Climate denial isn’t just something done by evil/stupid Australians and Americans who get funding from oil companies and billionaires.
Denial is happening right here in Manchester. By people in positions of responsibility who accept that climate change is real but do not fulfil their roles. You can do something about that.
Are Manchester City Council’s emissions going up? Yes.
Is the Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee – the committee that is supposed to keep tabs on climate change – planning to discuss the brief document that reveals this when it next meets, on Tuesday 16th November? No.
Can you do something about this? Yes.
You can write to any or all of the councillors on the committee (see below), ccing in your own three councillors (find them here). Here’s the letter I am writing.
Dear Councillor,
I am deeply concerned that Manchester City Council’s carbon emissions are going up not down. I am also shocked that the Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee is not discussing this. There is scope for this to be raised as “Urgent Business.” I hope that you will raise this with the chair before the meeting, and if you are a member of the committee, that you will push for a discussion during the meeting.
Yours sincerely
[name and address]
If you want to get involved in the People’s Environmental Scrutiny Team (PEST), the next meeting is on Monday 15th December, 7pm, Friends Meeting House, 6 Mount St.
We are going to be running informal training on public speaking and video making, and also asking questions to each other like “what is a low carbon culture?” and “how can I help my neighbourhood get ready for the unpleasant changes ahead?”
Councillors on the Committee are
- Councillor Shaukat Ali
- Councillor Carl Austin
- Councillor Abid Chohan
- Councillor Basil Curley (Chair)
- Councillor Daniel Gillard
- Councillor Carmine Grimshaw
- Councillor Tina Hewitson
- Councillor John Hughes
- Councillor Veronica Kirkpatrick
- Councillor Beth Knowles
- Councillor Shelley Lanchbury
- Councillor John Longsden
- Councillor Mick Loughman
- Councillor Dzidra Noor
- Councillor Kevin Peel
- Councillor Emily Rowles
- Councillor Fran Shone
- Councillor Matt Strong
- Councillor Anna Trotman
- Councillor Mary Watson
manchester climate monthly 
Here is a far better letter that one reader has sent – Dear Councillor,
In 2010 Manchester City council set out its commitments in the Climate Change Delivery Plan. It committed to reducing the Council’s internal CO2 emissions by 41% by 2020 from a 2009/10 baseline. It would appear that this target has been decreased and is now 27%. The latest IPCC report warned that the pace of change in reducing carbon emissions must be sharply increased if we are to avoid severe widespread and irreversible impact. I cannot understand why Manchester City Council does not reflect this urgency in its policy and actions.
I am deeply concerned that the latest Carbon Reduction Monitoring Report reveals that Manchester City Council’s carbon emissions are going up not down. I am also surprised that the Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee is not discussing this. There is scope for this to be raised as “Urgent Business.” I hope that you will raise this with the chair before the meeting, and that as you are a member of the committee, that you will push for a discussion during the meeting.
Yours sincerely