I’m writing as your constituent to urge you to support the climate and ecological emergency (CEE) bill (https://www.ceebill.uk/).
The Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill calls for: ·
- the UK to enact a serious plan dealing with emissions to limit global rises in temperature; ·
- the UK’s genuine carbon footprint to be taken into account; ·
- the protection and conservation of nature here and overseas along supply chains, recognising the damage we cause through the goods we consume; ·
- no reliance on unproven or non-existent technology as an excuse for inaction,
- policy to be guided by a citizens’ assembly with bite.
With attention naturally focused on the Covid 19 pandemic, there is a risk that we lose sight of the even greater twin threats posed by climate chaos and biodiversity loss. Scientific authorities have told us repeatedly that time is running out to tackle these threats. In fact we are seeing exactly the scenarios predicted: massive forest fires, ice sheets shrinking, methane release from permafrost – all self-perpetuating.
The Government’s current 2050 net zero aim gives us merely a ‘greater than 50%’ chance – IF it was replicated across the world – of avoiding global temperature rises that UN scientists warn us will lead to ‘catastrophic’ events, including crop failure, flooding and increased disease. A ‘greater than 50%’ is not good enough, and it scares me.
This Government is not on track to meet even its own targets, having cancelled many of the measures, such as improved insulation standards, which were in place in 2010. In the Committee’s report of June, of the 21 key indicators to measure progress towards meeting UK carbon budgets and the 2050 target, only 4 were on track. And of the 31 milestones for actions recommended by the Committee last year, only 2 have been fully achieved, with partial progress made on 15. The other 14 have shown no progress. What steps is the Government taking to achieve these targets?
On the Citizens Assembly, the “disruption and consensus undermining” you mention is exactly why citizens need to be involved. As with Covid, an education campaign is needed so that the general public understands the issues, the urgency, and the changes needed; and can play their role in how the UK adapts to change. Citizens’ assemblies have been used across the world to address complex and socially divisive issues.
Can you tell me what will happen to the recommendations of the Climate Assembly UK?
The CEE Bill outlines what is needed to address the scale and urgency of the threat. Will you please do what you can to support this Bill?
Yours sincerely,
climateletters 