Local elections and the ABCD pledge
What can we do to make sure climate change is not pushed into a back seat? Is it even worth voting? Yes! With the local election campaigns getting under way for the May 6 elections, we all have an opportunity to bring climate change to the front of candidates’ minds and let them know that we want them to take action if they are elected.
At the South East Climate Alliance (SECA), we came up with the idea of the ‘ABCD Climate Action Pledge’, which asks candidates to back four specific steps – literally stepping up to climate action!
You can help by contacting your own local candidates.
The pledge card gives four ways in which councils can step up their climate action.
It asks candidates to push their councils to: A-Aim higher in their climate targets B-Build partnerships with local citizens and businesses
C-Communicate better with the public on climate issues
D-Divest pension funds from polluting fossil fuels
Candidates from all political parties across East and West Sussex, Kent, Surrey and Hampshire are being asked to sign the pledge and put their photos onto Facebook to show their support.
In the West Sussex area, elections are being held on May 6 for West Sussex County Council, Adur District Council, Crawley Borough Council and Worthing Borough Council.
It is still early days, but so far 30 candidates from West Sussex have signed the pledge: 18 are standing for West Sussex County Council, two for Adur, three for Crawley and eight for Worthing. You can find the up-to-date list at: https://bit.ly/ABCDsignatories .
Official candidate lists will be published on district council websites on April 9.
If your local candidate is not on our ABCD Climate Action Pledge list, you can help by contacting them. Let them know your concern about climate change and ask them if they will commit to the pledge.
Because of Covid, many people will be voting early by post this year, so it’s important that we hear candidates’ views on climate action as soon as possible.
Clearly, the more members of the public raise the issue, the more our councillors will give it the high priority that it deserves.
All the details of the campaign can be found here seclimatealliance.uk/ ABCDPledge/
The South East Climate Alliance (SECA) is an alliance of over 100 environmental, community and faith groups from across the South East. For further information contact: southeastclimatealliance@gmail.com www.seclimatealliance.org