Reading local group
We meet every second Wednesday of the month at RISC in London Street.
Next event: Meeting Wed 13th August 2008 - RISC 8pm. All welcome!
Public meeting on Climate Change
On Thursday June 29th the FoE groups of Reading, Wokingham and Newbury hosted a public meeting in Reading Council Chamber to allow representatives of the three major political parties to debate climate change with national FoE campaigner Martyn Williams in a public forum. About 90 people attended including a number of Reading and West Berkshire Councillors and Officers.
The picture shows (L-R) Martyn Williams (FoE Campaigner); Royce Longton (Lib. Dem. Councillor, Newbury); Adrian Foster-Fletcher (Chair); Richard Benyon MP (Newbury, Conservative); Martin Salter MP (Reading West, Labour).
Written statements were read out from Richard Wilson MP (Reading East, Conservative) and John Redwood MP (Wokingham, Conservative). John Redwood had not signed Early Day Motion 178; the other MPs had done so.
Panel presentations
Martyn Williams, Friends of the Earth
Martyn Williams said that climate change was a fact and that credit for the current level of interest in it was due to many people and organisations including Tony Blair, David Cameron and the non-governmental organisations such as WWF. The science suggested that it was important to start reducing our output of carbon dioxide now hence the "Big Ask" target of 3% per annum reductions; waiting until 2050 would be too late.
Martin Salter, Labour MP Reading West
Martin Salter MP said that the two greatest threats we faced were religious fundamentalism and climate change. He believed international action was essential and was concerned about the actions of George Bush and the Americans who deny science. He wanted to build political consensus to challenge the USA and major polluting countries. The UK government was continuing with new initiatives including revision of the Emissions Trading Scheme, and he personally had sponsored the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill. He thought air flights were too easy and should be taxed with the revenue re-invested in sustainable transport.
Richard Benyon, Conservative MP Newbury
Richard Benyon MP called for a long-term framework with fixed and enforcible targets to tackle climate change and wanted to reformulate renewable policies. Compared government to a "one club golfer" because of its reliance on wind power and thought that solar and local biomass schemes should have more support. He agreed that emissions from all sectors should be reduced - including aviation. The Climate Change Levy had done much good but he wanted better focus on carbon emissions rather than energy use; some form of Carbon Levy. He was concerned at growth of emissions from India and China. The village of Hampstead Norreys in his constituency was preparing a Parish Plan that looked at its Carbon Footprint.
Royce Longton, Lib Dem Councillor West Berks
Royce Longton emphasised the urgency of the issue with predictions of 100 million deaths in coming decades. He quoted Tony Juniper's call for sustainability to become part of the mainstream agenda and be embedded in policy. While solar power input to the earth in 30 minutes was equal to human energy use for a year wind-power was something that could be implemented quickly. He was also supportive of micro-generation, decentralised electricity generation, and carbon capture and storage. Nuclear power would be too late, too expensive and too risky. He wanted to charge airlines per flight and spend less on road building, and called on government to be bolder - even if industry did not like it.
Written statements
John Redwood's statement said that the government should do more to limit its own emissions and supported year-on-year reductions in emissions but said that EDMs had little impact. Read the full text and further comments on John Redwood's statement.
Rob Wilson's statement commented that government was likely to miss its 2010 target for emissions and recommended combined heat and power (CHP) and the example of Woking Council. He supported year-on-year emissions targets. He expected the Conservatives' Quality of Life Policy Group to come up with a realistic approach to climate change. Read the full text and further comments on Rob Wilson's statement.
Discussion and comments from the floor
There was a wide-ranging debate on questions from the floor:
- Road-widening - politicians on panel all in favour of some and all had supported Newbury Bypass to cries of "shame".
- Plastics recycling or energy recovery calls for standardisation of material - polypropylene for everything - to facilitate recycling
- Prosperity vs. the environment is technology the answer? Can we stabilise in prosperous areas?
- Suggestion for carbon-offsetting the meeting.
- Problems with planning permission for domestic solar panels.
- EU environmental legislation forcing closure of West Berks. recycling operation.
- Personal carbon footprints - typically cars, aviation and domestic emissions one third each.
Councillor Steve Waite (Reading, Labour, Lead Councillor for Environment) said he had been a member of FoE for many years and deplored arguments for delay or inaction on climate change from people like John Redwood and Jeremy Clarkson. He asked local "greens" to get more involved in local issues and to actively support positive initiatives from the Council.
Councillor Tony Jones (Reading, Labour, Chair of Reading Buses) was pleased to announce that Reading Buses would convert to 5% bio-diesel from 1st July - well ahead of the government's target date of 2010. Its investment in new buses had resulted in 62% reduction in emissions on certain routes. He would like other bus operators to be compelled to operate to the same standard to get inefficient buses off the road and have a level playing field for the industry.
Conclusions
Both MPs said they would work to get consensus between the parties to get a Bill requiring year-on-year emissions reductions into the Queen's Speech.
Special thanks to Penny from Wokingham FoE who undertook the arrangements and liaison work for this meeting over many months, and to all those who helped in the final weeks.
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Public meeting
Public meeting with local MP's on Climate Change.
Corporate accountability
Highlighting the link between UK corporations, palm oil production and rainforest destruction.
Nottingham declaration
Reading council has promised to sign the Nottingham declaration.