Latest News - Ealing Friends of the Earth

COP 30: The Future In Our Hands

Ealing FoE — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 19:38:19 +0000

The 30th United Nations climate conference (COP 30) is taking place in Brazil from 6-21 November, with world leaders from across the globe attending, including Britain’s PM Keir Starmer.

Back in the 1990s the scientific evidence became overwhelming that burning oil, coal and gas was causing the Earth to heat up due to effect of the carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the air. Faced with the evidence, governments came together, and via the United Nations began holding annual conferences (called ‘COP’) to try to agree how to stop these disastrous emissions of CO2: the first meeting took place in Berlin in 1995.

So after 30 year’s of meetings, is the problem solved?

Unfortunately, no! In fact, over the 30 years since that first meeting, more CO2 has been dumped into the air than in all previous human history. The problem is the enormous profits to be made out of oil, coal and gas – many corporations and countries value the money they can get now, more than humanity’s future. These groups flood the COP meetings with fossil fuel lobbyists – at the last meeting an estimated 1,773 of them.

However, there have been some positive changes. A lot of investment (particularly in China) has gone into alternative energy sources – like the wind & sun, which are now the fastest-growing form of electricity generation. Also, while not exactly positive, global over-heating is now obvious not only to scientists but to everyone who can remember what our climate used to be like. Here in London, gone are the routine sharp frosts of our winters, which are now mostly muggy and damp; plus heatwaves in the summer reach unprecedented temperatures. In other parts of the world there are even greater extremes. These changes don’t just affect humans, they damage nature and threaten agricultural output.

Won’t it be expensive and affect jobs?

The work to cut the dangerous emissions and adapt to the heating that already unavoidable, will create jobs, although often different ones. That’s why Friends of the Earth both in Ealing and nationally, campaigns for a just transition to the sustainable economy that we need. Yes, it will be expensive … but so is life-saving surgery – and keeping a liveable planet is also a life or death issue. What’s more, acting now will cost less than dealing with a catastrophe in the future.

What should we do?

Stay informed! There’s a lot of misinformation about, but you can counter it by visiting the website of almost any reputable scientific organisation anywhere in the world – like our London Science Museum & Royal Society, or NASA.” For some practical things you can do, see the ten actions suggested by the United Nations. But we need government action too, so speaking out and using your vote are really important. That’s why Friends of the Earth members will be joining many others at the Climate Justice Coalition COP 30 rally that will be held on Saturday 15th November at 12 midday, outside Downing Street.

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Children around the world reveal how climate change has affected their lives

Caroline Evans — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 12:19:26 +0000

Stunning ‘Letters from the Global South’ exhibition at the Dominion Centre, Southall

for Ealing Climate Week 22nd-28th September

Ealing Friends of the Earth has brought the stunning and moving exhibition LETTERS FROM THE GLOBAL SOUTH to the Dominion Centre in Southall for Ealing Climate Week with children around the world revealing how climate change is affecting their communities.

The exhibition has been put together by the environmental campaign groups Zero Hour and Muslims Declare and has visited churches, mosques, universities and community centres across the UK.

The aim of the exhibition is to raise awareness of the cross-party Climate and Nature Bill, proposed legislation that would make the UK’s existing international commitments on climate and nature legally-binding.

A Zero Hour spokesman said: “We asked children, parents, teachers and climate campaigners around the world to tell us how the climate and nature crisis is affecting their lives. We received handwritten letters, emails, photos and drawings from children and adults living in countries and communities experiencing the very real impacts of climate change and environmental destruction.”

Ealing Friends of the Earth commented: “The message could not be more timely given the government’s recent decision to expand aviation – one of the major sources of the emissions that are trashing the environment, and yet benefits only a small minority of the world’s population, eighty percent of whom have never been in a plane.” After its visit to the Dominion Centre (112 The Green, Southall UB2 4BQ), the group plans to continue displaying the exhibition in locations around the borough.

The post Children around the world reveal how climate change has affected their lives first appeared on Ealing Friends of the Earth.

Brent River Park 50th Anniversary Fair, Sunday 29th June.

Ealing FoE — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:51:46 +0000

Ealing Friends of the Earth will have a stall at the celebration of the Brent River Park’s 50th Anniversary, on Sunday 29th June at Churchfields Recreation Ground, from 12pm to 5pm.

It’s going to be a fantastic day filled with food, art and local groups / charity stalls. There will be ‘unplugged’ entertainment like maypole and Morris dancing, and a range of nature, history and environmental walks and talks.

With Ealing Council support there will also be a history sign reveal telling the story of Luke FitzHerbert and how our park’s creation came to life thanks to his vision and volunteers. We’ll also be marking the 25th birthday of the Millennium Maze with children’s creative activities, and launching our charity fundraiser ambitions so it promises to be a lively and joyful day!

