Last week, Bill Wiggin MP met virtually with constituents as part of the climate change and environment lobby, ‘The Time Is Now’.
In a productive meeting, climate change activists from North Herefordshire discussed their concerns about how the UK better protects the environment. The discussions brought about a variety of key issues including, addressing the environment post-Covid, planting of more trees for carbon capture and more sustainable home building.
Commenting after the session Bill Wiggin MP said:
“I thoroughly enjoyed speaking to my constituents once again about this incredibly important issue. This year we could not meet face-to-face, however, technology allowed us to connect and for me to listen to their concerns about how we progress green issues going forward.
As we enter out of lockdown following the dreadful Covid-19 outbreak, we have a unique opportunity. It gives the country a chance to readdress how it does business; perhaps fewer car journeys can be undertaken, and more people can work from home.
What we cannot do however is neglect our already damaged economy. That is why the Government is going to deliver an economy which is stronger, greener, more sustainable and more resilient.
On 8 June, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy announced a Green Recovery working group, bringing together businesses, business representative groups and leading academics, to unleash Britain’s growth potential and help the economy recover from the pandemic.
This group will explore how to capture the economic growth opportunities from the shift to net zero emissions.
The UK already plays a world-leading role in tackling climate change. We are the first country that has legislated to eliminate our contribution to climate change by 2050 and we are currently the fastest in the G20 to cut emissions. Since 1990, the UK has cut emissions by more than 40 per cent while growing the economy by more than two thirds.
At the same time, the Environment Bill is being introduced to protect and improve the environment for future generations, enshrining in law environmental principles and legally binding targets.
North Herefordshire can lead the way in this fight. That is why I am so surprised that this supposedly ‘Green’ council is implementing plans that will increase carbon outputs by having people from rural communities drive further to get into towns.
If the council were as serious as they claim to be about climate change, £4.5 million would not have be spent on the Maylord Shopping centre and instead spent on fixing existing roads and improving public transport links.
I would urge constituents concerned about this issue to speak to their local County Councillor and discuss what they are doing at a local level to reduce carbon emissions and take on climate change.
More can always be done, and I welcome the constructive points my constituents have raised in how we continue to lessen our footprint.
Reducing carbon emissions and tackling climate change will remain a priority for this Government and I look forward to engaging further with constituents on this most pressing issue”
You can contact your County Councillor on this issue here: http://councillors.herefordshire.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx
