Last week was a quiet week for CEM.
- On Monday we launched our petition for a) a seventh scrutiny committee, dedicated to Climate and Environment and b) more cash for local climate action. It’s going very well (see below)
- On Tuesday we reported on the abandonment of the proposed special meeting of the City Council’s Neighbourhoods and Environment Scrutiny Committee
- On Wednesday we attended Executive and got and accepted a curiously late invite to a meeting organised by the Manchester Climate Change “Agency”
- On Thursday one of us spoke at Planning and Highways (and were quoted in this Manchester Evening News story)Knowing the car park next to the airport was mostly likely to be approved, we had chosen to launch our latest report, Manchester City Council and Climate Change for beginners that evening at the Sandbar. Those who came had a good time!
- On Friday one of us spoke at the Climate Strike and various volunteer signature collectors got loads of signatures (and we hit 100 online that day.)
- On Sunday published a Spanish translation, courtesy Juan ‘The Green Bee’ Villenueva of Calum’s ‘on being non-existtent’ blog post.
Behind the scenes, research and planning went on for our next report (save the date – March 11th)
This week we will be a) launching our essay contest, b) mithering you all about the petition and c) writing about “the year ahead/risks and opportunities…
Back to that petition
We need 4000 signatures from people who live, work or study within Manchester City Council’s boundaries by mid August (though we have set ourselves the target of end of May. Already after one week we have somewhere slightly north of 300 signatures in total… (with 116 of those online). You will be hearing a lot more about this petition campaign, the whys and hows of it. Meanwhile, we continue with all our other work. If you want to get involved with anything CEM does – as a graphic designer, signature collector, proof-reader, general purpose citizen, then get in touch via contact@climateemergencymanchester.net
(As of next week there will be detailed reporting on the petition, where signatories come from, how many are valid/invalid etc…)
This week’s events-
- Mon 17, 6-8pm, XR MCR Weekly Meeting The Old Bank Residency, Hanover St, Manchester M4 4BB
- Mon 17, 6.30-8.30pm, Manchester Friends of the Earth nature planning Green Fish centre, 46-50 Oldham St, Manchester, M4 1LE
- Tues 18, 7-9pm, Heading for Extinction and what to do about it? (XR Didsbury) Christ Church, Parrs Wood Rd (corner with Fog Lane), M20 6EE
- Wed 19, 6.30 Manchester Friends of the Earth sustainable transport & healthy air campaign meeting,46-50 Green Fish centre, Oldham St, Manchester, M4 1LE
- Fri 21, 12-2pm, Fridays for Future outside Central Library Manchester.
- Sat 22, 10.30am-3pm Non violent direction action training University of Manchester students union (The Hive, 1st floor), Oxford Rd, M13 9PR The training will cover the practice of non-violent techniques: showing you how to de-escalate tense situations, how to interact with the police, what to do if you get arrested and more.
- Sat 22 Feb, 5.30pm, ‘Climate Justice is Gender Justice!’: Feminist Resistance in Global Climate Politics. University of Manchester student union, Oxford Road
- Sun 23rd Feb, 6.15pm 2040 film Showcase Manchester. Tickets
Upcoming dates for CEM events
- Tues 25th – release of the “final” climate documents (the last lot could not be called plans) by Manchester City Council, ahead of them being scrutinised the following week. Watch this space…
- Thurs 27th, 7.30pm End of the World reading group – Animal Farm. Sandbar, 120 Grosvenor St https://www.facebook.com/
events/667079190788459/ - Weds March 4th, 12-1.45pm, “Getting ready to attend scrutiny meeting about Manchester climate policy” Patagonia, 51 King Street, Manchester M2 7AZ Climate Emergency Manchester is hosting a pre-meeting for citizens before the Neighbourhoods and Environment Scrutiny Committee (NESC) meeting, which runs from 2pm to 4pm at the Town Hall Annexe (2nd floor). From 12 to 1pm its general mingling – drop in during your lunch hour if you work in the city centre- talk to people from the CEM core group. From 1pm we will explain how the NESC process works, the shortcomings in the existing plans (final versions will be released Tues Feb 25th). We will then walk over to the meeting together. Bring a book (scrutiny meetings can be LONG). https://www.facebook.com/
events/264603867868258/