More Information: Brent River Park’s 50th Anniversary

Brent River Park 50th Anniversary

Churchfields Recreation Ground, Hanwell W7 3NB

Sunday 29th June, from 12pm to 5pm

The post Brent River Park 50th Anniversary Fair, Sunday 29th June. first appeared on Ealing Friends of the Earth.

Letters from the Global South Exhibition

Ealing FoE — Sat, 25 Jan 2025 18:14:58 +0000

LETTERS FROM THE GLOBAL SOUTH is an illustrated introduction to key scientific principles behind the Climate and Nature Emergency. It’s a project by Zero Hour, the campaign group behind the Climate and Nature Bill, and Muslims Declare, a young organisation that was born out of a friendship between a small group of Muslims who are concerned that the world leaders are putting communities at risk by failing to act swiftly on climate change.

Ealing Friends of the Earth have obtained a copy of the exhibition. It’s currently on display at West Ealing Library W13 9BT, and we plan to tour it around a number of locations within the borough.

The exhibition has visited mosques, churches, universities, schools, community centres and events in several cities across the UK.

More information about climate change from the UK Friends of the Earth is available here. We have some short videos about climate change on this website.

The post Letters from the Global South Exhibition first appeared on Ealing Friends of the Earth.

Bugs, bees & books bring out bright smiles

Caroline Evans — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 12:14:22 +0000

A series of nature talks & art sessions brought a group of youngsters to West Ealing library during their summer holidays in August.

Members of Ealing Friends of the Earth held four talks that included why plastic is not good for the environment, why all sorts of insects should be encouraged and why climate change is a problem.

The talks and art sessions attracted between 8 to 16 primary-aged youngsters per session – along with their carers. They learned why bees are so important to humans, why insects are good for the garden and how fossil fuels are causing climate change which is affecting animals and plants and humans.

On the final session the children learned about planting herbs and took home with them a newly-planted basil or mint.

The post Bugs, bees & books bring out bright smiles first appeared on Ealing Friends of the Earth.

Deadly Heat Ignored in UK Election

Donald Power — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 20:53:17 +0000

“Candidates are ignoring Climate Change in the TV election debates” say Ealing Friends of the Earth. “Politicians are scared to tell us that if we buy a huge car to get around London, the emissions from its manufacture and use mean more crop failures, more drought and more extreme heat.”

The environmental group points out that many Ealing residents have family connections to parts of the world that have been engulfed in deadly heatwaves during the last few weeks, but politicians in the UK – and abroad – are ignoring the dangers of a rapidly heating world.

Over 500 deaths are reported this week in Pakistan as temperatures soared above 40C. It’s only 5 weeks since Pakistan had to shut schools in most parts of the country to protect children from heatstroke and dehydration during the last bout of extreme heat, which also affected India where 37 cities recorded temperature over 45 degrees Celsius with Delhi ‘unbearable’ at nearly 50C.

Elsewhere, over 1,300 died during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, with temperatures in Saudi Arabia exceeding 50C. A deadly heatwave scorched Mexico, Central America and the southern US during June. Southern Europe, China and Africa have also been hit, and here in the UK the mercury reached 30C this week – way over the normal June maximum of 22C. This heat is not just deadly to humans, it affect plants and animals, causes droughts and wildfires, and threatens agriculture and food supplies.

None of this should come as surprise. Scientists and the UN have been warning of the existential danger from cataclysmic global heating for over 30 years and it’s happening even faster that they feared. Yet candidates have barely mentioned the issue in the TV election debates. Some even want to make things worse by burning more of the fossil fuels that create the problem.

We are in this crisis because there are more humans consuming more stuff than ever before in history – stuff whose production causes climate destroying emissions. It is understandable that people want to drive and fly, and these days it feels very normal to do so. However it is not ‘normal’. Mass motoring is only a few decades old and nowhere near universal, and 80% of the world’s population have never been on a plane. The emissions generated by the world adopting these and other consumption habits, are devastating.

This does not mean blaming anyone or asking people to adopt a hair-shirt existence. But tackling the crisis does mean facing reality, and working out together what is the best and most comfortable lifestyle we can devise that is sustainable and does not destroy our planet.

Recently we remembered those who gave their lives on D-Day 80 years ago. The climate crisis may demand a sacrifice from us, if we want our children and grandchildren to have a future – though not of our lives – merely support for a reduction in how much we consume as a society. In fact the changes needed will mean cleaner air, safer & quieter towns and using our legs more, which will make us fitter and in all probability happier. Whoever wins the election, Ealing Friends of the Earth will continue to highlight the UN’s warning that the world is on the verge of a climate abyss, and press for urgent action by our political leaders.

The post Deadly Heat Ignored in UK Election first appeared on Ealing Friends of the Earth.

The election debate hots up: what do the local parties say?

Caroline Evans — Sat, 15 Jun 2024 15:24:35 +0000

Ealing FoE has written to all of the candidates in the 3 Ealing constituences to ask them about their environment policies. Many thanks to all those who replied. Some replied on behalf of their party who had put up candidates in other Ealing constituences. Some are independents speaking for themselves. Some didn’t bother to reply at all and so are missing from this article.

