Constituency Matters
VIrendra Sharma Labour MP for Ealing Southall
So finally, we have a general election on 12 December. Clearly Brexit will be a central issue in the campaign, but there are other critical issues the next government will have to address over the next five years - the future of our health service, education, housing, policing to name just a few.
One of the biggest issues facing the nation and the world is the climate emergency.
A new poll just out says that 54% of people said that climate change would affect how they voted with the proportion rising to 74% amongst voters under-25. This existential issue will be critical in determining the outcome of the election.
Back in autumn 2018 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report stated that we have just 12 years to act on climate change if global temperature rises are to be kept within the recommended 1.5 degrees Celsius. In April 2019, Ealing’s Labour Council declared a climate emergency. In Parliament Labour instigated the same declaration of a climate emergency for the country.
Locally we are urgently drawing up a strategy and action plan to build on the substantial achievements we have already made as a Council to meet the target of net carbon emissions by 2030. This includes more investment in sustainable modes of travel - walking, cycling and public transport. We are also looking to significantly increase the number of electric charging points that people will have seen appearing across the Borough. We are imminently going to start purchasing all our electricity supplies from green sources. We have installed solar panels on 13 Ealing schools and 500 council homes have their electricity supplied by solar panels. More schools, council buildings and homes will have solar panels. We currently have the second highest recycling performance in London and we are working hard to reach our 60% 2022 target from which we can look to find ways to meet the 70% target required by 2030.
Labour nationally is equally ambitious to vigorously tackle the climate emergency and I invite you to study our plans in our manifesto and vote Labour on 12 December.