INN Weather – JANUARY 2023

BRIAN SOCKINGTON: Thanks Joe, over to weather with Jane Bunion now who joins us live from Lutzerath, Germany, where just moments ago, 20 year old former Swedish school wager Greta Thunburg was arrested and detained by Police. Jane, what is it like out there and how on earth did we find the money to send you to Germany?

JANE BUNION: As you can see, things have settled down quite a bit since Greta’s alarming arrest by German riot police at a protest over the expansion of the coal mine right behind me. Greta was part of a group who broke into a hazardous coal pit, where authorities were waiting, opting to remove and detain the protesters from the “danger area” including the famous little 20 year old girl. 

BRIAN: How horrible Jane, our hearts go out to Greta who must be feeling quite traumatised by these events. How is she doing?

JANE: Well, from what we could see, she was quite shaken by the treatment she received and I’m sure she’ll be seeking some extended counselling to deal with the repercussions of such treatment, I believe we have some footage of the incident… VID: Getta arrest.

BRIAN: Oh wow, so you can see there the police were present in large numbers and were certainly manhandling her in quite  sever way, actually lifting her off the ground

JANE: Yes, and she was obviously determined to put on a brave face throughout the embarrassing and degrading treatment. It was almost as though she knew this was going to happen and was quite prepared throughout the whole event.

BRIAN: Yes, as were the press there, you can see quite a significant media presence, cameras out  – it’s amazing how they can sense these things that are about to occur

JANE: Well Greta certainly didn’t receive the red carpet treatment you’d expect of a global icon and main speaker at the rally of activists, many of whom have been kind of squatting at the site for years in the abandoned homes residents evicted to make way for the coal mine. Greta’s there to help demonstrate that the coal mine is at odds with the Paris Climate Agreement emissions target that will limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels Brian. 

BRIAN: Yes, we MUST get back to pre-industrial levels of course… Is that because the climate didn’t change then or…?

JANE: No, no, climate changed then too, but it was based on solar and volcanic variations. When we include man-made emissions from like coal burning and stuff, we speed those cycles up Brian. For example, last year’s average surface temperature of the planet was 1˚C warmer than in the pre-industrial period

BRIAN: What pre-industrial period?

JANE: … Well there’s no OFFICIAL definition, but it could refer to any period before the start of the industrual revoloution

BRIAN: Ok, but say we chose a period of low solar activity, like the late 1600s off the top of my head, or a period of high volcanic activity, like the 1880s you just mentioned… then wouldn’t this ‘pre-industrial level’ have lower temperatures, meaning we would reach the 1.5℃ threshold sooner…

JANE: Well, yes… That just makes what the climate protests are doing even more important.

BRIAN: Like the protesters defacing famous art works, vandalising public institutions and gluing themselves in front of cars?

JANE: Umm, I think so?

BRIAN: Well, I’m just glad Greta’s ok Jane! Anyway, do you have the forecast for us?

JANE: Umm, actually, I, uh, have to go do a bit of thinking I have to do… Ummm

BRIAN: Hmm, Thanks Jane, Jane Bunion there live from Lutzerath, Germany