The question we asked is: Do the candidates’ environmental policies live up to the Friends of the Earth demands for the next government:

Deliver an ambitious new climate action plan that delivers on our global pledge to help prevent catastrophic climate change.
Fix the UK’s heat-leaking homes by investing £6 billion- a –year in a council-led, street-by-street home insulation programme to cut bills and emissions.
End the sewage scandal and take action to clean up the water and air pollution that’s harming our health and threatening our waterways, wildlife and nature.
Take action to ensure the UK plays its part in global efforts to tackle the climate and nature crises.

Green Party - EFoE assessment: 5 out of 5

Ealing Green Party (which includes all 3 Ealing constituences) are supporting their national organisation’s ambitious new climate action plan which encompasses all of the four Friends of the Earth demands of the next government.

Thank you for getting in touch, and for your patience while we waited for the Green Party’s manifesto to be launched.

We share your concerns about the environment globally, nationally, and locally here in Ealing.

Here are our responses to your four key demands for a new government:

Deliver an ambitious new climate action plan that delivers on our global pledge to help prevent catastrophic climate change.

The Green Party manifesto makes our position very clear: ‘we can and must make the right political choices in order to transition at speed to a decarbonised economy’. Our manifesto also lays out that the solutions to addressing the climate crisis are the same as those needed to end the costs of living and inequality crises.

Fix the UK’s heat-leaking homes by investing £6 billion- a –year in a council-led, street-by-street home insulation programme to cut bills and emissions.

We would provide fairer, greener homes by investing in energy efficiency. Elected Greens have made manifesto commitments to achieve this- you can see the full details and amounts proposed here.

End the sewage scandal and take action to clean up the water and air pollution that’s harming our health and threatening our waterways, wildlife and nature.

We would push for a Clean Air Act, setting in law the right to breathe clean air. We are clear that the only way to end the dirty water scandal is to bring water companies back into public ownership.

Take action to ensure the UK plays its part in global efforts to tackle the climate and nature crises.

Green Party MPs would ensure that the UK’s climate finance commitments are delivered in full, work to remove the burden of debt from the Global South, and push for a new international law against ecocide. More information can be found in our manifesto section on how we would work to build a fairer, greener, safer world.

I hope these answers have demonstrated to your supporters that all three of your Ealing Green candidates in this General Election support the Friends of the Earth demands and, if we are successfully elected in Ealing, we will work hard to achieve them.
Yours

Neil Reynolds, Natalia Kubica, Kate Crossland

—

Kate Crossland
Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Ealing Central and Acton, Green Party

Reform - EFoE assessment: ½ out of 5

Reform appear to have no understanding of the science behind climate change and its policies are not only wrong but potentially dangerous.

Steve Chilcott, Reform’s parliamentary candidate for Ealing Southall, replied to EFoE’s request for information about his environment policies by saying that climate change has happened before and that the only thing to do was to learn to live with it and forget about attempts to halt it.

He said: “Net zero means reducing man made CO2 emissions to stop climate change. It can’t. Climate change has happened for millions of years, before man made CO2 emissions, and will always change. We are better to adapt to warming, rather than pretend we can stop it.”

He is wrong. NASA and other scientists have shown that our planet’s average surface temperature has risen one degree Celsius since the late 19^th century caused by increased carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere and other human activities. Most of this warming has happened in the past 40 years with the seven most recent years being the warmest.

The earth’s climate has changed throughout history but the current warming is happening at a rate not seen in the past 10,000 years. Previous changes have been incredibly slow, taking place over millennia.

The consequences of climate change include oceans getting warmer, glaciers retreating, snow cover decreasing, sea level rising and extreme events like high temperatures or low temperatures or increased rainfall happening more frequently.

The whole balance of nature where bird and fish migrations happen so that they can feed on certain insects or plants when they are abundant is being destroyed; plants and trees come into leaf and flower using triggers provided by the air temperature. Eventually climate change will mean it will become more difficult to grow the food we need to survive.

Steve Chilcott says: ” Net Zero is the wrong focus and at the wrong price, in the wrong timeframe. Westminster’s obsession with Net Zero is damaging our livelihoods and the economy. It has sent energy bills soaring, made it harder for businesses to compete and is costing tens of thousands of jobs and increasing inflation.”

But EFoE says that attempting to reach net zero is the only thing we can currently do to try to hold back climate change as there is no technological solution yet and won’t be for sometime, possibly ever. But doing nothing but trying “to adapt to warming” as Steve Chillcott says is defeatist and potentially dangerous as it will make the problem worse.

The destruction of our planet and our way of life is not inevitable. We can try to limit the amount of CO2 we put into the atmosphere by making use of less polluting fuels – and this transition involves a whole new industry of green energy which will provide thousands of jobs. Admittedly some things could have been done better so all the more reason to make sure it’s done properly.

