THE MAIN message to come out of Alton Climate Action Network’s two-day Vigil of Hope for the UN climate talks on October 30 and 31 was that we need to wake up now and get on with the urgent business of cutting emissions to protect our environment and our children’s futures.

So far the national commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions do not come anywhere near what is required to keep global warming to the accepted maximum safe increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. As Prince Charles said in his opening address: “This is our last chance saloon for saving the climate.”

ACAN asked people to reflect on what we as individuals can do and asked them to sign a petition demanding our leaders, at all levels of government, take resolute action immediately to cut carbon emissions rapidly before it is too late. Two hundred signatures were collected in the two days.

Climate justice was the main focus of the vigil. The Church of the Good Shepherd and Parish of the Resurrection reminded us that it was the UK that started the Industrial Revolution and has been responsible for enormous amounts of carbon emissions ever since.

Yet it is the poorest developing countries, who have contributed the least to global emissions, that are suffering the worst effects of climate change.

Lillie Ewins, the 16-year-old founding member of Young ACAN, gave a powerful speech. She said: “The climate crisis is a child rights issue. Just under half the children on earth are at extremely high risk due to cyclones, fires and inadequate essential services such as access to water and sanitation.”

Jan Hargate, of Alton Women’s Institute, was delighted to be joined by members of Alton, Selborne, Holybourne, Chawton, Four Marks, Sheet, Roedowns, Medstead and Petersfield WIs.

They came with some wonderful banners demanding action now and joined in a rousing chorus of the climate song: “We need to wake up, we need to wise up, we need to open our eyes and do it now, now, now. We need to build a better future and we need to start right now.”

Alton Town Mayor Cllr Pam Jones said: “Governments can act quickly – back in 1985 when the hole in the ozone layer was discovered they came together to ban the CFC gases that were causing the problem.”

She finished with a quote from David Attenborough, who said: “Surely we all have a responsibility to care for our Blue Planet. The future of humanity, and indeed all life on earth, now depends on us.”

The speeches were followed by a stirring live music set from Lurxx calling on us to “Stand for what we believe”.

Cllr Steve Hunt, the climate champion for East Hampshire District Council, kicked off the second day with a speech in which he said: “We cannot fiddle while the planet burns.”

On a positive note, he reported that despite a very slow start the leadership of the district council was showing “a greater willingness to listen”.

He added: “We can expect a big announcement very soon. Our hopes are high.”

Anne Bothwell, a parishioner of St Mary’s Catholic Church, came along to show her support.

She said: “Caring for our common home is so important and it is something that we can all work towards as a community. I look forward to supporting ACAN at future events.”

As George Monbiot said in a recent article describing the speed with which the US tooled up for war after the attack on Pearl Harbor: “The difference between 1941 and 2021 is that now mobilisation needs to come first. We need to build popular movements so big that governments have no choice but to respond to them if they wish to remain in office.”

As Eleanor Hill of ACAN said: “This vigil was part of the mobilisation of Alton’s community groups to show we are ready to face the challenges ahead.”

All we need now is for our leaders to find the political will to make a safer world possible.

Grateful thanks go to Alton Lions for the loan of their gazebo, Alton Town Council for the loan of their sound system and PPL/PRS for granting us a free music licence for the event.