Climate Change
The threat of climate change is one of my top three priorities as you will see from my website. I have laid out below how the Liberal Democrats plan to tackle this issue, and you can rest assured of my personal commitment too. Our incumbent MP has made clear his scepticism about the science and the degree of the threat - please support my campaign so that we can remove from parliament one of the three MP's to actually vote AGAINST the climate change bill.
There is so much to say on this subject it is difficult to know where to begin. I have listed below some of the links I have found very useful in learning more about the issue. I hope you find these useful.
The main message I would like to get across is that although there are some scary scenarios that come out of climate modelling, it is not too late to act. But we do not have much time, so the next five years are crucial.
Equally, taking action need not be painful, nor expensive, despite the claims of the sceptics who would like to carry on as normal. Indeed, developing a low carbon economy may well be the best strategic decision we can make from an economic point of view too. (See my page on Peak Oil.)
The Liberal Democrats have the most advanced manifesto of all the parties when it comes to tackling climate change, but the issue is bigger than politics and requires not just government action, but international cooperation and individual action too. Local government is doing its bit through the Nottingham Declaration, but more can be done as campaigns such as Friends of the Earth's Get Serious on CO2 and the European Covenant of Mayors initiative demonstrate.
I do believe we can meet this challenge, but it will need serious political leadership which we do not see coming from the Conservatives, and Labour has been far too slow to take the lead, and too much in thrall to big business.
Links:
Information to counter the sceptics' arguments:
Scientific American's Seven Answers to Climate Contrarians http://tinyurl.com/7answers
New Scientist on Climate Myths http://tinyurl.com/climatemyths
BBC on Sceptic Arguments http://tinyurl.com/yaly57l
Campaigns:
1010 Campaign: www.1010uk.org.uk
100 months (now 80!) http://onehundredmonths.org/
Climate Justice http://www.wdm.org.uk/climate
Interesting presentations
Bill Gates on Energy and Climate Change http://tinyurl.com/ybae98g
"Wake up Freak Out - then get a grip" - film by Leo Murray http://wakeupfreakout.org/film/tipping.html
(watch to the end, not as apocalyptic as you might think to begin with!)
Age of Stupid http://www.ageofstupid.net/
Whole Earth Discipline - an interesting read from Stewart Brand, a Californian Environmentalist who founded and edited the Whole Earth Catalog www.sbnotes.com
New Economics Foundation (nef) - A Green New Deal - not just a Green Party initiative, as many of those at nef are LibDems, including nef fellow and editor of Radical Economics David Boyle, who sits on the Federal Policy Committee of the Liberal Democrats.
Climate Change is a vital issue. Watch this page for links to important campaigns, including the 10:10 campaign. This campaign was launched by the Guardian in a drive to reduce carbon emissions by 10 per cent by the end of 2010. Any individuals and organisations can sign up. Has your council signed up to the 10:10 pledge?
There are thousands of journalists covering the nuts and bolts of the Copenhagen climate change conference, but Lib Dem North West MEP is reporting back on the human side of proceedings via his Blog.
How little Tuvalu is standing up to the industrialised super powers;
How BINGO, YOUNGO, TUNGO and FARMERS are working to cool down the planet;
The latest news on emerging agreements from the conference centre;
And the particular interest being taken by Japanese Martians…
What would you like to do next?
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