Steve Chilcott is hoping to become the MP for Ealing Southall – an area with very close links to the Asian subcontinent where temperatures have been reaching an unprecedented 50 degrees Celsius. For the sake of his constituents and their wider families that is even more reason to campaign for reducing CO2 emissions to stop climate change.

Steve Chilcott also says there are “some significant pollution issues in Ealing Southall, both in our waterways and also clean air issues around some of the brownfield developments.” He supports ensuring Warren Farm is fully protected as a wild and natural space – both points EFoE agrees with.

At Reform we care about the environment and we want to use technology to do our bit. However, we believe Net Zero is the wrong focus and at the wrong price, in the wrong timeframe. Westminster’s obsession with Net Zero is damaging our livelihoods and the economy. It has sent energy bills soaring, made it harder for businesses to compete and is costing tens of thousands of jobs and increasing inflation.

Net zero means reducing man made CO2 emissions to stop climate change. It can’t. Climate change has happened for millions of years, before man made CO2 emissions, and will always change. We are better to adapt to warming, rather than pretend we can stop it. Up to 10 times more people die of cold than warmth. In Roman Britain some 2,000 years ago, it was 2 degrees warmer than now. Grapes for wine were grown in Yorkshire.

CO2 is essential for photosynthesis to enable plant growth. CO2 only represents 0.04% of the atmosphere; the average garden greenhouse has 3 times more! The UK produces only 1% of global CO2 emissions, yet China produces 27%. China and India are building hundreds of coal fired power stations. Even the IPCC admits Net Zero would make no difference to sea level rise for 200-1,000 years.

Instead, Net Zero sends our money abroad and damages critical industries like steel production. The current government has turned Britain from being an exporter of oil and gas into a net importer. They have bet our future on unreliable wind and solar power and destroyed our energy security. We need a common sense and practical energy strategy.

In terms of the local picture, we have some significant pollution issues in Ealing Southall, both in our waterways and also clean air issues around some of the brownfield developments such as the Green Quarter. I commit to seeking to address these issues, as a clean environment is essential for all of us who live in the constituency. I also commit to holding Labour Council to account in ensuring Warren Farm is fully protected as a wild and natural space.

Hope this helps.

Best regards

Steve Chilcott

Reform Parliamentary candidate for Ealing Southall

Liberal Democrats - EFoE assessment: 4½ out of 5

The Libdems are very busy. This was the reply from their candidate in Ealing North Craig O’Donnell. We’ve copied over their national environment policy which is excellent but they lose half a point because they don’t seem to have thought how they can help the particular constituencies they want to represent.

Thank you for your message.

Currently we are receiving a very high volume of messages so we will do our best to respond but sadly cannot promise to come back on every email received before 4th July.

To gain an instant idea of the Liberal Democrats policies for a Fair Deal please see our manifesto which can be accessed via the following link
https://www.libdems.org.uk/manifesto

Thank you for your ongoing interest in our programme.

Make homes warmer and cheaper to heat with a ten-year emergency upgrade programme, starting with free insulation and heat pumps for those on low incomes, and ensure that all new homes are zero-carbon.
Drive a rooftop solar revolution by expanding incentives for households to install solar panels, including a guaranteed fair price for electricity sold back into the grid.
Invest in renewable power so that 90% of the UK’s electricity is generated from renewables by 2030.
Appoint a Chief Secretary for Sustainability in the Treasury to ensure that the economy is sustainable, resource-efficient and zero-carbon, establish a new Net Zero Delivery Authority to coordinate action across government departments and work with devolved administrations, and hand more powers and resources to local councils for local net zero strategies.
Establish national and local citizens’ assemblies to give people real involvement in the decisions needed to tackle climate change.
Restore the UK’s role as a global leader on climate change, by returning international development spending to 0.7% of national income, with tackling climate change a key priority for development spending.

Workers Party of Britain - EFoE assessment: 4 out of 5

Ealing North candidate for the Workers Party of Britain, Sameh Habeeb, said that he was happy to adopt the Friends of the Earth demands.

But despite his personal support for the demands, the national Workers Party calls for a referendum on the timing of net zero “to create a debate on who profits from these targets and on what terms”. The Workers Party doesn’t support ULEZ either because of the costs on working households and small businesses.

I’m happy to adopt those demands. It’s very important to act on rising climate risks. Sadly, the Tory government proved to be useless on major climate polices. I don’t trust Labour either given the U turn made by Starmer on annual spent on green polices.

Please add my endorsement and I will also publicise it today.

Best

Sam

Independent candidate for Ealing North Helmi Alharahsheh – EfoE assessment: 3 out of 5

Helmi Alharahsheh addresses a number of environmental issues in his manifesto. But he is against ULEZ and provides no other policies for reducing CO2 emissions other than a vague promise to “support efforts to implement green policies that address climate change.”

