Home>Activities>Sustainability>Leicester Green Group>Caroline Lucas (Green MEP) email

Dear Tamar and Leicester Quaker Green Living Group,

 
Thank you all for your kind letter about climate change and for your commitment to ensuring that agreement is reach at Copenhagen that will ensure we have a good chance of limiting warming to less than 2°C. Caroline has asked me to get in touch on her behalf and she appreciates your offer of help and support. At present she feels that the most effective action you can take is to keep up pressure on the UK government – both in terms of what they are doing and their negotiating position at Copenhagen. Here are the key demands Caroline is making and she would recommend putting these to your MP, to Ed Miliband, the Climate and Energy Minister and to the Prime Minister. It is also worth writing to your local papers and encouraging others to lobby the government around these points:

 
·         For the UK government to commit to binding emissions cuts of 10% by 2010, and then at least 10% each year thereafter.

 

·         For the EU to reduce its emissions by at least 40% by 2020 in order to do its fair share to limit warming to 2 degrees.

 

·         For an international climate deal that provides for binding emissions reductions for industrialised countries in the high end of range recommended by the IPCC (the scientific consensus), i.e. 25-40% by 2020 from 1990 levels to give a 50:50 chance of limiting warming to less than 2°C.

 

·         For any greenhouse gas emission cuts in industrialised countries to be domestic ie to be not offset externally.

 

·         For the EU to provide at least €30bn per annum (by 2020) for mitigation and adaptation efforts in developing countries; for this funding to be new, guaranteed and additional to existing overseas development aid, and not dependent on annual budgetary procedures in EU member states.

 

As you may know there are a number of protests planned for December 5th so joining these is also important in sending a strong message about the importance of tackling climate change – see http://www.stopclimatechaos.org/the-wave There may also be events locally you can take part in.

 

Whilst the media are increasingly focused on the fact that no clear agreement is likely to emerge from the UN climate talks next month in Copenhagen , it's important to remember that real change also happens from the grassroots up. Caroline was asked recently about the chances of success at Copenhagen and this was her response:

 

I admit I have my doubts about whether we can achieve what is needed at the climate talks in December, but nevertheless, I take heart from the millions of people campaigning for their governments to act urgently on climate change – and from those lobbying for positive change in the corridors of power. If we can commit to an ambitious and binding agreement at Copenhagen – and pave the way for the kinds of solid Green economic policies that we now need – when it comes to fighting climate change and creating a more sustainable future, we'll be facing much better odds.

 

Anything you can do, however small, will play a part and will help politicians like Caroline press for an agreement that can deliver.

 

Thank you again for getting in touch.

 

Kind regards,

Cath.

 

Cath Miller

Constituency Coordinator and Researcher

Office of Dr Caroline Lucas

Green Party MEP for SE England

Suite 58, The Hop Exchange

24 Southwark Street

London SE1 1TY

 

Tel: 020 7407 6281

Email: carolinelucas@greenmeps.org.uk

www.carolinelucasmep.org.uk

 

If you would like to receive bimonthly email bulletins from Caroline, please respond to this message putting INFO as the subject header.