This Friday 26th March was supposed to be the date of the second reading of the Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) Bill. It was tabled as an early day motion last year but is yet to be debated in Parliament due to Covid-related delays. In place of the reading, a UK-wide day of campaigning has been organised to raise awareness of the…
The budget announcement of last week has been viewed by many within the green community as underwhelming and insufficient. This week we’re exploring where and how the government could be doing more to stimulate a green recovery. The opacity we are facing in assessing the budget’s green policies is seemingly densening, as the latest critics of Rishi Sunak’s budget scramble to draw…
On Christmas Eve the UK and the EU finally agreed a Brexit trade deal. The deal is set to have a profound impact on Britain’s environment. But what has the UK pledged and what does the new deal mean for climate change and Britain’s environment? Strong words At the top of the bill the EU and the UK reaffirmed their commitments to…
What’s Going On Here? If successful at next week’s US presidential election, the Democratic candidate Joe Biden plans to implement an extensive climate policy that would reverse the Trump Administration’s years of environmental roll backs. What Does This Mean? The $2 trillion dollar plan aims to significantly increase the use of clean energy in transportation, electricity and building sectors, initiating a major…
What’s Going On Here? This week climate campaigners have launched a formal legal challenge against the UK’s ‘green’ recovery plans, stating that they are unlawful in light of the UK’s obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. What Does This Mean? Do you remember that wonderful moment back in February when Heathrow Airport expansion was ruled unlawful on climate grounds? Well the same pressure group behind…
What’s Going On Here? What with all of the current Covid- 19 media coverage, world leaders and other politicians have been behaving verrryy sneakily, removing or avoiding important environmental legislation… What Does This Mean? Last week, it was announced that the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (an independent executive agency of the government) will not enforce any environmental protection measures as of 26th March.…
What’s Going On Here? The Covid-19 crisis has cost the aviation industry $880 billion worldwide. But as governments scramble to bailout airlines, environmental campaigners are asking for strict conditions on the industry’s future climate impact before taxpayer’s money is handed out. What Does This Mean? Aviation has all but ceased in many countries (follow this dramatic decline in air traffic is being…
Donald Trump’s ecological policies are probably best outlined by the US Mexico border wall. The US border wall with Mexico was a cornerstone of Donald Trump’s successful 2016 presidential campaign. The US Mexico border stretches for 1,954 miles from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, and 1,000 miles of it is set to be ‘secured’ by the wall. The other half…
What’s Going On Here? Boris Johnson has called a meeting this week to decide whether the ongoing and controversial ‘HS2’ high speed rail project connecting London to Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds should go ahead or be scrapped. There is some serious opposition, but what’s it all about? What Does This Mean? The first phase was on track (sorry…) to operate by 2026…