Hi. Thanks for the email. I fully support you on the matters you have raised. These are very important matters that people in Ealing North care about, and confirm that I pledge to support you once elected the MP for Ealing North for the below:

Deliver an ambitious new climate action plan that delivers on our global pledge to help prevent catastrophic climate change.
Fix the UK’s heat-leaking homes by investing £6 billion- a –year in a council-led, street-by-street home insulation programme to cut bills and emissions.
End the sewage scandal and take action to clean up the water and air pollution that’s harming our health and threatening our waterways, wildlife and nature.
Take action to ensure the UK plays its part in global efforts to tackle the climate and nature crises.

Happy to always have your views and suggestions. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly via my email.

Best regards,

Helmi Alharahsheh – Independent Parliamentary candidate for Ealing North

Helmi Alharahsheh’s Manifesto

Advocate for improving air quality in Ealing North, such as implementing low-emission zones, promoting electric vehicle usage, and investing in green infrastructure.
Push and support any efforts in Westminster to stop or redefine the money-collection ULEZ scheme proposed by the Labour Mayor, as it became a fight against car owners rather than having it positively reduce emissions.
Support initiatives to protect and preserve green spaces in Ealing North, including the creation of new parks and the enhancement of existing green areas.
Promote sustainable waste management practices, including recycling programs and initiatives to reduce single-use plastics and other pollutants. The Labour-run council systematically aimed to reduce funding for key recycling facilities, and this can not continue.
Support efforts to implement green policies that address climate change and protect the environment, such as investing in renewable energy sources, promoting energy efficiency, and preserving natural habitats.

Independent candidate for Ealing Southall Pedro Da Conceicao – EfoE assessment: 1 out of 5

Pedro Da Conceicao is right about the need to properly insulate Britain’s housing stock but that isn’t a properly thought out policy on the environment for a general election. He doesn’t mention the environment anywhere in his manifesto.

Thank you for your email and sorry for the long response I believe your email must have got lost. A lot of the issues you’re talking about resonate with me even in a personal level. The apartments that I live in (St Bernards, near Ealing Hospital) have very old windows that cannot be changed due to some sort of regulation which stands to preserve the history of the building. These windows however do not seal properly and make the apartments extremely cold and lead residents to use heating unnecessarily, I have been battling this with the relevant authorities but I can’t imagine how many properties in Ealing suffer from the same thing.

This is not only a waste financially for residents but also has a detrimental impact on the environment as an absolute waste of energy. As a young person I am dedicated to preserving our environment as much as possible as this planet is our future and I have seen many politicians and corporations use and abuse it for personal gain. I am committed to lowering pollution by introducing a more rigorous tradeable pollution permit system and supporting community initiatives that encourage climate change education to make people more mindful about the impact of wasting energy and resources on our planet.

I would love to discuss your concerns further and incorporate more of your ideas into my policies. I look forward to hearing more from your organisation.

Thank you very much.

Pedro Da Conceicao

PPC for Ealing Southall

Social Democratic Party – EFoE assessment: 3 out of 5.

Stephen Balogh, SDP candidate for Ealing North, finally came back to quoting at length from the SDP manifesto. SDP don’t agree with attempts to reach net zero.

I apologise for taking slightly longer than planned to reply to your email. Referencing the SDP’s manifesto available at https://sdp.org.uk/ by means of sections and page numbers (the actual pages and not the PDF page number), I offer my responses below.

With my best wishes,
Stephen Balogh

SDP Parliamentary Candidate, Ealing Central & Acton

Deliver an ambitious new climate action plan that delivers on our global pledge to help prevent catastrophic climate change.

(Energy & Utilities, p. 12) We accept the broad scientific consensus that fossil fuels are contributing to climate change and that we need to reduce our aggregate usage of them; however, we do not support unrealistic objectives such as “Net Zero” which lead to an unbalanced and costly energy regime in the UK without materially impacting global warming.

Research into battery technology, hydrogen, nuclear energy, tidal, and low-energy transport will be supported by £4 billion of additional funding.

An energy security programme will be developed to ensure that the UK has energy resources in place to guarantee 12 months’ reserve supply. This will include the use of all domestic energy resources, from renewables through to traditional sources.

The contribution of nuclear energy to Britain’s electricity mix will be increased from 12% to 40% by 2035. We will renew our existing nuclear plants and develop new large-scale Generation IV reactors and small modular reactors. Planning rules for the approval of new nuclear facilities will be streamlined.

Fix the UK’s heat-leaking homes by investing £6 billion- a –year in a council-led, street-by-street home insulation programme to cut bills and emissions.

(Environment, p. 29) We shall mandate energy efficiency into the planning and building regulations system. Subsidies will be available for solar panel installations on existing commercial and residential buildings. Planning consent will not be granted for solar farms on agricultural land.

(Energy & Utilities, p. 12) Expenditure on heat pumps, insulation, household solar panel systems and double/triple glazing by registered suppliers will be tax deductible at the basic rate.

