Climate change is now recognised by all our political parties as a major threat. They have all set long-term targets for cutting carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by 60 per cent by 2050.
So why do we need a Strong Climate Change Bill? People & Planet believes there are three key reasons.
1. The science: we need to start now
The science tells us that the severity of the change to our climate in the second half of this century will not be determined by how much CO₂ we emit in 2050, but by the total amount accumulated in the atmosphere by 2050. This is because every tonne of CO₂ put into our atmosphere today stays there for around 100 years, adding to the warming. So we cannot carry on as we are and try to cut emissions drastically in 2049: at some point in the 2020s there would already be so much CO₂ into the atmosphere that we would have set our climate on a course of irreversible and devastating change.
The majority of scientists believe we need to stop the climate from warming by more than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. To do this will require action from all countries and the UK must do its fair share. We want a Climate Change Bill that ensures the UK does its bit.
2. Politics: no room to put it off
Setting a long-term target shows politicians recognise the need for long-term action. But a long-term target can create complacency: after all, it seems there is plenty of time left so we can postpone action.
Setting long-term targets has not created the necessary sense of urgency in Government to tackle the problem. As a result emissions have risen in all but two of the eight years that the current Government has been in power.
By committing Government to annual cuts in CO₂ emissions, a Bill would ensure no administration is tempted to pass the responsibility to those who come after.
3. Signals: sending the right message
Strong Government action on Climate Change send a message that tackling climate change requires action from everyone. We need people to make some positive choices - from small things like switching off TV standby right through to choosing a new car on the strength of its energy efficiency. But we also need changes in business: companies must start investing in more energy-efficient products.
Government can influence behaviour at both the individual and corporate level by sending clear signals about what we need to do. Showing people that weīre all in this together and their actions can make a difference will encourage them to act.
But people are most likely to do this if they feel others are doing their bit: hosepipe bans are undermined if the water company doesnīt seem bothered about fixing its leaks. Similarly urging people to save energy will be undermined if Government wonīt show it is taking the matter seriously. For companies to invest in new carbon-saving products they need to be confident that the Government means what it says. The greater certainty that would arise from setting annual targets for CO₂ cuts would help achieve this.
We need to take this message to where MPs hear it loudest - in their own constituencies. We need each of them to meet with people like you who support this campaign and to hear directly from you what changes you want made to the climate bill.
However you choose to lobby your MP, you will need to find out what he or she thinks about the idea of a Climate Change Bill.
Finding your MP
It’s easy to find out who your MP is. You can enter your postcode on the UK Parliament website and find your MP’s contact details and details of their website (if they have one). Alternatively, ring the House of Commons information line on 020 7219 4272.
MPs usually advertise their local office details locally in the Town Hall, the local press and the Yellow Pages, as well as on their website.
If you have any difficulty finding your MPīs local office details, then ring the House of Commons on 020 7219 3000 and ask to be put through to their office.
Invite your MP to a public meeting
Holding a meeting is a great way to put the case for a Climate Change Bill to your MP, to find out what they have to say, and (after you’ve persuaded them to support the idea!) to get them to pledge their support publicly.
Before the meeting
Choose a selection of possible dates and invite your MP to the meeting. It’s a good idea to have more than one date so that your MP is more likely to be able to come. You should write to your MP as far in advance as possible (start planning before the beginning of term if you can) as MP’s schedules get booked up. It’s a good idea to follow up the letter with a phone call about a week later.
Once you’ve got a date confirmed, book a venue for the meeting. Think about how many people you expect to attend - you don’t want the room to be overcrowded, or to look empty!
Invite other speakers to put the case for the Climate Bill and why it’s so important to act now to tackle climate change. People & Planet can provide a speaker, or help you contact other organisations - email us to ask. You could also think about inviting local councillors, other student societies, or relevant academics.
Choose someone to chair the meeting. Whoever this is will need to be experienced at facilitation and confident enough to make sure the MP and other speakers don’t go on too long!
Plan the meeting agenda and make sure all your speakers know the order they’ll be speaking in and how long they will have. It’s a good idea to start with the speaker on the Climate Bill, so that the MP (and the audience) hears all the arguments at the beginning. Leave plenty of time for questions from the audience as well.
Publicity
You’ll want to get as many people to the meeting as possible, to show your MP how much support there is for action on climate change.
Make use of all the publicity channels you can think of: put up posters, make fliers, use email lists and websites. It’s a good idea to contact other student societies to show that a diversity of people care about the issue. You could also get in touch with local groups in your town or city - your MP represents them as well.
Get the meeting and the issue into your student or local press. To do this, you could:
- send a press release before the meeting.
- put on a stunt to raise awareness of climate change as an issue, and give out fliers at the same time. Use your imaginations to think of something that would make a good photo…
- write letters to the editor. Getting a debate going in the letters page can be a really effective way of raising awareness.
