MAY 2022
Letter to the Prime Minister
Dear Prime Minister
The Climate Emergency and Energy Strategy
The world is in a Climate Emergency. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report argues that stabilising the climate will require fast action.
People understand this urgency. Individuals are changing their lifestyles: turning from cars to public transport and cycling, flying less and buying fewer new goods.
The IPCC is clear, however, that the world must make governmental decisions this year, to meet the target to limit a temperature rise below 1.5 degrees. If we overshoot this target, there will be more severe climate extremes by the middle of this century.
Fossil fuels are driving the climate crisis. They account for more than 86% of additional CO2 in the atmosphere in the last decade The IPCC report was clear how we can get ourselves out of this crisis: dramatically to cut fossil fuel use, ramp up renewable energy and cut energy waste. The urgency of the climate crisis needs an urgent response which the government’s Energy Security Plan did not deliver.
First the government needs to deal with fossil fuel demand, but the Strategy offered no plans to insulate our energy-wasting homes or switch to low carbon heating with heat pumps.
The Strategy’s support for more North Sea oil and gas is at odds with the government’s climate commitment. Yet oil and gas from new North Sea exploration won’t be available for an average of 28 years. The quick clean way of increasing energy supplies would be an immediate expansion of on-shore wind turbines. There are 649 UK onshore wind and solar projects with planning permission and ready to go.
The proposal to build multiple nuclear plants is equally flawed. There is no way these new plants can be ready in time to solve our problems. Sources of uranium (Kazakhstan and Congo) involve CO2 emissions and there is still no solution to disposal of toxic nuclear waste.
The world needs a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty which would end expansion, phase out existing production and enable a just transition from fossil fuels. This well-researched proposal, supported by experts and Nobel laureates, will be in discussion at the UN Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity.
We urge you to send a high-level delegation to Stockholm+50, research and support the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Yours sincerely,
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OCTOBER 2021
We have created an exhibition on Climate Justice, in advance of the United Nations COP26 conference in Glasgow in November. We focus on just a few aspects of the climate crisis, though we know that there is much, much more of great concern. We look at an issue currently ignored in international climate agreements and public debate, namely how the military (nuclear and non-nuclear) contributes to the climate crisis.
We need to act now to protect our fragile planet if it is to continue to provide for us. Governments are not taking the responsibility that is necessary. The solutions we explore in the exhibition are people-centred as well as community and nature based. We invite you to engage with them. We offer suggestions of actions you can take and provide some links to websites you may choose to use as a starting point for investigating further. We hope that you will take time to view the exhibition in full, and would welcome your feedback.
If you would like to host the exhibition, please contact us: climate-exhibition@wilpf.org.uk.
The Climate Justice Team
FEBRUARY 2021
We have changed our campaign name to Climate Justice to more accurately describe the campaign.
Aims
To increase the number of people engaging with the issues of Climate Crisis. We will especially highlight the link with militarism and the need for social and racial justice.
To identify the intersection of each of our existing campaigns with the Climate Crisis
Objectives
To work on understanding environmental imperialism and the impact of colonisation on the climate change agenda. This understanding is necessary if we are to achieve real climate justice for all.
To recognise the history of the above exploitation and the effect on populations and environment.
Initial reading
- Women, War and Climate Change – Clare Duncanson and Carol Cohn in Broken Rifle Magazine – (https://wri-irg.org/en/story/2020/women-war-and-climate-change)
- Defending the Future – Gender, Conflict and Environmental Peace – (https://www.lse.ac.uk/women-peace-security/publications/Defending-the-Future-Gender-Conflict-and-Environmental-Peace)
- Covid19 – making our recovery green and feminist – Nela Porobic Isakovic – (https://www.wilpf.org/covid-19-making-our-recovery-green-and-feminist/)
NOVEMBER 2015
ENVIRONMENT AND MILITARISM
goal: Transform ideas of security from that of military might into human rights, justice and peace for all.
Why: Military activities devastate the environment – urban and rural. Air, food, water, DNA – everything is affected. As primary carers, women bear the brunt of these changes.
How: Incorporate gender analysis into work on environmental degradation (particularly resource pollution, land control disputes and mass migration) and especially that caused by military action, including the development, production and sales of arms.
UK campaign work:
Climate change, environment and militarism seminar. 14 November 2015
- Militarism and the environment. Margrethe Tingstad. 14 November 2015
- Climate change, instabilities and border securitisation. April Humble. 14 November 2015