End the sewage scandal and take action to clean up the water and air pollution that’s harming our health and threatening our waterways, wildlife and nature.

(Energy & Utilities, p. 12) Water supply and management is a natural monopoly and it should be returned to public ownership. This will be financed via a British Sovereign Wealth Fund and new bond issuance. We will set capital investment targets to reduce and prevent future discharges. Consumer charges/incentives for conservation and dividends to shareholders in private water companies (where applicable) will be aligned with this goal.

(Environment, p. 29) We will clean up our rivers by setting capital investment targets to prevent sewage discharges, by supporting farmers to reduce livestock density in sensitive catchments, and by robust enforcement of all water pollution regulations.

Take action to ensure the UK plays its part in global efforts to tackle the climate and nature crises.

See response to (1) in relation to climate. Re nature, and focussing on the UK:
(Environment, p. 29) The British countryside and coastal waters are part of our cultural heritage and identity. Wildlife habitats and the public realm in villages, towns and cities enrich the lives of our fellow citizens and they should be cherished. However, population growth, indifference and poor planning threaten our natural landscapes. Some institutions charged with protecting our wildlife and historic sites have abandoned their core purpose in favour of fashionable ideologies. Abstract international targets set by supranational organisations distract us from achieving meaningful local improvements. We need to protect our natural and historic environment from further loss and embark on a long period of restoration.

A national land-use plan will be produced to optimise use of our limited space and ensure that the interests of nature conservation, food security, energy security, housing, infrastructure and landscape quality are balanced.

(Food, Farming & Countryside, p. 27) We will invest in agricultural technology and farmer-led research and innovation to make high-yield farming less environmentally damaging and small-scale farming more efficient.

(Fisheries, p. 28) Quotas will be set using scientific evidence to avoid overexploitation while minimising discards in mixed fisheries. Social, economic and environmental criteria will be considered in quota allocation. The environmental impact of aquaculture will be reduced via new research and regulation, more sustainable feed sources, restrictions on antibiotic use, lower stocking densities, use of multi-trophic systems and co-location with wind farms.

The fishing industry and their wider communities will have a stronger voice in the establishment and monitoring of Marine Protected Areas. Commercial fishing will be given equal weight with other sea uses in marine spatial planning.

Independent candidate for Ealing North Julie Carter – No EfoE assessment as, so far, she hasn't come back to us.

Very difficult to find out Julie Carter’s environment policies. The only thing we know is from whocanIvotefor.co.uk where she says she “would also like to scrap the dangerous bike lanes and remove the 20 mile an hour speed limit on dual carriageways.”

Dear Ealing Friends of the Earth,

Thankyou for your email.

I will review and respond shortly.

Best,

Julie Carter

Independent

The post The election debate hots up: what do the local parties say? first appeared on Ealing Friends of the Earth.

Ealing’s election candidates vying for votes

Caroline Evans — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 16:11:15 +0000

But how good are their environment policies?

Ealing’s three constituencies each have a number of candidates vying to represent them in parliament. But do their environmental policies live up to the Friends of the Earth demands for the next government. Here at Ealing FoE we are writing to each of the candidates to ask them more about their environmental policies. We will let you know who responds to us and what they say.

This is the letter we have written to them:

We are writing to you from Ealing Friends of the Earth as you are a candidate for one of the Ealing constituencies in the UK general election on July 4^th. We would like to find out more about your environmental policies so that our supporters and the wider public can judge which candidates are committed to a genuinely effective green agenda. I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear that we believe the state of the environment and how we care for it will be crucial to our country during the next parliament.

The planet has already warmed by more than one degree in the last few years and we’re now seeing the alarming effects of climate breakdown. In the UK we’re facing devastating floods and unprecedented heatwaves. Overseas, people from some of the world’s poorest countries are having to flee their homes due to extreme weather.

Recent research from Friends of the Earth has shown that people in Ealing are already being affected by issues that are directly connected to the environment, such as rocketing energy bills, poorly insulated homes, air pollution and flooding.

Many local people cannot afford to pay average energy bills of £2,700 or afford to properly insulate their homes. Levels of harmful pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide and PM2.5 are above WHO guidelines affecting the health of local people.

Without urgent action from the next government, the climate crisis will continue to get worse, and it will affect the poorest people the most (including those living in Ealing). Friends of the Earth believes it can help the government work towards solutions and so we have four key demands for the new administration.

Deliver an ambitious new climate action plan that delivers on our global pledge to help prevent catastrophic climate change.
Fix the UK’s heat-leaking homes by investing £6 billion- a –year in a council-led, street-by-street home insulation programme to cut bills and emissions.
End the sewage scandal and take action to clean up the water and air pollution that’s harming our health and threatening our waterways, wildlife and nature.
Take action to ensure the UK plays its part in global efforts to tackle the climate and nature crises.

