Euro MP on Question Time
Jean Lambert MEP was interviewed by school children from the City of London Academy, Bermondsey, in a unique Question Time event. The youngsters grilled the London Green parliamentarian about Europe, the environment and how young people can help change the world. They took a report on children’s reactions to politics and the environment to the European Parliament in February. www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk
Incineration Exposed
Essex Green Party is working with Essex Friends of the Earth and campaign groups to warn the residents of Essex that the County Council's current waste consultation is both misleading and carefully crafted to get people to support their preferred plan of waste incineration, without ever mentioning the word.
The Green Party is urging local people to take part in the consultation, but to beware of the leading questions that could trap people into voting for a huge incinerator in Essex. The consultation is designed to support the County Council's PFI bid to Government, which will start a process of privatising much of the waste and recycling in Essex and lock taxpayers into contracts lasting decades with private waste companies.
They are urging people to make it clear that the County Council must not renege on its "no incineration" pledge, made repeatedly to electors at county council elections by Lord Hanningfield. The consultation runs until 5th May 2008 and can be found at www.essex.gov.uk.
Heathrow Expounded
Lewisham's Green Party Councillors lodged objections to the Heathrow expansion plans after discovering that Lewisham Council was not going to represent residents in the Government’s consultation on the proposed expansion. Green Party Councillor and London Assembly candidate for Greenwich & Lewisham, Sue Luxton, said: "The third runway plans not only affect people living in Heathrow's backyard, the noise and air pollution from ever-widening aircraft stacks will plague Lewisham residents too”. Cllr Luxton, who is also Chair of the Council's Sustainable Development Committee, added: "The only thing more deafening than the extra air traffic created by the proposed third runway is the silence from Lewisham Council over this crucial issue.”
Green Party Principal Speaker, Dr. Caroline Lucas, also submitted evidence to the consultation. In her response, Dr Lucas urged the Government to give full consideration to the views of her constituents in the South East, whose lives will be adversely affected by an expansion. www.stopheathrowexpansion.com
An Oxford First
Longstanding Green Councillor Elise Benjamin has been nominated as Oxford’s first Green office holder. If the elections in May are successful she will be conferred the role of Deputy Lord Mayor. Says Elise, "I'm not one for pomp and ceremony but see this honour as a testament to the staying power of the Greens in Oxford." www.greenoxford.com
'Tipping points' could come this century
A number of key components of the earth's climate system could pass their 'tipping point' this century, according to new research led by Prof Tim Lenton of the University of East Anglia (UEA). Published by the international journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), the researchers have coined a new term, 'tipping elements', to describe those components of the climate system that are at risk of passing a tipping point. The term 'tipping point' is used to describe a critical threshold at which a small change in human activity can have large, long-term consequences for the Earth's climate system. www.tyndall.ac.uk
MEP Warning To Supermarkets
A proposal by Euro-MP Caroline Lucas to launch an investigation into supermarket dominance was accepted by over half of all MEPs in the European Parliament. Dr Lucas, a member of the Parliament’s influential Environment Committee, launched a Written Declaration in October 2007, demanding that the EU Commission examine whether supermarkets abuse their power. The Declaration also asks for new rules to protect producers, small businesses, rural economies and the environment. Speaking of the success, Dr Lucas said: “Now that the Written Declaration has been voted through, the Commission must give it full and serious consideration. We hope the EU will commit to a thorough investigation of the sector and propose stronger planning policies to deal with any such abuses it finds”. www.carolinelucasmep.org.uk
Peer’s Energy
Green Party Peer Lord Beaumont of Whitley urged the House of Lords to include further legislation that increases levels of renewable energy production in the Government's Energy Bill when it arrives for debate at the House of Lords. His speech highlighted the increasing cost of fossil fueled heating to British households, and criticised the Government's lamentable record on renewable energy investment so far. "Households are paying more than ever in energy bills. Reserves of gas and oil are increasingly concentrated in the small number of states as scarcity begins to take hold. One does not have to subscribe to any environmental ethic to realise that the economic and political integrity of the UK is threatened by the current conditions surrounding our primary energy supply.”
