Environment on the menu at climate cafes

01 February 2011

John Swinney meets voters in Perthshire North

Cake, a cuppa and climate change will all be on the menu this spring as a series of special events aims to give voters across Scotland the chance to quiz the candidates vying to be their next MSP.

Climate Cafes are being organised by Stop Climate Chaos Scotland across the country in the run up to the Scottish Election in May.

Voters will be able to meet their local candidates, ask them questions, raise concerns and encourage them to take action on important environmental issues, such as climate change, renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions, should they be elected.

The events will be a break away from the traditional hustings, offering constituents a friendly and relaxed atmosphere to put candidates through their paces.

Scotland has the strongest climate change legislation in the world, but urgent political will is needed to ensure we can meet our ambitious emissions reduction targets. The Scottish election will present voters with a chance to decide who can make the right decisions to ensure Scotland can meet these goals.

Gail Wilson of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland said: “We know that public speaking isn’t everyone’s ‘cup of tea’ so we wanted to offer constituents the chance to put their concerns directly to the people who can make a difference in as comfortable a setting as possible. What’s more relaxing than chatting over coffee?

There is a growing awareness of the urgent need to address climate change, Climate Cafes will provide a real opportunity to help push this issue up the political agenda, so that whoever is in power after the election has a clear message that Scotland must meet its climate change targets.

We’ve planned six climate cafes but if there isn’t one near you why not organise your own?”

To find out more about how you can organise your own Climate Cafe visit: http://www.stopclimatechaos.org/scottish-elections

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