We would like to find out if you support these demands and, if your bid to represent Ealing in government is successful, whether you will work to achieve them.

More information on the environment in the constituency for which you are standing can be found at State of the Environment | Local action (friendsoftheearth.uk).

We are writing to all the parliamentary candidates for Ealing and will put the information sent to us onto our website ealingfoe.org.uk.

We look forward to hearing from you.

The post Ealing’s election candidates vying for votes first appeared on Ealing Friends of the Earth.

UK election: which party’s green policies can you trust?

Caroline Evans — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 18:30:02 +0000

Urgent climate and nature action is needed from the next government. With an election date set, campaigner Connor Schwartz and policy expert Mike Childs assess how the parties’ policies are shaping up.

The starting pistol for the general election has been fired, and over the next 6 weeks we’ll see promises galore from the different parties. Some of these promises carry more weight than others. For example, if they’re made by the party leader or are in the manifesto, then there’s a greater certainty that they’ll be honoured (although this isn’t a cast-iron guarantee, sadly). Other promises need to be taken with a pinch of salt.

We’ve carried out a rapid assessment of where the Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green parties stand right now on climate, energy, nature and the environment, and where they’re strongest and weakest. We’ve scored them out of 10 on the 10 biggest green challenges for the next government, and we’ll be using this to encourage the parties to strengthen the areas where policy is weak or lacking, and even to firm up areas where they’re currently strong.

According to the polls, the Labour Party will win the next election with a large majority. So, what it says matters. But right now, it’s clear to see that the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats are leading the pack. Scoring only 51 out of 100, Labour has got much ground to make if it wants to be seen as a party that’s serious on the climate and nature emergencies, as well as on rights and democracy.

With a score of just 27 out of 100, the Conservative Party’s policies, which are the most developed of all parties as it’s in power and has laid-out plans, fall abysmally short of what’s needed and, in some cases, take us backwards. This isn’t a surprise. Over recent times, its plans have been heavily criticised by official watchdogs such as the Climate Change Committee and the Office of Environmental Protection. It’s not too late though. Rishi Sunak’s developing a habit of surprising announcements (think David Cameron as Foreign Secretary and a July election), so perhaps he’ll publish a planet-friendly manifesto? We can but hope.

When the manifestos are published, we’ll provide in-depth policy analysis and scoring against our 40 manifesto demands.

How the parties scored on green policies

Below we look at 10 policy areas.

1. Cut climate change emissions

Conservative Party. The government’s Carbon Budget Delivery Plan contains the bulk of the policies the Conservatives are pursuing while in power and gives us the best idea of what another Conservative government could look like on climate, notwithstanding backsliding on some of the content, for example energy efficiency standards, over the last year. But following a court case by Friends of the Earth, the plan was recently declared unlawful and unfit for purpose by the High Court and must be revised within a year. Not good enough. 3/10
Labour Party. On the biggest climate question of all for a potential new government, we’re going to have to wait a little bit longer. We don’t yet have a comprehensive plan that will guarantee the legally binding Climate Change Act targets and our international commitment to cut emissions by 68% by 2030 will be met. On the plus side, we do have a commitment to a net zero test on all government spending under a Labour government. But Labour’s insistence that “North Sea oil and gas will continue for decades to come” casts some doubt on whether it will be prepared to take the hard decisions to actively transition away from fossil fuels. Much work to do. 5/10
Liberal Democrats. The Lib Dems have an ambitious overall goal to reach net zero emissions by 2045, but as yet we still need convincing they have a plan to deliver it. There’s lots of space to fill this gap before polling day, and we look forward to seeing some more policy in the manifesto. In particular, we need to see an unambiguous commitment to meeting carbon budgets and the UK’s 2030 international pledge. Work to do. 6/10
Green Party. The Green Party’s policy to eliminate all emissions in 10 years is incredibly ambitious, and to be honest from our current starting point we have some scepticism over its feasibility. But the party’s commitment to making the climate emergency an absolutely central priority for all of government is the sort of drive we need if we’re to meet our domestic and international obligations. We shouldn’t get complacent though, as there’s still some more detail we’d like to see in the manifesto, shining a bit more clarity on the specific targets and mechanisms that sit behind this giant objective. On the right track. 8/10