Climate Camp-aigning
It was announced that this summer’s Camp for Climate Action will take place at EON’s Kingsnorth power station in Kent. Running from 4th to the 11th of August 2008, and being one of eight climate camps targeting coal across the world this summer, the protest will begin with a one-day event at Heathrow before marching across London to Kingsnorth. EON plans to build the UK’s first coal fired power station for 30 years at Kingsnorth and Saturday 9th August has been named a ’day of mass protest and direct action’ against Kingsnorth to highlight its impact on climate change. www.climatecamp.org.uk
Rallying Against Arms Investments
Students across Britain joined protests against their universities' links with the arms trade. With the support of Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) they called for an end to university arms investments and to the involvement of arms companies in academic research. At University College London (UCL), students dressed as arms dealers and sold fake weapons in the main quad. Students at Lancaster University attended an open-air debate and voted overwhelmingly against their university's links with BAE Systems. Demonstrations were under way at several universities, including Warwick, Manchester, Nottingham, Lancaster and Newcastle. In recent years, institutions including the University of Wales, Bangor and the prestigious School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London have divested from arms companies in response to campaigning by students and university staff. www.caat.org.uk
Climate Change Events
The Campaign Against Climate Change announced a series of events for 2008. Not content with protesting for stronger international emissions reduction targets, they are working this year to make sure the UK government takes its targets seriously.
In response to overwhelming evidence on the destructive environmental and social impacts of agrofuels, they are holding a Biofuels protest on April 15th to oppose the introduction of the RTFO (Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation), which would hugely increase demand for agrofuel production worldwide. They will be heavily involved in organising a Demonstration against Heathrow's 3rd runway on 31st May. With a high profile campaign of local resident groups as well as environmental campaigners. On 14-15th June they will be holding a 2 day Climate Forum. Caroline Lucas will join a range of high profile plenary speakers, and Derek Wall will speak in one of over 50 workshops and seminars on a broad range of issues. There will be performances, exhibitions, stalls and a crèche with activities for children throughout the 2 days and entertainment on Saturday night. They can offer crash space for those who need accommodation. Other arrangements can be made for people looking to stay with one of their London supporters. www.campaigncc.org
Any Old Rags!
Topshop, which uses the slogan "we love students!", faced student demonstrations across Britain in protest at sweatshop conditions in its supply chain. Students from over twenty universities protested at stores across the country, including Topshop's flagship store in London's Oxford Street where students dressed in bin liners carried a banner with the words "We would rather wear rags than sweatshop clothes." In several stores, students queued to ask for refunds on clothes on the grounds that they had been produced with sweatshop labour. The stores facing the largest demonstrations included those in Reading, Sheffield, Oxford and York. Topshop's embarrassment became clear when the company pulled out of a Fairtrade discussion in Oxford for fear of student criticism. Topshop forms part of the Arcadia Group, whose owner Philip Green has refused to sign up to the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI). www.peopleandplanet.org
Another Blow To Biofuels Industry
Green Party Principal Speaker Dr. Derek Wall welcomed a report from a coalition of environmental groups highlighting the dangers of palm oil production for the global monoculture biofuel industry. The report, Losing Ground, is published by Friends of the Earth, Sawit Watch and LifeMosiac. Dr. Wall said: "This report addresses the very critical issues surrounding the global rush to large-scale agrofuels. Indigenous communities around the world would eventually be threatened with severe food shortages since there will be no space left for subsistence farming. Furthermore, every litre of palm oil from a former rainforest does more damage to the environment than a litre of petrol. The benefit of producing biofuels is negligible compared to the havoc it wreaks." www.biofuelwatch.org.uk
Livestock Breeds Preserved
Defra launched the National Standing Committee for Farm Animal Genetic Resources. Designed to encourage the sustainable use and protection of the nation's diversity of livestock breeds, the UK wide Committee will advise Government policy areas that impact on the nation's livestock breeds, breeding systems and production. Their primary function will be to implement the National Action Plan on Farm Animal Genetic Resources. Ministers from each of the Devolved Administrations and Defra agreed to the appointment of Prof. Geoff Simm as Chair of the new Committee.
