The Climate and Nature Bill has taken a big step forward with Liberal Democrat MP for South Cotswolds Roz Savage agreeing to put it forward as a Private Members’ Bill. This blog outlines what SECA members can do to help it on its way.
SECA has been supporting Zero Hour’s campaign to get the Climate and Nature Bill into Parliament. Recently this has had a massive boost when Liberal Democrat MP for South Cotswolds Roz Savage agreed to champion it as a Private Members’ Bill. The next step comes on 24 January, when the Bill will have its Second Reading. It needs 102 MPs to be present for the debate, otherwise it gets dropped. So please contact your MP and ask them if they’ll be there.
The bill makes it law to cut emissions very rapidly and reverse nature depletion by 2030. Written by scientists, this landmark legislation is in parliament and ready to go, it just needs MPs’ support. Encouraging our MPs to back the bill is a really concrete step we can take to press for meaningful, concerted action at national level to tackle the climate emergency.
You can check the list later in this blog to see whether your MP has pledged their support so far.
What is the CAN Bill about?
Existing legislation, notably the Environment Act of 2021 and the Climate Change Act of 2008, is important but does not go far enough. Biodiversity loss and climate change are deeply interconnected threats that must be addressed together. The new CAN Bill would deliver an overarching integrated strategy to halt and reverse the loss of nature by 2030 and to align our laws with our international commitments to keep global warming to below 1.5°C. This would apply to our impacts both at home and overseas.
You can read more detail about the Bill here.
The strategy is based on three pillars:
- Nature: Halt and reverse the loss of nature by 2030 in the UK and in our effects overseas; account for our ecological footprint; and prioritise nature across decision-making.
- Climate: Reduce the UK’s overall contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions in line with 1.5°C; ensure emissions are not offshored; and end the exploration, extraction, export and import of fossil fuels by the UK as rapidly as possible.
- People: Involve the UK public through a Climate & Nature Assembly; ensure workers can move into low-carbon jobs; and protect vulnerable communities that may be affected by planning a just transition.
What can you do to help?
In the SECA area, Hampshire, Kent, East and West Sussex, Surrey and Isle of Wight, 21 of our 68 MPs have already pledged to back the bill. If you live in one of their constituencies you could contact your MP, thank them for their support so far and ask them to be sure to attend the second reading on 24 January.
This is the list of supporting MPs at time of writing, according to Zero Hour:
| Supporting MPs | |
| Brighton Pavilion (Green) | Herne Bay and Sandwich (Conservative) |
| Canterbury (Independent) | Horsham (Lib Dem) |
| Chatham and Aylesford (Labour) | Isle of Wight West (Labour) |
| Chichester (Lib Dem) | Lewes (Lib Dem) |
| Dorking and Horley (Lib Dem) | Mid Sussex (Lib Dem) |
| Eastbourne (Lib Dem) | North East Hampshire (Lib Dem) |
| Eastleigh (Lib Dem) | Surrey Heath (Lib Dem) |
| Epsom and Ewell (Lib Dem) | Tunbridge Wells (Lib Dem) |
| Esher and Walton (Lib Dem) | Winchester (Lib Dem) |
| Gillingham and Rainham (Labour) | Woking (Lib Dem) |
| Guildford (Lib Dem) |
If your MP hasn’t yet pledged their support, please write to them and ask them to back the Bill on 24th January. As well as explaining why the Bill is so crucial, you could tell them about MPs in neighbouring constituencies, or others from their party, who are backing the bill and urge them to come on board. They can sign up to show their support by emailing parliament@zerohour.uk
There is a full list of constituencies here.
Writing to your MP
There’s a template for letters and emails on the Zero Hour website but it’s much more effective if you use your own words. Don’t forget to add your full name and address to show that you live in their constituency.
Some points you could make include:
The destruction of nature is affecting your constituents’ health and the delivery of services we all rely on from nature, such as flood risk mitigation, food security and pest control by natural predators. Efforts to redress this are gaining pace, but they need an overarching joined-up strategy to support them.
It may sound challenging, but a fairer, zero carbon, nature positive UK would make your constituents:
- Better off – by creating green jobs, ensuring homes are properly insulated, and that energy is cleaner, less expensive and more secure.
- Healthier – by reducing air pollution and by encouraging healthier, more sustainable food consumption while supporting our farmers and food producers.
- Happier – by protecting our green spaces and the wildlife that depends on them, ensuring everyone has access to nature and increased wellbeing.
- More resilient – by reducing the threats from extreme weather, such as flooding, erosion and crop failure.
This 2024-2029 parliament is our last chance to act before 2030, and as the climate emergency worsens the cost of not doing anything will be far greater than the cost of taking action now.
Writing about the CAN bill could be a great way of starting a dialogue with your new MP, if you haven’t already. Let’s hope we can get more MPs in the South East to back the Bill!