Mr Sunak, a word about your outburst

There's already plenty of excellent commentary about viable alternatives to Britain's future energy needs that would produce better environmental and fairer economic outcomes than new oil and gas licenses you announced yesterday.  So, Mr Sunak, let's instead stay with your emotional outburst to the question about your private jet use. It lays bare the reality of our struggle to address climate change. 

Reining in CO2 emissions requires reining in our lifestyles, through individual choices and support for government regulation. It leads to temper tantrums. In yours, you foolishly equated environmental action with banning all holidays: If you or others think that the answer to climate change is getting people to ban everything they’re doing, to stop people flying, to stop people going on holiday, I think that’s absolutely the wrong approach....if your approach is to say no-one should go on holiday, I think you are completely and utterly wrong. The anger in your response reflects what we all experience at the suggestion of giving up what we have:  it's not fair, it's ridiculous, we can't go back to the cave, why should I when China and my neighbours are polluting more than me.  

Sit with your anger for a moment, Mr. Sunak. It's important to recognise the fear and grief behind it, emotions that block us from contributing to a liveable climate for our loved ones. Yes, it's really a bugger that many parts of your luxury lifestyle are unsustainable. I can imagine I'd struggle to downgrade from private jet to economy. Yesterday I also had a temper tantrum - and it was only about milk. When my feisty teenager nagged me to use soy instead of cow milk in my coffee, I snapped: give me a break! This is my morning ritual, a moment of peace, reading the paper before my world starts. It's not about the milk but the stuff around it. So I'm pretty sure that I'd be as defensive and angry as you if the stakes were higher, if I had to make changes with more significant impacts.   

Sit with it, Mr Sunak. Stay in the dissonance between your choices and the recent infernos around the Mediterranean. Ponder what this portends for the future of your children. It's really uncomfortable - that's why we avoid doing it and tell ourselves that we only respond to positive messaging.  It strikes at your identity, your educational and professional background, at the lifestyle you've worked so hard to create. You might glimpse feelings of helplessness, even guilt. Perhaps you feel some level of despair for yourself and your children's future. Don't turn away.  

If you can do that, at some point you'll come to the "oh-shit" moment. It's the moment we need to encounter. It's the point of recognising that our choices have been wrong and that we have to - and can - make other choices. It's a tough realisation - allow yourself a moment of self-pity. After all, we humans often find it very hard to do the right thing. And sometimes we feel locked into decisions we don't even really believe in. Show yourself some empathy. But then take a deep breath and do it - just change. On the other side is the relief and joy we've all experienced from doing the right thing. This is the climate apology.

Underpinning the development and use of the scientific, technological and economic solutions to climate change are the daily choices we make, shaped by our emotions. We must recognise and grieve our fear of losing what we have, of losing our conveniences and what we believe we've earned, what we think of as rightfully ours. In this process of facing up to our fears lies hope in our capacity for change and for acting in the interests of those we love.

Mr Sunak, you fought for the prime ministership of the UK at a time that requires moral leadership. The question you so clumsily deflected yesterday was whether you see yourself as a role model for others. “A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.” (Rosalynn Carter). May you find the courage to face up to that part of you that doesn't want to change, inspiring us to do the same. When it seems too difficult, let yourself be inspired by those who are already living sustinainably for those they love.

Together, we've got this.