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What are your local election candidates views on environment issues?

news release

Manchester Friends of the Earth are asking all local council candidates standing for election across Greater Manchester on Thursday 5th May to let people know their views on a range of key environmental issues.

We have invited all local council candidates to take part in a survey asking them for their views on issues such as climate change, a GM public energy company, housing retrofit, fossil fuel divestment, flooding, tackling air pollution, transport powers, fracking, neonicotinoid pesticides and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). (1)

The responses received so far from each candidate and a summary by political party are available online (2).

Next week, people in Greater Manchester have the opportunity to vote for the local councillors to represent them. The local councillors elected will have to implement solutions to meet many social and environmental challenges during the next 10 years and beyond. These include rising transport & energy costs, traffic congestion, ill health and rising obesity levels, poor air quality and the need to drastically reduce CO2 emissions.

Catherine Thomson, Manchester Friends of the Earth co-ordinator said:  “We wouldn’t dream of telling people which way to vote but we think voters have the right to know where candidates stand on key environmental issues that will affect all our lives, such as climate change and air pollution.”

 

ENDS

Contact for comments:  Pete Abel, Manchester Friends of the Earth, Mobile: 07951 642858

Ali Abbas, Manchester Friends of the Earth co-ordinator.  07786 090520

Notes for Editors

1) See http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/2016localelections/

The local council candidates have been asked their views on the following 15 questions:

* Following the historic agreement in Paris in December 2015 to keep the rise in global temperatures to well below 2°C and to aim for 1.5°C, will you support a target for Greater Manchester to reduce its emissions by 80% by 2030?

* Do you think Greater Manchester should set up a public energy company with the principles of clean energy, social justice and democracy at its core?

* Would you support Greater Manchester funding a home retrofit scheme to achieve a minimum CO2 reduction of 60% ?

* Will you call on the Greater Manchester Pension Fund to divest from fossil fuels?

* Will you ensure that new property developments in your local authority area have to include measures to deal with surface water flooding?

* Would you support  your local authority to declare itself ‘frack-free’?

* Would you support the introduction of a Low Emission Zone or Clean Air Zone in your District/town centre?

* Would you support the replacement or retrofitting of  buses with diesel engines below Euro 4 standards by 2020 ?

* Would you promote a ‘Car Free Day’ in your District/Town centre?

* Will you support a commitment at the Greater Manchester level for continued dedicated funding for cycle infrastructure of at least £20 per head of population?

* Do you support the introduction of a default speed limit of 20mph in all residential areas for the benefit of people walking and cycling?

* Would you call on your Council to protect bees from harmful pesticides on council land?

* Will you encourage your town/city to become a Sustainable Fish City?

* Would you support the Manchester City of Trees campaign to double the tree cover across Greater Manchester and ensure that your Council makes an effective contribution towards achieving this ambition?

* Do you think your local authority should become a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) – free zone?

3) The local council candidate responses are available online at: http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/election-survey-2016-local-candidates/

A summary by political party is available at: http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/election-survey-2016-local-parties/

4) Manchester Friends of the Earth is an award-winning environmental campaign group, raising awareness and lobbying for policy changes at a local, regional, national and international level. The group consists entirely of volunteers, and its campaigns are funded by membership fees and individual donations. Up-to-date information is available on the group’s website: www.manchesterfoe.org.uk. Manchester Friends of the Earth is a Licensed Local Group of Friends of the Earth, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. www.foe.co.uk

5) Manchester Friends of the Earth has endorsed Manchester: A Certain Future, an action plan for the city of Manchester to cut its carbon emissions by at least 41% by 2020. For more information, visit www.manchesterclimate.com

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