Milestone interview with Claire Brown- 400 online signatures on the #climate petition in #Manchester

The petition for a seventh scrutiny committee continues to gain signatures!
Every time we hit a round number, either online or “in toto” with the petition, we are going to run a “milestone interview”. If you’ve already signed and are up for answering these questions, just send your answer through to us (with a photo, ideally) at contact@climateemergencymanchester.net

Very very soon we will hit 1000 signatures – (we have 566 on paper, 424 online). So, the milestone interview for that, well “it could be you…”

  1. Who are you, what do you do, why did you sign the petition?

My name is Claire Brown and I am a Chartered Environmentalist working at the University of Salford as a Teaching Fellow in Environmental Management and doing a PhD in Heating and Cooling demand in a changing climate at the University of Manchester. I am always looking for ways to get people involved in the supporting the addressing of the Climate Emergency.

  1. Have you tried to get other folks to sign yet? If so, how, and how did that go?

I have shared with many of my colleagues on Twitter. Seems to have prompted some Manchester-based colleagues to sign the petition.

  1. What suggestions do you have for those trying to get more people to sign the petition?  

Spread the word, we have an opportunity here to make a difference to what happens next. Advertise it in different areas and on different platforms, maybe a Instagram post is needed or even LinkedIn? It is about maximising the network and getting people to voice an option my signing the petition.

  1. If Manchester City Council DOES set up a permanent ‘Climate and Environment Scrutiny Committee’ what should its first actions afterwards be?

To ensure that every community is fairly represented. There needs to be as much inclusion about this as possible. If Covid-19 has taught us anything, it is that there is too much social injustice and this needs to be represented at this level of city governance, especially when discussing climate change.

  1. How do you think citizens could/should act to make sure that such a declaration is followed up with actual actions? What skills and knowledge are needed for that?

Citizens should try and be proactive with ensuing that answers are received from questions and following up on key actions. Requesting feedback and ensuring that our elected councillors know that they are accountable for the people that they represent, especially on climate change matters.

  1. Anything else you’d like to say

Be an advocate for change – from one Tweet to emailing the council with this petition, getting things changed. Think Global, Act Local #LeadOnClimate.

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