GREENS MARCH FOR ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Ashley Gunstock, Stephen Lambert, Jean Lambert, Mark Dawes and Wilson Chowdhry - campaigning against Climate Change.

-

Members of Waltham Forest and Redbridge Green Party marched from Hyde Park Corner to Parliament to call for action on climate change last Saturday, December 5th. The march had over 50,000 people and as well as the Green Party was supported by organizations such as Oxfam, Christian Aid, World Development Movement, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, WWF, RSPB, UNICEF, Campaign against Climate Change, VIVA, UNISON and numerous others.

There is now a scientific consensus that climate change is happening and it is the result of human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and the farming of animals for meat and dairy products. In fact, it is happening at a faster rate than previously thought. Unless action is taken now, the planet will experience extreme weather, food shortages, mass extinction of species and escalating wars over resources.

The protesters demanded tough action on climate change from the Government and world leaders at the Copenhagen summit next week and for a fair international deal to stop global warming exceeding the critical threshold of 2C. The Greens are calling for the European Union to commit to at least 40 per cent emissions reductions by 2020. The UK, in particular, has vast amounts of untapped renewable energy like wind, tidal and solar power that could be exploited far more with the right investment and support for development. Green industry could also provide a large number of new jobs at all skill levels.

Wilson Chowdhry, Green Party candidate for Chadwell Ward, said "It was great to see so many people united for what is an extremely important issue. We hear to often about the scepticism from rogue scientists disputing the need for mankind to reduce their own personal carbon footprint and to exercise better holistic carbon reduction programmes. On the day a group of 6 people held their own counter protest, which I found rather distasteful and they did receive a number of vitriolic jeers. The fact remains, that if we do not put in the effort now, to convince World Governments to impose stricter and more comprehensive guidelines on emissions and waste policy, there will be few recognisable living things left on the destitute earth we will create for posterity."

In May next year use your vote to secure carbon reduction!