Kettering's climate change verdict
Updated on 18 October 2009
Middle England has its say on climate change: the people of Kettering are asked how green they are ahead of the Copenhagen conference. Jane Deith reports.
With the Copenhagen climate change conference just 50 days away, people around the world have been asked what they think, and their opinions have been sent to the environment ministers who will be negotiating the emissions deal.
And the place chosen to speak on climate change on Britain's behalf? Kettering in Northamptonshire.
The government is boasting about big plans to de-carbonise the economy. But behind the rhetoric, the survey in Kettering has found a reluctance to pay more for a green Britain.
In the days before anyone had ever heard of a carbon footprint, Kettering was famous for its shoe factories. The cutters and cobblers made shoes which were sold around the world.
When Britain started importing shoes, the industry began to wear out. Today Kettering's economy is based on distribution.
Retired shoemaker Ray Maylin does think about the environment now. He tries to do his bit keeping it clean. He was one of 100 people in the town presented with evidence of climate change, and he is convinced the need for a global deal on cutting carbon emissions is urgent.
"I want people to look at their children and at their grandchildren and think: 'What sort of world are we going to leave you?' We've done the dirty work and we've got to leave it for the kids to clean it up? It's not right, we've got to do something now," he said.
In 38 countries people said they wanted their governments to push for a much more radical climate deal in Copenhagen.
In Kettering 54 per cent want a global deal that keeps the rise in the earth's temperature below two degrees. And 87 per cent want Britain to cut carbon emissions by more than the target of 20 per cent by 2020; they want a cut of more like 40 per cent.
The difference between other countries' attitudes and our own was most obvious when people were asked if the price of fossil fuels should be increased. 45 per cent of those in Kettering voted no. In the rest of the world, on average, only 20 per cent of people objected to the idea.
In developing countries, where the effects of climate change are being felt more acutely, they wanted everyone to pay more, themselves included. In Brazil 83 per cent of people agreed the price of fossil fuels should go up. In Malawi, 70 per cent said we should be paying more.