Energy Giant Clobbering, Not Lobbying
E.ON Chief Executive, Paul Gilby, launched a double-whammy against renewable targets in January. Giving evidence at a parliamentary committee on renewable energy, he criticised EC targets on power from sustainable sources and told the British Government to ‘hold its nerve’ on Nuclear Power. At the same time, Greenpeace obtained documents revealing that the energy company is demanding that the government remove conditions that require the Kingsnorth coal-fired power station to be fitted with carbon capture and storage.
Radical Website
The Ecological Sustainability website, a co-operative publishing venture, was launched at the start of 2008. Based in Newcastle Upon Tyne in the North-East of England, the site aims to spread radical ideas about the nature of sustainability and the construction of a sustainable Earth society. www.ecological-sustainability.info
Call for Windfall tax
The TUC has called on the Chancellor to introduce a green windfall profits tax on energy companies and to use the proceeds to increase spending on tackling fuel poverty, improving home insulation and other environmental and job creating initiatives. The call for a profits tax is based on the calculation by Ofgem, the energy regulator, that the electricity industry will benefit from a windfall profit of around £9 billion from the free allocation of tradeable emission permits over the four years of Phase II of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (to 2012). This is on top of a previous DTI estimate of £800 million a year in extra profits to 2007 from Phase I of the scheme. www.tuc.org.uk
Statutory Review of Climate Target
A review of the target to reduce the UK's CO2 emissions by at least 60 per cent by 2050 will become a statutory duty under the Climate Change Bill. Environment Secretary Hilary Benn announced the decision as it moved towards completing its passage through the House of Lords. The Government has committed to ask the independent Committee on Climate Change to consider whether the 2050 target should be tightened up to 80 per cent, as the Committee considers its advice on the first three five-year carbon budgets. The first five members of the committee were also announced. Scientists Sir Brian Hoskins and Lord Robert May, technologist Professor Jim Skea and economists Dr Sam Fankhauser and Professor Michael Grubb will make up the Committee, which is headed by Adair Turner.
Green Power Online
Green power developer Energy4All has launched a new website, Energy4All Steps, to provide practical information on the process of building wind farms and projects. The website also makes it possible to assess the viability of potential projects. Once a wind project looks feasible, Energy4All can facilitate the progress of the project. www.energysteps.coop
Dangerous Dental Treatment
Green Party health spokesperson, Stuart Jeffery, spoke out against controversial Government plans to fluoridate national water supplies. To do so would breach European Human Rights by medicating people without permission, he warns. In response to the Health Secretary Alan Johnson's recommendation that fluoride should be routinely added to UK water supplies, Mr. Jeffery said: "Besides the reality of negative health effects, this is an issue of medical ethics. Fluoridating water is essentially medicating people without their permission, and the European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine distinctly states that individuals have the right not to be medicated without their consent.
HE fund to Reduce Greenhouse Gases
Higher education institutions (HEIs) in England will benefit from a new fund to provide repayable grants for projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The fund will be a partnership between the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and Salix Finance Ltd. There is expected to be a combined total of around £30-40 million to distribute over the three years from 2008. A recent review by HEFCE of sustainable development in the higher education sector suggested that the momentum for change needs to continue and increase if HE institutions are to maximise their role in improving the environment, preserving natural resources and making an economic and social impact. www.hefce.ac.uk
Architects for Charity
The Royal Institute of British Architects is offering consultations on home improvements in exchange for a donation to the housing charity Shelter. The scheme offers an opportunity to get advice on building an extension, creating extra space or tips to make your home greener from a RIBA chartered architect, in return for a £40 donation to the charity. You can register online from 2 June 2008 at www.architectinthehouse.org.uk
