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

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