Two intrepid cyclists have today (Tuesday) left Cornwall and two more from Devon and Somerset will join them, to cycle more than 500km to deliver a Climate Vision report to the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris in December.

The four cyclists – Euan McPhee, 68, from Falmouth, Roger Creagh-Osborne, 63, from Launceston, Ricky Knight, 66, from Barnstaple and Ewan Jones, 45, from Bruton in Somerset – are all keen climate activists if not all expert cyclists!

Euan, an ecologist and recently-retired environmental science lecturer, has devoted much time to practical conservation. Having taught students for many years about climate change, he feels the time has come to act and not just speak on the issue. “By cycling from Cornwall to Paris, I seek to act in solidarity with all people of goodwill who are determined to bring about a binding, meaningful agreement in Paris.”

They are inviting other cyclists to join them for a mass ride over the Tamar Bridge tomorrow (November 19) where they will then catch the evening ferry to St Malo. They hope to arrive in Paris next week (November 26).

In 2009 Truro Cathedral coordinated mass individual actions and pledges across Cornwall under the banner “Footsteps to Copenhagen” and delivered the pledges to the COP15 talks in a Cornish Pilot Gig.

Five years on, governmental action is still lacking and scientists are talking about a climate emergency. Meanwhile in Cornwall, Climate Vision followed up the 2009 Pledges and found that individual actions had made significant carbon savings at extremely low cost. The report detailing the findings is being delivered to various government and EU representatives in Paris for COP21 by low carbon transport – a team of cyclists.

Roger, a semi-retired engineer and part-time fruit farmer, said: “I had high hopes in 2009, now hope has ended and the time has come for action. We now reach the end-game. I will stand up and be counted – we must act together and demand our politicians take this threat seriously for our children’s sake.”

For more information, updates and blog visit www.pedal2paris.uk
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Penlee Cluster will also be doing their daily ewaves Shout on the trip with regular updates. For more information click here

Cycling to Paris-CornwallStages2-3sides

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Pilgrimage2Paris worship resources