Green Economy

Build a clean, green economy

TomAllen — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:40:29 +0000

Climate change, energy security, local quality of life, environmental protection – they all point to a future built around an efficient economy powered by renewable energy.

But we can’t make that future happen until finance starts flowing at speed and scale into energy efficiency and clean technologies. For example, the Existing Homes Alliance estimate energy efficiency improvements in homes will need investment in the range of £200-400 billion if all homes are to cut emissions by 80%. This could support over 170,000 jobs by 2020.

People power has helped tip the balance on new carbon targets!

FionaD — Wed, 18 May 2011 17:21:32 +0000

The government has now accepted the advice of the independent Committee on Climate Change and agreed to strong climate change targets for the UK.

Last week the government was split on whether to accept this advice, but pressure from people like you, as well as an outcry from Stop Climate Chaos organisations and other groups like Green Alliance and 38 Degrees, pushed David Cameron to step in and do the right thing.

Carbon trading 'the next sub-prime' - new research

AndyBrace — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:01:01 +0000

Plans to expand carbon markets at UN climate talks this December could trigger a second â sub-prime' style financial collapse and fail to protect the world from global warming catastrophe, a new report from Friends of the Earth warns today.

Can new technologies help reduce the impact of climate change?

AndyBrace — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:00:13 +0000

A day after climate change talks ended in deadlock in Bangkok one of the richest men in the world, George Soros pledged US$1 billion as an investment in clean energy technology. Will this make a difference in terms of reducing carbon emissions? Yes, probably…But a further question is: Will the clean energy technology be adopted [...]

Scotland's Climate Bill is approved by the Queen

Timystic — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:26:00 +0000

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II today made history by giving Royal Assent to The Scottish Climate Change Bill, the strongest piece of climate change legislation in the world.

The world-leading Act sets vital international precedents and an example for other wealthy nations to follow ahead of the UN’s climate change talks in Copenhagen in December, which will agree a replacement to the Kyoto Protocol.

Campaigners land blow on 'oil and gas' bank

AndyBrace — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:07:39 +0000

The government has been roundly criticised from various quarters for the use of public cash to bail out and prop up RBS. Scandals over Sir Fred's pension and now the ten million pound salary and bonus package for the new RBS boss have been grabbing headlines and stoking public outrage. And rightly so. Now the World Development Movement, along with PLATFORM and People and Planet, have dealt a further blow to the government's hands off approach to how it manages the billions of pounds of taxpayers' money poured into the self-styled 'oil and gas' bank.

Government faces environmental legal challenge over RBS

AndyBrace — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:29:43 +0000

The World Development Movement, PLATFORM and People & Planet have today launched legal action against the Treasury for allowing public money, poured into the Royal Bank of Scotland to be invested in energy companies, and projects linked to climate change and human rights violations.

Gordon Brown's climate manifesto for Copenhagen

TomAllen — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 11:34:51 +0000

In a manifesto launched today, Prime Minister Gordon Brown has pledged UK leadership in tackling climate change during the run-up to the UN climate summit in Copenhagen this December. Alongside the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Miliband, he has outlined his vision for a new deal where the emissions of developed nations will peak by 2020 (we believe the deal should be no later than 2015) and decline thereafter.

Brown sets out his climate stall for Copenhagen

AndyBrace — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:46:52 +0000

It's been a long time since there were polar bears at London Zoo, but the famous attraction still houses many other species which are threatened by the effects of climate change. So I can't help but wonder whether this fact registered with Gordon Brown (himself an endangered species) as he stood up at the zoo to present his blueprint for a global climate
action plan.

Scotland 'leads the world' in the fight against climate change

Timystic — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:13:42 +0000

The Scottish Parliament today (Wednesday 24 June) led the world by passing the strongest climate change legislation of any industrialised nation.

Stop Climate Chaos Scotland lobbying at Holyrood - image Maverick Photo Agency

70,000 new green jobs if councils tackle climate change - new research

AndyBrace — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:01:01 +0000

Over 70,000 jobs could be created across England and Wales if councils slashed climate-changing emissions by insulating homes and businesses and fitting green energy to buildings, according to independent research released by Friends of the Earth today.

Brown told: ‘Rich don’t have the answers to the crisis’ Criticism of Prime Minister’s commitment to a ‘new politics’ as he shuns

AndyBrace — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:52:11 +0000

Campaigners today criticised Gordon Brown for refusing to send a cabinet minister to the United Nations summit on the economic crisis (1), but personally attending the 'outdated and elitist' G8 meeting in July.

Jubilee Debt Campaign, the World Development Movement and War on Want argue that as the vast majority of the world’s countries are not invited to the G20 or G8 meetings, the UN summit is vital in enabling those least responsible for the crisis to make fair and effective decisions on the future of the world economy.

Scotland's Climate Bill on the verge of leading the world

Timystic — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:16:58 +0000

Coalition group hails Government amendment and urges MSPs to fix remaining loopholes.

Scotland's climate change legislation is once again on the verge of being 'world leading' said campaigners today (Tuesday 23 June). The Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) coalition made the call in response to a Scottish Government amendment tabled last night, after the main deadline, which calls for a reduction of 42% in Scotland's climate emissions by 2020 from 1990 levels. Until last night the Government was only supporting a 34% reduction from the start.

SCCS call for the end to weak targets

Timystic — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:08:40 +0000

The Scottish Government has "run out of excuses" and must take immediate steps to amend the "weak" interim targets currently contained within its climate change bill, due to be voted on by MSPs for the final time next week, said Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) today (Wednesday 17 June).

