Julian meets York Outer residents at climate change lobby of Parliament
July 1, 2019
Last Wednesday, Julian met with a large group of local residents who travelled up to London as part of the ‘Time is Now’ mass lobby of Parliament, calling for further action on climate change.
This lobby came after the Prime Minister’s announcement earlier this month that the UK will now seek to deliver ‘net zero’ emissions by 2050, an improvement on current plans to reduce emissions by 80% by 2050. Britain is the first major economy to make this commitment.
Julian and his constituents discussed a range of ways in which the government could make decisive progress on combating global warming and environmental degradation, including making transport greener, reducing emissions and curbing plastic waste. They also talked about conserving sites of special natural interest like Askham Bog just south of York, and how Julian’s role on Parliament’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee enable him to investigate many of these issues in depth.
After meeting with the group, Julian said “I enjoyed a long and detailed discussion with the residents, and have taken away a lot of food for thought.
The fact so many people were willing to make the long journey from York to Westminster should be taken as a sign of the strength of feeling locally in favour of protecting the natural environment, of which North Yorkshire is a magnificent example, and government and Parliament must take note of this.
I am proud to support a government that has done so much to address climate change since 2010, with the UK decarbonising faster than any other top world economy. Renewables now generate 37% of the UK’s electricity, a huge increase from just 6.1% in 2010, and all traditional coal-fired power stations will close by 2025.
However, there is a lot more to do, and can be no room for complacency. This year I have lobbied local and national government on issues like tree planting, solar power and climate change commitments, and my discussions at last week’s climate lobby has added to my determination to do all I can to ensure that the views of York Outer residents regarding action on climate change are heard at the highest levels.”
