This is a Climate Emergency, Dirty Air Knows no Borders!

Posted on By bexsterino
Judith Bunting MEP, in European Parliament, delivering her speech to the European Parliament on Climate Change.

Following her speech in the European Parliament last month, Judith Bunting MEP highlights the case for calling a Climate Emergency.

“Ill health caused by air pollution costs the economy billions in lost working days. Causing 400,000 premature deaths per year in Europe alone, it is currently the number one cause of premature deaths. We need to work smarter, we have the technology to do this and we should embrace that.”

The Government has passed a Net-Zero target for Carbon emissions by 2050 whilst also making chaotic decisions that will undermine this target. They have slashed subsidies for solar power, banned the cheapest form of renewable onshore wind energy generation and ended the ‘Green Deal’, which aimed to improve the energy efficiency of people’s homes. As well as these cuts, there is a policy of pursuing fracking to access fossil fuels throughout Britain, including areas of outstanding natural beauty such as the Weald Basin in the South Downs covering Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex and Kent, to further compound their policy of supporting expanding the airport provision in one of busiest Airports in Europe, London Heathrow.

TrafficJudith continues, “Unfortunately Dirty Air knows no borders, the problems in the South East will affect the nearby areas of the country and impact the health of the world. We can do better than this and the South East deserves better.”

Judith Bunting calls for a stop to meaningless targets on sales of new petrol and diesel cars and a reversal of the cuts to incentivise a change of approach for each and every citizen. Instead we should adopt meaningful policies, which can make a difference to climate change from day one.

Air pollution from carsThe Liberal Democrats demand better and have set out a way of reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. We are fighting for a net-zero EU by 2050 across the 28 member states of the European Union. Dealing with carbon emissions will not only deal with the climate emergency but cut air-pollution, reduce fuel poverty and create thousands of jobs in the renewables sector. These targets can be positive for our health, our economy and the planet.

Thinking of voting Green?

Posted on By judithbunting

key_green_laws

This piece was first published in 2015. The argument still stands: If you want a government that will protect the environment, Vote Lib Dem.

Last night on the doorstep I met a couple of people who were thinking of voting Green. I would like to address their concerns, here, and make it clear: if you are worried about the environment and climate change – please vote Lib Dem. These are the reasons why: 

In government, Ed Davey and the Lib Dem team delivered a significant green agenda for the UK. This included:

  • Securing £37bn investment in renewable electricity
  • Establishing the world’s first Green Investment Bank
  • Leading Europe to agree a new more ambitious EU-wide climate change target
  • Planting more than 1 million trees

Our team also halted Conservative plans to scrap Natural England and give up on the England Coast Path (comment, here, from our own MP). I’m pleased to report that when Dan Rogerson took over in DEFRA he secured safe funding for the coastal project.

Here in Newbury and West Berkshire, I need your support to put a halt to ten years of Conservative neglect of the environment in our area. 

If you want to create a more environmentally friendly, fairer society in Britain, voting Lib Dem, you are safe.

See also:

– Dan Rogerson DEFRA Minister visits West Berks: 

– Green in Government

– Five Green Laws

– George Monbiot, “the minister destroying what he is paid to protect”

Climate Emergency – the power of youth

Posted on By judithbunting

Cable: Today’s events should give profile to our climate emergency

Responding to the visit of Nobel Prize nominated climate change activist Greta Thunberg to Parliament today, Liberal Democrat Leader Vince Cable said:

“Young people leaving their classrooms and lying down on the streets of London have given much needed profile to the climate emergency our planet is facing.
 
“As we welcome the hugely impressive Greta Thunberg to Parliament – a sixteen year old who has led a global movement – I am doing my small part by leading a debate this evening on the related issue of the damage plastics are doing to our natural environment. 
 
“I’ll be pressing Ministers to make data about the contribution of plastic production and use to global warming.
 
“The public is becoming more and more aware of the need to reduce waste as part of our efforts to be kinder to the environment, and I hope today’s events will help everyone to take notice.”