Environmental and race equality groups team up

JOINTLY AND WORKING ON TWO GARDENS

CAMPAIGNING

RACE equality and environmental groups in Leicester are teaming up to “jointly campaign for a cleaner, fairer future”.

The Race Equality Centre (TREC), Leicester Friends of the Earth and Climate Action Leicester and Leicestershire, said this is a crucial year for combatting the climate emergency, with the government hosting the COP26 UN climate summit in Glasgow in November.

The groups said the bulk of pollution has come from industrialised nations in Europe and North America, but poorer countries are now paying the highest price.

TREC said many of the people and organisations it works with come from climate-threatened nations, such as Sudan, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.

At a national level the groups are calling for richer countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions faster and provide financial aid to less wealthy nations to help them cope with the climate crisis.

On a local level, the organisations will be transforming two derelict spaces into wildlife-friendly gardens.

The sites at the Highfields Centre, where TREC is based, and the Caribbean Court Day Centre, will also promote the wellbeing of service users.

Iris Lightfoote, chief executive officer of TREC, said: “We are delighted to launch this partnership with Friends of the Earth.

“We have much in common – both organisations are passionate about tackling racism and the climate crisis. Ending racial injustice has to be part of facing up to climate change.

“The home nations of many of our service users are already suffering from severe drought and flooding that has devastated crop yields, causing economic devastation and forcing communities to flee into unknown territories for a better life.

“It’s vital communities join together to stop the climate crisis getting any worse.”

Albert Blake, chairman of trustees at Caribbean Court Day Centre, said: “We are pleased to be working with Leicester Friends of the Earth to build green space in the city.

“Friends of the Earth’s start-up grant will help our service users get involved in creating an ecofriendly space – and it will be great for their wellbeing, too.”

Hannah Wakley, co-ordinator of Leicester Friends of the Earth, said: “We are delighted to have formed this partnership with TREC and to have found so much in common.

“The garden projects are exciting and we are looking forward to working with them on our campaign to raise awareness around the vital COP26 climate talks.”

Richard Dyer, East Midlands campaign organiser for Friends of the Earth, said: “If we are to win against climate change, we also have to win on racism.

“Climate change is already impacting on all of us. We must work together for a fairer, greener world.

“Our partnership with TREC is a vital development in building links between environmental and racial justice.”