SW Herts CLP’s motion to National Conference was to ask Labour to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill as explained in this short video.  The motion was amalgamated into a more general one and was accepted by Conference.

Conference Notes:
We are in the midst of a Climate and Ecological Emergency. The British Parliament declared a Climate Emergency in May 2019. Current government policies put us on track for at least 3 degrees centigrade of warming by the end of the century. Scientists believe this would result in the loss of the Amazon rainforest, extensive crop failures and a sea level rise of many meters, and much more – all of which is likely to be catastrophic for human society as we know it.

Drafted by scientists, legal experts, ecological economists and environmentalists, the CEE Bill is designed specifically to reverse the climate and ecological breakdown we’re facing.  The Bill requires the UK to take responsibility for its fair share of greenhouse gas emissions, to actively restore biodiverse habitats, and to stop damaging our natural world through the production, transportation and disposal of the goods we consume.  The bill ensures that more vulnerable communities are positively impacted by the proposals in the strategy, and that financial support and retraining is offered to those people currently working in high-impact industries.  The Bill now has support of 115 MPs across 8 political parties, representing England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Conference Believes:
If we are going to effectively tackle the huge challenges of Climate and Ecological breakdown, people from all political backgrounds need to work together to bring about the societal changes required to make a difference.

Conference resolves:
The Labour Party will support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill.

Proposed by Rebecca Mackenzie, seconded by Kathryn Salway