See the People & Planet groups guide for more tips on using the media.
At the meeting
Make sure you have enough group members around to help out at the meeting, and that you know how to use any equipment (microphones, powerpoint etc) that you need.
Get there early to set up the room. You’ll need to arrange the seating, check equipment is in working order, set up a stall with information about your group and the campaigns you’re running and put up banners if you have any. If you’re providing refreshments, set these out in advance.
Welcome the speakers and introduce them to each other.
Get interested people to sign up to your group.
If your MP has said that they support the Climate Bill, make use of the opportunity to take a photo of them make a placard say “I support the Climate Bill”. This could make a great follow up press story. Also take pictures of the meeting for your group to use (and send them to us to put in national P&P newsletters, on the website etc).
After the meeting
Write a thank you letter to your MP confirming any commitments they made.
Email us and let us know how it went!
Arrange a face-to-face meeting with your MP
Sending emails, letters and petitions to your MP can have a massive impact, but MPs know that if someone takes the time to make an appointment, they must feel very strongly about the issue. So meeting your MP face to face demonstrates to them how important the issue really is.
Building a relationship and keeping in touch with your MP is a really great tactic for your People & Planet group. After all, it’s likely that you will be in touch with them again, why not show them you’re a force to be reckoned with now?
How to arrange a meeting
Simply phone, email or write to your MP’s office to arrange a meeting. Try to make this contact as early as possible so they canīt blame `prior engagementsī as a reason not to see you. After all, they are there to represent you. Many MPs hold regular weekend surgeries in their constituency, so you could arrange an appointment in one of these.
If your MP says he or she is not available to meet with you, do persist and call again. MPs will re-arrange their diaries if they feel pressure from local constituents, the media and other MPs. If you really canīt meet with your MP, then it may be possible to arrange a time to talk to them on the phone instead. Again, just arrange this by calling his/her office and request a phone discussion.
Remember that your MP is not doing you a favour by meeting you; they are simply doing their job.
Who should go to the meeting?
You can lobby your MP on your own, or go in a group. Let your MP’s office know in advance how many of you there will be attending, particularly if you will be a large group. Lobbying your MP as a large group could make for a good press story.
People & Planet is campaigning on the Climate Bill along with lots of other organisations, so there may be other people in your constituency who are also planning to lobby the same MP. You can contact these people through the Big Ask Message Board, and maybe join up to lobby your MP together. Even if you go at different times, you can share information on how the MP responds.
Preparation
Before you go to meet your MP, get familiar with the idea of the Climate Bill by reading the information above or giving the office a call.
You don’t need to be an expert on the issue, what matters is putting across why you care about climate change and that the Climate Bill is a practical solution for the UK to cut its emissions. Identify a few key points that you want to make and make notes that you can refer to in the meeting.
If you’re going as a group, decide in advance who will say what.
Get in the news
Lobbying your MP can make a good news story too, especially if you can get them to support the Climate Bill and make a public statement. You could ask if you could take their photo.
See the People & Planet groups guide for more tips on using the media.
At the meeting
Don’t be scared! Remember that it’s your right to see your MP and that they will appreciate that you have taken the time to meet them. You’re important to your MP as they want you to vote for them. Be confident and polite.
Refer to your notes and make sure that you stick to your key points.
If your MP asks a question that you can’t answer, don’t panic. You aren’t expected to be an expert. Offer to find out the information and send it to the MP after the meeting (you can contact People & Planet after the meeting to help with finding out anything your MP asks).
Take notes during the meeting of what your MP says, and in particular, any commitments he/she makes.
After the meeting
Write to your MP to thank them for meeting with you. This also gives you a good opportunity to confirm in writing and thank them for any commitment that they made, which makes it harder for them not to follow up! Also send on any information that you said you would find.
Keep your MP updated on any other campaigning action that your group does, and on the progress of the campaign more generally. If they aren’t supportive to start with, showing that the meeting was part of something bigger might help swing their opinion.
Email us and let us know how it went.
Hold a letter writing event
Writing a responce to the consultation and sending a copy to your MP is a really effective way of letting them know your opinions.
Organising a letter writing event is easy. You could simply do it in one of your group meetings, or you could get more people involved by having a stall in your school or university with ready written letters for people to sign.
For more advice on writing effective letters, see the People & Planet Groups Guide.
Make sure to follow up on any replies you receive. For help in responding to formal letters, email us.
Tell us what you are up to we maybe able to help?
People & Planet can support you in writing a consultation responce or lobbying your MP, whichever way you choose to do it. Email us if you have any questions or need any more information.
If you are organising a public meeting, we should be able to provide a speaker to put the case for the Climate Bill. Email us well in advance, even before you know the exact date, and we’ll try to be there. If we can’t provide a speaker on the date you need, we’ll help you find someone from another organisation.