... A FORUM TO STIMULATE DEBATE ... ... JUST ADD A COMMENT AT ANY ENTRY BELOW... ... FOR THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF TOWN AND VALLEY ...

Saturday 6 April 2019

School Strike for Climate Action > "it is important we listen – and take action"

Young people have been striking to draw attention to climate change:
Futures Forum: School Strike for Climate Action UK @ Radio 4 > "We need to make our voices heard"
Futures Forum: School Strike for Climate Action UK > "young people are being left to deal with the fallout of our fossil fuel addiction"

There will be further action on 12th April:
Next UK youth strike 12 April | Campaign against Climate Change

And 3rd May:
School Strike

Neil Parish, MP for Honiton, says we should be taking notice: 

Important we listen and take action when students skip school over climate change

Neil Parish MP says that since 1990, the UK has cut emissions by more than 40 per cent and UK CO2 is now back to levels last seen in 1888, when the first-ever Football League match was played and Tower Bridge was being built in London

Neil Parish
14:16, 5 APR 2019

NEIL PARISH IS THE CONSERVATIVE MP FOR TIVERTON AND HONITON AND HAS BEEN SINCE 2010


Climate change has tried, probably in vain, to wrestle the headlines away from Brexit lately. I am here to help.

I’ve written on these pages before that ‘conservation should be second-nature to all conservatives’. For me, it’s about passing on a country which is a better place to live and work for generations to come. It’s something this Government is committed to - and something I hope we can all subscribe to.

So when, in 30 towns and cities across the UK, students feel compelled to skip school and complain about the collective damage we are doing to our global environment, it is important we listen – and take action.

Indeed, a number of local students have written to me – expressing how strongly they feel about climate change and urging us, as MPs, to do more. Part of the problem, I fear, is we are failing to communicate the impressive progress already taking place.

Since 1990, the UK has cut emissions by more than 40 per cent while growing the economy by more than two thirds, the best performance on a per person basis than any other G7 nation.



Neil Parish talks Tiverton High School in the House of Commons (Image: Parliament TV)

Since 2010, Conservative governments have invested more than £52 billion in renewable energy. We now have enough solar to power 2 million homes - and more offshore wind generation than the rest of the world combined.

On top of this investment, we are taking coal-fired power stations out of UK energy production by 2022, cleaning up our air and getting rid of one of the UK’s dirtiest, most harmful fuels. The result: the UK has met its legally binding carbon budgets at every step.

This year is the sixth consecutive year that carbon emissions have fallen, which is the longest since 1850. Such progress means that UK CO2 is now back to levels last seen in 1888, when the first-ever Football League match was played and Tower Bridge was being built in London.

But, as always, there is more to do. Impatience is a virtue when it comes to climate change. Shortly, to continue meeting our carbon reduction targets, we will need to reduce dependency on oil and gas. Nuclear power generated at Hinkley Point will help. But tidal power in the Bristol Channel, onshore wind where practical, biomass where economical and energy efficiency where possible – need to be part of an urgent national conversation.

As one of the wealthiest developed nations, the UK must continue to lead from the front. But we know we can’t solve climate change alone. I was proud of our leading role in the 2016 Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Now, I want the UK to host the 2020 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, so we can further encourage our friends and allies to do more.

As your local MP and Chair of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, tackling climate change and protecting our environment is a top priority. I will continue to listen to your concerns and champion action to meet our ambitious environmental and climate change targets. Together, let’s press for progress and lead from the front.


Important we listen and take action when students skip school over climate change - Neil Parish - Devon Live
.
.
.

No comments: