, people often wonder, that even though there are still some limited celebrations – for example, in Trafalgar Square in central London and activities by local St George’s societies - England generally tends to ignore its own national day which is St George’s Day on April 23.

What is worse, many people are not even aware of this date. Overseas, however, the position is often markedly different as English people gather together to celebrate their national day – and, happily, here in The Bahamas there is a well organised and flourishing St George’s Society which does much good work.

As a brief potted history, according to legend dating back to the 11th century, St George not only saved a princess but also killed a dragon. It is said that he became the patron saint of England because he was seen to epitomise English chivalry. St George’s Day is the anniversary of his death and is seen as the country’s national day.

Historians say that until the 18th century it was a national feast day and holiday in England. But, after the 1707 Act of Union between England and Scotland, its significance and the celebrations around it seem to have faded.

Meanwhile, even though the English fail to take an opportunity to show their patriotism at least once a year, the Scots proudly embrace St Andrew’s Day and the Welsh and Irish vigorously celebrate, respectively, St David’s Day and St Patrick’s Day - and the latter is even recognised in the parts of America where the Irish migrated in large numbers.

There appears to be no ready explanation of the reason the English play down or simply ignore their own national day. Some critics say that not being bothered to celebrate or even acknowledge it derives from a sense of superiority and arrogance against a background of oppression associated with the British Empire and slavery.

It seems to be the case that some people, in their resentment of Britain’s historical power and influence, are offended by any outward show of patriotism which could be mistaken for xenophobia, racism and intolerance, though some tend to confuse patriotism with nationalism which is, of course, altogether different.

Some in England even think that to celebrate their own Englishness might be seen somehow as a snub, if not an insult, to the other nations of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The strength of resentment against England should not be underestimated – if any doubt it, go no further than the six-nations rugby encounters when Wales not only want to beat England but to humiliate them by chalking up as big a score as possible; and the same applies when Scotland take on what they call the ‘auld enemy’ – only sport, you may say, but all too often feelings run high for the most fundamental of reasons.

It is perhaps revealing English people tend to describe themselves as British but define themselves as English; and they believe that Shakespeare – whose birthday, incidentally, was April 23 – got it right in his play Henry V, with the King’s speech to his soldiers before the Battle of Agincourt ending with his cry ‘God for Harry, England and Saint George’.

Be all this as it may, on a lighter note the English tradition of cups of tea and cucumber sandwiches while watching cricket in unpredictable weather is seen as part of the nation’s imperturbability, calmness and even eccentricity. Perhaps that is in the past in some ways. But I believe that, as the UK regains its independence post-Brexit, this is a good time to be patriotic and proud of England’s history and heritage and its culture and values.

Surely it is right now to bring closure to residual guilt about the negative aspects of the country’s colonial past and recognise its massive cultural and civilising contribution to the world.

Britain as a whole is still one of the most tolerant and liberal nations in the world and is also, arguably, one of the most open and outward-looking societies.

So, like the Scots, the Welsh, the Irish and most of the rest of the world, is it not time at last for the English to celebrate properly their own national day?

A fine farewell

It was good to receive an invitation to the Governor-General’s service of remembrance and thanksgiving for Prince Philip which was held in Christ Church Cathedral last Thursday.

This was an impressive occasion. The service was an admirable tribute to Prince Philip and the setting was imposing. Beautifully organised down to the last detail, and with a suitable military involvement, there was a good mix of pageantry, ceremony and formality, and everything went like clockwork. It seemed to me that the content of the service - the music, hymns, prayers and readings - was exactly right and appropriate, together with a fine address by the Governor-General himself and a fitting homily with a powerful message by the Bishop of The Diocese of The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos.

The service was well attended and we were all placed apart under the rules of social distancing applied in expert fashion by protocol officers led by Terry Archer. I recall that he was always helpful to me and my wife in the past - and my diplomatic colleagues and I always appreciated his efficiency and professionalism in guiding everybody and looking after them generally on official occasions.