In November the climate change news came thick and fast. Tales of unprecedented extremes of weather frequented our global news bulletins almost daily. 

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I think you will agree that one tragedy overshadowed all others in its ferocity, horror, scale and sheer improbability. Of course I speak of the California wildfires, the worst in the state’s history, and in particular of the fire weirdly nicknamed ‘The Camp Fire’ which obliterated a once-lovely town of twenty thousand souls, a town whose name I will not repeat because of its tragically ironic nature.

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When climate change activists connect particular weather events with climate change they are met with a barrage of abuse. One particular strand of abuse that recurs is “How dare you make political capital out of a weather event that has caused human suffering!”

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It’s a senseless argument. Even if climate change activists (be they politicians, rally organizers or just humble columnists) somehow gain something from connecting a tragedy to climate change, in so educating the public they are performing a priceless public service because the more citizens who are galvanized into action, the fewer people will die in the next tragedy.

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Climate change is a monster that needs to be faced head-on by everyone, everywhere. No-one will be spared. The sooner people know this, and the more they know, the better off we will all be.