Coalition puts climate change on agenda

Development agencies and environmental groups are mobilising thousands of people to press for a strong commitment to climate change from the main political parties.

‘Ask the Climate Question’ is encouraging people concerned about climate change to ask local candidates and party workers how their party would address the issue.

The coalition includes Christian Aid, Oxfam, WWF, Tearfund, and Stop Climate Chaos. They are hoping the campaign will lead all parties to pay greater attention to the issue of climate change and secure bold commitments from party leaders in the run-up to the election.

Paul Brannen, head of Christian Aid’s advocacy and influence division, said: “The aim of this campaign is to encourage everyone who is concerned about climate change to make their voices heard in the seats where the political parties are listening hardest.

“We are not trying to influence how our supporters or the general public vote, we simply want to ensure candidates and parties take climate change seriously.

“Why? Because climate change is already killing some 300,000 people a year in developing countries, we have to act now.”

The campaign is asking people across 51 key marginal constituencies to put the question to candidates by taking part in hustings, emailing them or using social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

A recent IPPR study found climate change to be a high priority for many people living in marginal seats. It found that almost one in five people considered climate change to be amongst their three or four top priority issues and that four out of five backed the target to source at least 15 per cent of energy from renewable sources by 2020.

The coalition want all parties to commit to measures aimed at keeping global warming below two degrees and reducing the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020.

The coalition is also asking parties to commit to helping poor developing countries reduce their emissions and protect the poor from the impact of climate change.

Paul Cook, Tearfund’s Advocacy Director, said everyone could do their bit to limit carbon emissions through changes to their lifestyles.

“While it matters to us that addressing climate change is urgent and candidates of all parties need to make it a priority in their campaigns, it matters considerably more to the 500 million people globally that are currently at risk from climate related disasters,” he said.

“Whatever the colour or creed of the next government, it mustn’t ignore the poorest people at risk.”

The coalition’s supporters number on average 8,000 per constituency. They are being invited to take part in ‘Climate Question Time’ husting events being organised in each of the campaign’s constituencies.

For more about the coalition and details of husting events visit www.asktheclimatequestion.org.uk