Climate Emergency Campaign

The Climate talks at Cancun in 2010 made little progress since the very disappointing outcome of the Copenhagen talks, the year before.   Even if the Cancun Talks did just prevent the whole international negotiating process from breaking down entirely, the current prospects for progress at the international level look bleak.

We need powerful national campaigns to force governments to act. Here in the UK our best chance to  influence the international community is by conspicuously bold action here at home - action that matches up to the scale of the Climate Emergency we face. The Campaign against Climate Change is demanding emergency action on climate that includes:

A ZERO CARBON BRITAIN BY 2030 - with real carbon cutting solutions that take into account
the embedded carbon in the UK's imports and the impact of the UK on ecosystems worldwide. See more here.

10% CUT IN EMISSIONS WITHIN ONE YEAR

A MILLION CLIMATE JOBS - by the end of 2010 - or within one year -  through a GREEN ENERGY REVOLUTION  with massive investment in renewable energy, insulation programs, improved public transport etc... See more here.

BANNING DOMESTIC FLIGHTS - building a better train/coach network

55 MILE AN HOUR SPEED LIMIT - and ending the roads program.

EXPANDED PUBLIC TRANSPORT -massive investment in public transport.

END AGROFUEL USE - and eliminate the demand for products associated with rainforest destruction. See more here.

GOVERNMENT INFORMATION PROGRAM - massive campaign to inform the public of the scale of the climate threat - booklet in every home, regular TV info, etc..

 

Climate Emergency 'Early Day Motion'

On the 18th October 2010 John McDonnell (Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington) tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM 853) in support of radical action on climate, including most of our emergency demands. This was a revised version of  an EDM tabled by Colin Challen MP in October 2009. An Early Day Motion is a statement made by MPs (they are sometimes the first stage in the genesis of an actual Bill) that other MPs can show their support for.

The Climate Emergency EDM reads as follows:

That this House recognises that there is a climate emergency and that the catastrophic destabilisation of the global climate represents one of the greatest threats that humanity faces; further recognises that there is a need to reduce the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide to 350 parts per million or below; further believes it is impossible to predict how close the world is to dangerous tipping points, and that immediate action is required to enact a programme of emergency measures with substantial emissions reductions in the short term of the order of 10 per cent. within one year, with a longer-term goal of achieving a Zero Carbon Britain by 2030; further believes that at least two hours of prime time television per week should be used to explain the gravity of the crisis to the public, that domestic flights should be phased out, a speed limit of 55 miles per hour introduced and unabated coal usage reduced; further believes that investment in greening the economy can be an effective way of reviving the economy and,in that spirit, urgent investment should be made in energy efficiency and renewable energy, public transport and the retro-fitting of efficient insulation to existing housing stock, leading to the creation of a million green jobs within one year; and further believes that the introduction of such measures would send a positive signal to other countries in the negotiations for an international emissions reductions treaty.

How to lobby your MP to sign the EDM!  Use our information hub

This may seem like a daunting task, but it’s very simple and a great way to get your voice heard. You could meet your MP to discuss the topic with them or hand them a collection of signed EDM postcards (which you can download here) you have collected in your area. 

You just need to follow these steps:

➜Go on to our information hub and find your MP here

➜Click on your MP’s name

➜See if someone has already arranged a meeting with them

➜If no one has, then use the contact information to call and book an appointment (close to the 16th July)

➜Email us to let us know when your meeting will be

If you're stuck for ideas then here are two model letters to MPs - here and here. Meanwhile here are some notes on the EDM with background information for MPs. You can also use our model letter to newspapers.

EDM 853 has so far been signed by the following MPs, but this list may be out of date by the time you read it, so check our lobbying page to see if your MP has signed.

 
'Early Day Motion' 853 is a revised version of  EDM 189 (originally tabled as EDM 2057) that was current up until the election. It had been put forward by Colin Challen MP and incorporated most of the Campaign's 'Climate Emergency' demands (it did not cover agrofuels but EDM 230 did - see here). 

45 MPs signed up to the original EDM 2057 in the autumn of 2009. This was much more than we envisaged, and showed that there is real support for emergency climate measures amongst MPs. The EDM was subsequently retabled as EDM 189  in January this year and this re-tabled EDM attracted 41 signatures. Some MPs signed both EDMs: the total number of MPs who signed either EDM was 69.  30 of these are still MPs after the election.

Here is a list of current MPs who signed Colin Challen's EDM (as EDM 2057 or EDM 189):

This list will be useful in giving an indication as to which MPs are likely to be favourable towards radical action on climate - in addition to those who have signed the extant EDM 853. Has your local MP signed EDM 853 or are they on the list above? Maybe you could get them to speak at a climate change meeting, or find another way of making use of their stated support for radical action on climate.

thisiscornwall.co.uk: Cut speed limit to 55mph - MPs

Yorkshire Post: MP urges cut in speed limit to save the planet

Herald Scotland: “Phase out UK flights by next year” MPs say

Morley Observer & Advertiser: Green MP in bid to reduce speed limit

Lancashire Evening Post: Save the planet... just slow down and get off the plane