Ian Collins clashes with XR member over China's role in climate change
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Jude, from Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, is heading to Westminster to highlight the Zero Carbon Campaign’s carbon tax petition. Inspired by Greta, Jude has braved hills, rain and doubts along his 210-mile trek. A petition, urging a parliamentary debate on a carbon tax, was launched in February after the Government said it was committed to cutting emissions by 78 percent by 2035.
Jude believes that a carbon tax is a crucial step to slowing down humanity’s current path to what he called a dystopian world.
As he walked through Woburn Sands, a town about 50 miles from London, Jude told Reuters: “We now know a lot more about climate change and I think a carbon tax would be definitely one of the most useful solutions to it.”
Currently just under 57,000 people have signed the petition.
Jude wants to get to 100,000 signatures, so it can be considered for debate by parliament.
The 11-year-old added: “The effects of climate change are already being seen.
“We really need to make the changes now particularly if you want to avoid the devastating impacts later on.”
Jude is walking for 10 miles a day, accompanied on each day’s walk with either members of his family or friends.
He is due to finish the walk at St James’s Park on Saturday.
Ahead of the UN climate conference, known as COP26, in Scotland in November, Jude has called for serious action to slow climate change.
He added: “It would be just a dystopian world unless this summit doesn’t goes to plan.
“We can avoid catastrophe.”
Jude was also inspired after which he said offered solutions to climate change including a carbon tax.
His mother, Sarah Courtney, said she had “tried to put him off the idea” and hoped that the 10-mile practice walks might lead to him having a rethink.
But she said that ultimately he had his heart set on the idea and that “nothing was going to change his mind”.
Ms Courtney added that his whole family is “very, very proud” of him.
Jude set off on Sunday 25 July and is staying in a camper van to avoid the risk of needing to isolate due to COVID-19.
Previously aiming fire at Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Jude said the Government “hasn’t done enough for climate change in general, but also not for carbon tax because they seem to just be sticking with their Emissions Trading Scheme and Climate Change Levy”.
He added: “I would definitely prefer a full carbon tax, that’s why we’re doing this petition.”
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