Climate Campaign – the Big Ask continues
After the great success last year of getting the Climate Change Bill in the Queen’s Speech – Friends of the Earth's job for 2007 is to make sure that we get the right Climate Change Bill, with annual targets and an enforcement mechanism to bring UK emissions down.
There is likely to be short notice of the exact content of the Government’s bill, and the timing of its progress through parliament, so it’s crucial to build momentum continuously over the coming months to ensure as many people as possible are ready to take action at crunch times. Currently it's expected there will be two key areas for campaigning pressure in 2007:
Responding to a government consultation on a Draft Bill - most likely to take place from mid-March to mid-June. People and groups need to be encouraged to put pressure on the government to make the Bill as good as possible
Keeping the pressure up on MPs so that they keep their word and continue to back the strong law they signed up to by signing Early Day Motion 178 last year. There needs to be a majority vote for key amendments to improve the government bill. FoE thinks these crunch votes are likely to take place in late 2007/early 2008.
► We've got new postcards for the public to send to their MP, asking their support for a Bill that cuts emissions, requires annual progress reports, and action from ministers if emissions go off track. If you get a hard copy of the newsletter, you'll also get a postcard; otherwise they'll be available at EFoE meetings and at stalls throughout the coming months. If you want more for family, friends and colleagues please contact Virginia on 020 8847 0016 or vfassnidge@yahoo.co.uk
► We'd also like to get the involvement of local community groups. EFoE has a copy of the DVD “An Inconvenient Truth” which can be borrowed, so if you know of a group – church, residents' association or any other – that would welcome the opportunity to view this film, please contact Virginia as above. We could also get in touch with schools (you may have heard the announcement by the Environment Secretary David Miliband that the Government will be sending a copy of “An Inconvenient Truth” and a Climate Change Pack to all of the secondary schools in England ).
Mr Miliband said: "The debate over the science of climate change is well and truly over .... Our energies should now be channelled into how we respond in an innovative and positive way in moving to a low carbon future. I was struck by the visual evidence the film provides, making clear that the changing climate is already having an impact on our world today ... As the film shows, there's no reason to feel helpless in the face of this challenge. Everyone can play a part along with government and business in making a positive contribution in helping to prevent climate change." Source: Government News Network ( www.gnn.gov.uk )