Marion Smith, a member of the core group of Climate Emergency Manchester, has had the following letter published in the Manchester Evening News. She’d also like to emphasise that CEM would also would love to talk at any online meetings people are organising. Email us on contact@climateemergencymanchester.net – we can do 1 minute, 3 minutes or longer!
The letter from Tom Traddles (“Anger grows at inaction”, MEN 12th August) alluded to concerns about the Council’s delivery of actual deeds to fit the fine words in its July 2019 declaration of a “climate emergency.” Recent responses to Freedom of Information Act requests do not inspire confidence. We will reveal all in a report soon.
It would be great if Mr Traddles – and indeed anyone else who lives, works or studies within Manchester City Council’s boundaries – were to sign our petition for the creation of a seventh Scrutiny Committee dedicated to climate change. Not only would this be an arena for scrutiny, but also for discussions and new ideas about the radical action we need at the city level. After all, we’ve burned a quarter of our carbon budget for the 21st century in the last two years.
People can sign online on the Council’s website, but it is- mysteriously- a bit of a faff. We have made a video guide to help counteract this, and alternatively they can print off a blank signature sheet- both can be found on our website, www.climateemergencymanchester.net
Once they have signed it, and perhaps encouraged everyone they live with to sign it, they can email us on contact@climateemergencymanchester.net and we will collect. We need four thousand signatures by November 10th in order to force a debate in Full Council.
Marion Smith