St. Ives MP, Derek Thomas, meets with Climate & Nature Bill Campaigners on Earth Day 2022

On 29 April, a local alliance of more than 100 organisations from across West Cornwall met with Cornish MP, Derek Thomas, to call on him to back the Climate and Nature Bill in Parliament.

Among those who signed the letter were local teachers, the town councils of St Just and Helston, the novelist Patrick Gale, pro surfer Mike Lay, local retailers, community groups and a cross-section of political parties and environmental groups from across the community.

Mr Thomas has long been supportive of environmental efforts across Cornwall, from woodland recovery projects—to backing the House of Lords amendment to the Environment Bill to include tighter rules on water companies to end the discharge of untreated sewage into Britain’s waterways and coastlines.

At last Friday’s letter handover, Mr Thomas was joined by Lewis Groom, a local teacher, Katherine Lewis (Helston Climate Action Group), George Dow (Green Christian) Lisa Guy (High Keigwin Farm) and Rupert Manley from Steeple Woodland and the Community Orchard in St. Ives. Together, they discussed with Mr Thomas why we feel that the Climate & Ecology Bill is essential—and asked for his support. He seemed very happy to meet and was keen to learn more about Zero Hour’s campaign plans for 2022.

The West Cornwall Alliance for the Climate & Ecology Bill has the support of Penzance Mayor, Cllr Jonathan How, who said: “Meaningful response to the climate emergency can only really happen at the local level. But we need the UK Government to create frameworks within which we can operate. So far, the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill is the best option that I’ve seen—I think it will really help Penzance Council deliver its Climate Action Plan.”

Lesley Bradley from Transition Penwith remarked later to the Cornishman newspaper: “The countryside is a part of who we are in West Cornwall. The Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill is the only legislation which tackles biodiversity loss and climate change together, supporting our Cornish communities to transition to a healthy and resilient future. The CEE Bill gives us hope.”

Click here to read the letter to Derek Thomas MP

There’s also been some great local media coverage of the letter hand-in on Planet Radio and Falmouth Packet.

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