“Each of the great social achievements of recent decades has come about not because of government proclamations, but because people organized, made demands, and made it good politics for governments to respond. It is the political will of the people that makes and sustains the political will of governments.”
James Grant, Former Executive Director of UNICEF
It was anounced yesterday that David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband have signed a joint pledge to tackle climate change. (1)
The joint declaration states.
“Climate change is one of the most serious threats facing the world today. It is not just a threat to the environment, but also to our national and global security, to poverty eradication and economic prosperity.
Acting on climate change is also an opportunity for the UK to grow a stronger economy, which is more efficient and more resilient to the risks ahead. It is in our national interest to act and ensure others act with us.
2015 offers a unique opportunity to accelerate that opportunity, with countries pledging their contributions to action before the world comes together at Paris at the end of the year to reach an agreement on tackling climate change. It is vital that this agreement is a success, and that the UK will play its part in ensuring an ambitious outcome.”
In signing the declaration David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg have jointly pledged:
– To seek a fair, strong, legally binding, global climate deal which limits temperature rises to below 2°C.
– To work together, across party lines, to agree carbon budgets in accordance with the Climate Change Act.
– To accelerate the transition to a competitive, energy efficient low carbon economy and to end the use of unabated coal for power generation.
This is all good news.
The question is how are our elected representatives going to deliver on these pledges?
Could something like Citizens’ Climate Lobby’s Fee and Dividend policy proposal be the answer?
Perhaps more importantly, CCL’s methodology is all about empowering ordinary citizens to hold policymakers to account.
Some of the ways we seek to do this are –
– by developing toolkits for direct lobbying of local and national elected representatives and their staff
– by developing skills in getting letters and articles published in print media and online and building relationships with editorial boards
– by conducting monthly actions and conference calls with experts to expand our knowledge and understanding and develop our capability as agents of change
Having started in the US in 2007 CCL has now grown to be an international network of 200+ groups campaigning in countries around the world.
With an increasing number of expert endorsements and in this important year for climate action it’s clear that the right time has arrived to be pushing governments on pricing carbon.
If you would like to find out more about CCLUK’s work get in touch at CCLobbyUK@gmail.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter –
CCLUK facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/CitizensClimateLobbyUK
CCLUK twitter – @citznsclimateUK
Find out more about Citizens’ Climate Lobby in the US and around the world –
CCL Website – http://citizensclimatelobby.org/
CCL’s Pathway to Paris initiative aims to put carbon pricing centre stage at the Paris COP in December – http://www.pathwaytoparis.org/
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(1) This agreement was brokered by Green Alliance supported by Christian Aid, CAFOD, Greenpeace, RSPB and WWF.
