40,000 people turned out in London yesterday to march in demand for urgent action on climate change, one of 2,000 events taking place in 150 countries around the world ahead of a United Nations climate summit on 23rd September, at the UN Headquarters in New York.
The UN summit, head by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, aims to start up debate before the COP21 conference in Paris next year where it is hoped that a new global climate treaty can be agreed upon. 120 world leaders, including Prime Minister David Cameron, are expected to attend.
In Manchester, members of Frack Free Greater Manchester were joined by national Green Party leader Natalie Bennett who stated, “We want to see an end to the granting of subsidies to environmentally damaging practices such as fracking and a move-over to the use of renewable energy sources, creating new jobs in the process.
“We urge our world leaders to agree a way forward that will reduce carbon emissions and build a more sustainable future for us all.”
Councillor Pete West, chair of Brighton and Hove City Council’s Environment and Sustainability Committee said, “When the UN Secretary General is out marching on the streets with ordinary people calling for change, world leaders have to stand up and take notice.
“Ban Ki-Moon recognises that climate change is by far and away the biggest challenge facing humanity, and we agree with him.
“Though the impacts seem far away now, the reality is that we will start to see more and more extreme weather events like the unprecedented storms at the start of the year right here in Sussex and the rest of the UK.
“And when it starts to hit the developing world and global agriculture, we won’t be able to escape the human and economic effects.
“I urge David Cameron and the other leaders present to take our children’s and grandchildren’s future seriously and committing to a sustainable and just way forward.”
The Green Party objects to the development of fracking and the relentless extraction of fossil fuels whilst investment in renewables is not being taken seriously by this government.
“Greens worldwide have been demanding urgent action and that emissions be cut significantly for years.”
Notes
For more information please contact Brighton and Hove Green Party office on 01273 766 670.
Brighton and Hove Green councillors have put forward many environmentally-friendly notice of motions to council, which include; opposing the badger cull, fracking and fuel poverty, and calling for improvements in air quality, greater cycling infrastructure and the end of the energy companies’ oligopoly.