Sheffield City Council declared a climate emergency in February 2019. Unfortunately, it has not acted as if it is an emergency and has failed to inform the citizens of Sheffield about the extremely serious threat we face.

Sheffield City Council has so far failed to deliver the Citizen's Assembly on the climate emergency that it promised to organise before the end of 2019.

The climate crisis means that government in NI should commit to keeping fossil fuels in the ground. In August last year, earthquakes from fracking in the UK were big enough to damage people's homes. Fossil fuel company Tamboran have an application to start fracking in Co Fermanagh sitting on Diane Dodds desk and if this gets the green light will cause devastation to local communities, nature, people's health and livelihoods. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-48191165

Coca-cola are the biggest plastic polluting company in the world. [1] But today a top executive at the company said people want plastic bottles. Let's tell them this is not what we want. They need to recognise this and lead the way in cutting down single use plastic. [1] Forbes: Coca-Cola Named The World’s Most Polluting Brand in Plastic Waste Audit: https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevornace/2019/10/29/coca-cola-named-the-worlds-most-polluting-brand-in-plastic-waste-audit/

Channel 4 have just announced that BP, one of the world’s biggest polluters, will sponsor their Tokyo Paralympic coverage this summer. While the world is facing a climate emergency, Channel 4 should not be entering deals with companies who profit from such disasters. BP is one of the companies most responsible for the climate crisis we’re facing, with Australia burning and species disappearing before our eyes. It is the 11th biggest corporate source of greenhouse emissions in history. By signing a sponsorship deal with BP, Channel 4 are allowing BP to protect and hide behind their brand and image. But huge public pressure from viewers like us could force them to u-turn. Will you add your name now?

This is important because this continues to make a form of Transport which has by far the highest carbon footprint a relatively cheap option. The Government should be subsidising and investing heavily in road and rail based public transport if there is any chance of the UK reaching a carbon neutral target by 2030.

Flying produces the highest amount of emissions of any way to travel, and contributes massively to the climate crisis. Despite this, the government is planning to cut air passenger duty for all flights in a bid to save Flybe, when there are other options on the table. At a time when the government should be trying to cut emissions hugely, this shouldn’t happen. It’s important to save jobs, but there are other options to save Flybe other than giving a tax break to all airlines. Cutting air passenger duty would have long-lasting effects, and increase domestic flights when we should be aiming to reduce them to stop the climate crisis.

Chestnut trees are now on the endangered list, and more must be done to preserve mature trees like this one that can adsorb 1 ton of carbon dioxide in their lifetime, and emit 260 lbs of oxygen a season. Local residents are incensed public amenities have disappeared from the area in recent years, and now want to take a stand to protect this much valued chestnut tree. This chestnut tree was originally planted by the Gibbons family that ran a bakery on the site approx 100 years ago, and this tree is the only surviving feature of 'Old Cowley' and should be protected by a Tree Preservation Order, for the prosperity and amenity of future generations. 1,500 signatures will trigger a extensive debate at Oxford City Council on the Cowley Chestnut Tree.

In 2018, the UK Government gave over £10 billion in subsidies and tax breaks to fossil fuel companies. We often accuse our politicians of doing too little to prevent irreversible, and runaway climate change. The truth is more alarming than that. A significant part of the UK fossil fuel subsidies identified by the commission is the 5% rate of VAT on domestic gas and electricity, cut from the standard 20%. There should be effective taxes placed on the biggest polluters and other measures put in place to ensure people across society have access to affordable, clean energy. The UK government hands over billions to the industries whose activities could render much of the earth inhospitable to human life. It is now universally recognised that climate breakdown poses an existential threat to humanity and habitat worldwide. Failure to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees will trigger crop failures on an unimaginable scale; a huge leap in the number and severity of extreme weather events, be they typhoons, floods, droughts; sea level rise that will engulf vast swathes of the planet; unprecedented migration; new conflict and diseases; and the mass extinction of flora and fauna. Yet 2018 saw a 2.7% increase in carbon emissions, the highest increase ever on record. We are going in the wrong direction, and the UK Government is fanning the flames of this fire. We call on the UK Government to end the fossil fuel subsidy at once.

During the election, Boris Johnson failed to show up to the Channel 4 leaders debate - demonstrating that he doesn’t see the climate crisis as a priority for his government. Environmental experts are saying that urgent action is needed far earlier than the 2050 deadline set in the Conservative manifesto. Boris Johnson needs to take real action on climate NOW - and the only way he will, is if he knows the public expects him to. Will you add your name to the petition before it's too late?

Too much textiles is being sold on to other countries for processing. This impacts on the local textile industries in those countries, meaning skilled jobs are lost and whole industries are under threat. Remaking and upcycling is an area which is growing In the UK with lots of local artisans reusing textiles. Secondhand clothing and household textiles are an excellent source of fabric which can be reused. The global threat to our environment from textile waste is well documented. Sending our waste overseas is not the answer.

Here’s 2 of the wake up calls that Lock Down has reminded us of… 1. Our local areas could be MASSIVELY improved so that we can all live within our optimal environment for our health & well being. 2. Our local UK wildlife are desperate for a bit more space (we already knew this but they have proved it even more). As soon as we were all tucked away, UK mammals, birds & insects were breaking out into the suddenly quieter spaces. There’s urban land to spare - all around us - and we can decide to transform it into lush colourful spaces... With 100,000s of these patches of grass land being available, 'wildscaping' them will improve the quality of human life for those in all regenerated areas (having a positive socio-economic impact too) AND have an immense environmental impact across our United Kingdom.