The coalition made the call following the publication today of the Scottish Government's Climate Delivery Plan [1], which shows that in spite of Government reluctance Scotland could meet the tougher pollution reductions that science say will be needed to avoid the worst ravages of climate chaos.

Take Part in the Climate Emergency Parliament

Timystic — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:30:07 +0000

In the build up to the Climate Change talks in Copenhagen, Campaign against Climate Change is holding a Climate Emergency Parliament, using the proposals in their online parliament.

On Wednesday 15th Julyat 6pm, Parliament Square will be filling Parliament Square discussing bills on:
1. 10% reductions in UK Greenhouse gases by the end of 2010
2. A million Green Jobs and emergency insulation program
3. Banning all domestic flights by the end of 2010
4. A 55 mph national speed limit

Miliband must end coal emissions

Timystic — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:50:54 +0000

A call for an end to dirty coal emissions by Stop Climate Chaos Coalition members, Christian Aid, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Oxfam, RSPB, WDM and WWF UK, has been published in the Guardian.

World Governments Urged to do More to End the Recession

Timystic — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:00:00 +0000

At the end of March, ahead of the London G20 Summit, the Put People First alliance – made up of over 160 unions, development agencies, faith and environmental groups – brought 35,000 people onto the streets of London, where they marched for action on jobs and climate change, and justice for the world’s poor.

After the Summit, Put People First welcomed positive moves made in London, such as a commitment to better regulation of the global financial system and a promise to crack down on tax havens, but said that much more still needed to be done.

SCCS welcomes ground-breaking amendments

TomAllen — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:10:22 +0000

The Scottish Parliament Transport Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee resumed today (Tuesday) to continue its discussions on Stage 2 of the Scottish Climate Change Bill.

Reacting to the Committee's decision to approve Labour MSP Cathy Peattie's amendment on climate change duty for public bodies:
Mike Robinson, Chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, said:

Join the Climate Emergency Parliament

Timystic — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:55:54 +0000

Have your say on the UK Government’s measures on climate change on Campaign Against Climate Change’s Climate Emergency Parliament.

The Climate Emergency Parliament is all about taking the emergency measures on climate change that the government is failing to... in particular a package of radical commitments at the national level that will send a strong positive message to the international community meeting at the Copenhagen Talks at the end of the year.

Government must support wind industry to save UK green jobs

AndyBrace — Tue, 19 May 2009 00:01:01 +0000

Friends of the Earth and Unite are calling on the Government to step in to prevent the closure of two wind turbine manufacturing plants in South England, which would cause the loss of 625 green jobs.

Coalition urges MSPs to strengthen bill

TomAllen — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:45:09 +0000

Stop Climate Chaos Scotland is today [Wednesday 6 May] calling on MSPs from all parties to show their support for a strong Scottish Climate Change Bill, as the Stage 1 Debate gets underway in the Scottish Parliament.

The SCCS coalition is looking for MSPs to deliver a strong Bill by addressing loopholes identified in the Scottish Parliament’s Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change (TICC) Committee Stage 1 Report, published on Friday 24 April.

MSPs put pressure on for strong Climate Bill

TomAllen — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:58:23 +0000

On 24 April Stop Climate Chaos Scotland welcomed the strong report from the Scottish Parliament’s Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee on the Scottish Climate Change Bill. The report recommends that the Bill needs tougher targets and broader scope. The Government will now have to respond to the Committee’s report in a debate expected next week.

Reaction to DECC coal announcement

TomAllen — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:31:28 +0000

In reaction to the Government’s announcement regarding fitting Carbon Capture technology to coal-fired power stations, Ashok Sinha, Director of the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition said:

Budget 2009 - green bank needed to boost low carbon recovery

AndyBrace — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:01:01 +0000

The Government should establish a green investment bank and introduce Treasury-backed green bonds as part of Gordon Brown's pledge to introduce an environmentally friendly Budget later this week that will kick start a low- carbon recovery.

More big meetings, more disappointing climate mumblings

AndyBrace — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 11:31:12 +0000

Whoever it was that said '24 hours is a long time in politics' certainly wasn't kidding. While I'm still feeling worn out by the political frenzy that surrounded last week's G20 summit, even by Saturday the world had moved on.

Students vote for a clean, green RBS

AndyBrace — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:35:42 +0000

Today, as the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM), People & Planet students in London and Edinburgh protested to expose the bank's investments in climate changing fossil fuels.

African leaders ask Brown to put people first at the G20 Summit

AndyBrace — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:36:39 +0000

The buzz around the G20 has well and truly begun. Well kind of. Unfortunately, it's not yet getting quite as much press coverage as the football results. But here in our office, people are talking about our hopes for the upcoming summit.

Brown's Green New Deal must have 'action today, not green gestures for tomorrow'

AndyBrace — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:48:27 +0000

In response to today’s ‘low carbon summit’ launched by Gordon Brown, Benedict Southworth, director of the World Development Movement said:

Low Carbon Summit - Urgent green investment programme needed

AndyBrace — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:01:01 +0000

A fundamental overhaul of the economy is required if Ministers are serious about delivering a low carbon future. The call coincides with today's Low Carbon Economy Summit hosted by the Prime Minister.

Huge new alliance to tell world leaders to put people first

AndyBrace — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:05:46 +0000

A huge new platform of unions, development agencies, faith and environmental groups plans to tell world leaders attending the G20 summit in April that only just, fair and sustainable policies can lead the world out of recession.

The alliance, which includes the TUC, Oxfam, ActionAid, Friends of the Earth and CAFOD, is calling on people to join a major demonstration for jobs, justice and climate in London on Saturday 28 March, five days before the summit.