MEL Stride MP invited climate change groups in his constituency to a meeting to discuss progress.

This follows a previous meeting in November last year. 

Climate Action Group decided not to accept the invitation. Here is the letter which gives their reasons for this. 

Dear Mel

Thank you for your invitation to another meeting on climate change and environmental issues. I have consulted my colleagues in the climate action group and we do not think a meeting would be productive at this point.

We accept that you are personally committed to action on climate change.  Yet you are in the cabinet and a close ally of the Prime Minister and we see no evidence that the government is taking the problems of climate change as seriously as it should:

- The overwhelming consensus amongst scientists is that we should stop mining for fossil fuels since they are the major contributor to global warming (accounting for over 75 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions).

Yet the government is still giving licences for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea and handing out vast subsidies, and you told us at the meeting that you support this continuing until 2050.

- In the last three years, we have seen flooding, fires and droughts worldwide, all linked to climate change.   And in a recent report from scientists worldwide, printed in “The Guardian” on May 9, on present projections they expect the world to heat by a catastrophic 3C this century, soaring past the internationally agreed 1.5 C target.  It is clear from his recent speeches that this issue is very low down on the Prime Minister’s priority list.   

- The recent report from the Government’s own  Climate Change Committee says: “Even in these times of extraordinary fossil fuel prices, Government has been slow to embrace cleaner, cheaper alternatives and too keen to support new production of coal, oil and gas.   Key departments did not deliver on recommendations made by the Committee last year.  And overall it is not on target to meet its commitment to net zero by 2050.”

This was confirmed by the recent High Court ruling calling on the Government to redraft its plan for net zero in 2050 since it was very short on detail.

- At our last meeting with you we discussed the lack of revised building regulations which would impose higher standards in insulation, air permeability and heat pumps in new housing developments. The Government’s Climate Change Committee says that no progress has been made in this area. And we compare very unfavourably to our partners in Europe.

Eg: More than 40 per cent of homes in some Scandinavian countries have air source heat pumps whereas only one per cent of British homes have one.

I also raised the issue of embodied emissions ie those arising from the construction of new houses for which there are no regulations. You asked for more information which I sent but have heard nothing back about progress in this area.

- Many young people are extremely worried about this lack of action and are taking to the streets to protest. The reaction of your government has not been to take their concerns seriously, but instead to spend time and money in making it harder for them to protest by passing laws criminalising their actions

Gerald Conyngham

On behalf of the Climate Action Team