Climate Change
Climate change and protecting the environment is something I have always been passionate about. I first got involved in politics in the late seventies through campaigning against nuclear power and ever since I’ve been an advocate of renewable energy. Since my election, I have taken an active interest in the campaign to protect our environment.
Within the wider debate on Climate Change I am becoming increasingly concerned that wood burning on an industrial scale is masquerading as a carbon neutral energy source and getting renewable that ought to be going to genuine renewable technologies. This is something I will be looking into in more detail in the months ahead.
Core Campaign Aims:
To have a just transition to a climate-sustaining economy with net zero carbon in a way which minimises hardships for workers and communities
To preserve and protect wildlife and our natural environment
To work with others across the world to tackle climate change and its effects
To remove fossil fuels from transport, heating and power generation
Find out more about the campaign and the latest updates below:
March 2021 - CEE Bill reaches 100 supporters
The Climate and Ecological Bill is now supported by over 100 Members of Parliament. Find out more here.
February 2021 - Fairtrade Fortnight
September 2020 - Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill
I was one of the 12 sponsors of a Private Members' Bill brought forward by Caroline Lucas MP. The Bill, if enacted, will deliver a serious climate and ecology strategy to:
1. Ensure that the UK plays its fair and proper role to limit global temperatures to 1.5°C by:
· enshrining a new target for the UK to reduce its real and fair share of emissions
· calculating the UK’s entire carbon footprint, domestically and internationally
· reducing reliance on speculative future carbon capture technologies
2. Actively conserve and restore the natural world by:
· protecting and restoring the UK’s ecosystems, with a focus on biodiversity, loss of species and species abundance, soils and natural carbon sinks
· mitigating the damage to nature caused by supply chains, domestically and internationally
· accounting the UK’s impact on nature as a consequence of consumption
3. Create a Citizens’ Assembly so that people have a real say in the creation of a fair and just transition to a zero carbon society.
Find out more here.
June 2020 - Climate Coalition Virtual Lobby

Met with the Climate Coalition earlier today to lend my support to their latest campaign. We all need to be talking about the impact of climate change to #ShowTheLove for the people and places we want to protect from it. Find out more here.
November 2019 - Backed the Extinction Rebellion Three Demands Bill
Lent my support to the XR Three Demands Bill. Find out more here.
October 2019 - Extinction Rebellion protests in London
I met up some of the Scottish contingent of the Extinction Rebellion as they protested outside Parliament. They were protesting to protect the future of the planet for all of us.
May 2019 - My response to the Extinction Rebellion campaigners
I gave full kudos to the school students who were making their voices heard on climate change.I was pleased to be able to speak at their protest and offer my solidarity and it was great to hear so many passionate speeches from young activists.
I proposed a topical resolution at the SNP's Spring Conference. You can watch my speech here. The text of the resolution read:
Climate Change Protests
Conference applauds the actions by Scottish school students and the campaign by groups like Extinction Rebellion in drawing attention to the need for greater urgency in tackling climate change. Conference notes that if climate change continues unabated it will have catastrophic consequences for the future of the planet and the survival of humanity.
Conference welcomes the action taken by the Scottish government to tackle carbon emissions, setting world leading targets for reductions and taking the necessary steps to stop fracking in Scotland but notes that many of the economic and environmental powers necessary are reserved to Westminster.
Conference calls for the UK government to urgently accelerate action to tackle climate change including increasing the target for reducing CO2 emissions, cancelling fracking, increasing investment in renewable energy production and the transfer of all energy and environmental powers to the Scottish Parliament.
Tommy Sheppard MP
Hannah Bardell MP
Roz Currie, Elected Member of NEC
Portobello & Craigmillar Branch
Joined Luke Cooper and Sara Salyers at the SNP Socialists' fringe meeting: "Fracking, Land and Climate Jobs"
January 2017 - Scottish Government launch consultation on Fracking
