May 2007

Over the past few months my constituency postbag has been full of letters and postcards about Climate Change.  It’s testament to the campaigning skill of groups like Friends of the Earth but also the growing importance of environmental issues. David Miliband recently published a draft Climate Change Bill which proposes a strong legal framework for tackling climate change. It proposes challenging carbon dioxide reduction targets for 2020 and 2050 and proposes a Committee on Climate Change to advise the government. The Climate Change Bill is the first of its kind in the world and demonstrates again that Britain is leading the way.

The draft Climate Change Bill is out to consultation and the government wants to hear your views. You can find the consultation on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs website by going to http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/climatechange.htm. The consultation lasts until 12th June.

Important though government and international action is, it’s also important that every individual plays their part. I think the Chronicle’s Go Green Campaign has been excellent in highlighting how everyone can make a difference. It isn’t always easy and like most complex issues there are difficult choices to be made. Take the issue which blew up during the recent election campaign. Over a hundred local authorities have ended weekly bin collection to encourage recycling but in many areas residents are up in arms. They complain about the health risks of rubbish lying for two weeks and in some areas public pressure has forced a rethink.  We still have weekly bin collections in North Tyneside. I want to keep it that way and many residents have told us they agree. But it underlines that although most people recognise the need for tough action on the environment when it comes down to our own neighbourhoods and homes there’s less agreement.  What do you think?