2. Fix the UK's heat-leaking homes

Conservative Party. Despite some investment promised for building retrofit in the next parliament, £2 billion per year is far from sufficient and, combined with a rejection of regulations to improve standards in the private-rented sector, will mean millions left in sub-standard homes by 2030. Not good enough. 2/10
Labour Party. Positive noises abound from Labour on warm homes, as it continues to use the same rhetoric that was once backed up by serious spending commitments as part of its £28 billion green infrastructure pledge. However, Labour still needs to put more money where its mouth is. Currently there’s no credible reason to believe that anywhere near the touted impact will be able to be achieved under a potential Labour government, unless it spells out the spending and other policy mechanisms it will commit to (for example, minimum standards for the rented sector). Not good enough. 4/10
Liberal Democrats. The Lib Dems have a broadly positive policy direction on warm homes, promising improved standards, a big insulation drive and a social energy tariff for the most vulnerable. But so far what we’ve seen isn’t close to ambitious enough and lacks the big funding pledge (and policy commitments) needed to back up a warm homes revolution. Something to improve on before the election. 6/10
Green Party. At last year’s conference, the Green’s co-leaders put forward their “Fairer, Greener Homes Guarantee,” promising huge investment of £145 billion over 10 years for grants to retrofit all homes that need it, and much stronger regulation and enforcement for the private-rented sector. We can’t really fault it. 10/10

3. Power Britain using clean, green, home-grown energy

Conservative Party. The Conservatives have an admirable commitment to decarbonise the electricity grid by 2035, but without more onshore renewables this target will be missed. The ideological blocking of onshore wind in England, rhetoric against solar farms, plus recent lacklustre Contract for Difference auctions for offshore wind make the meeting of this goal hard, if not impossible. 6/10
Labour Party. Labour’s clean power by 2030 policy platform is seriously aspirational. The only real green policy area that survived the chop in February’s U-turn on its green infrastructure pledge, this remains the core of the party’s climate platform for the election, alongside its plan to form GB Energy to invest in new capacity. The inclusion of some red herrings in the form of new nuclear energy and an overemphasis on hydrogen aren’t particularly helpful, but overall a seriously solid bit of policy. 9/10
Liberal Democrats. The Lib Dems have set a target for 80% of the UK’s electricity to come from renewables by 2030. This represents a very good rate of deployment, but the last 20% is likely the hardest to decarbonise and currently there’s no target for this. In their manifesto, we’ll be looking for an explicit stop to new oil and gas licences, as well as more support for renewables. 7/10
Green Party. This is an area of policy for the Greens where the broad direction, a decarbonised energy system, is spot-on, but where, as far as we can tell, the details on specific timelines, commitments and policy mechanisms are all lacking. We hope the manifesto will clarify. 6/10

4. Reduce carbon emissions from transport

Conservative Party. The Conservative government’s flagship policy on transport emissions was the 2021 Transport Decarbonisation Plan. Analysis by academics revealed  that 72% of the potential ambition set out in the plan has since been lost in the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan. Since then, Rishi Sunak delayed the target date for the cessation of sales of new petrol and diesel cars, although targets on manufacturers to increase sales of electric vehicles remain. Abysmal. 2/10
Labour Party. Labour has given us its plans for buses, which are key to reducing car miles and all the environmental and climate harms they cause, but what we haven’t seen is the financial resource that will be made available. Labour’s policy for the railways is a good start but doesn’t centre on climate imperatives, and it isn’t developed enough yet to assess how well it would contribute to the 20% modal shift to sustainable transport that’s needed. Would Keir Starmer’s Labour introduce a frequent flyer levy? And what’s on offer for the most environmentally friendly forms of transport of all: walking and cycling? We need more. 6/10
Liberal Democrats. One of the weaker areas of Lib Dem policy from what we can tell, and one with lots of room for improvement. Overall, it doesn’t get to the heart of the problem and acknowledge the need to reduce car use. Without that, the party’s policies on rail electrification and new bus routes are welcome but ultimately window dressing. 5/10
Green Party. The Green Party has a strong package of transport policies, centred around the important truth that we need to reduce the number of trips made by the most polluting forms of transport: cars and planes. Again, we need more specific commitments, eg on bus franchising and the level of funding for public transport, so let’s see if the manifesto can deliver it. 7/10

5. Meet the UK’s commitments for a global energy transition and a safe climate future

Conservative Party. Although it’s good at repeating the UK’s large (relative to other countries) international climate commitments, these are meaningless if they’re not delivered. Assessments from the Climate Change Committee and Independent Commission for Aid Impact have cast doubt on the timelines and delivery of both emission reduction and international climate finance pledges. 3/10
Labour Party. Whether in terms of climate finance, or even just formally committing to the UK’s internationally agreed target of 68% emissions cuts by 2030, so far we’re broadly none the wiser as to how a Keir Starmer government would act on the global stage. We await some clarification in the party’s manifesto. Labour has refused to agree to return to the 0.7% aid spending that’s essential for climate as well as development targets. In 2023 Labour also refused to commit to the current £11.6 billion International Climate Finance figure. If this position has changed, we’d love to hear about it. 3/10
Liberal Democrats. So far, we haven’t found a great deal of Lib Dem policy to assess in this area, and it’s one we’d definitely like to see developed and improved upon before 4 July. A commitment to reinstate the 0.7% aid target is positive, but more is needed across the board, including on international climate finance. Work to do. 5/10
Green Party. The Green Party has a whole raft of relevant policies on the UK’s international role on climate change, importantly with a strong emphasis on funding for countries that have suffered catastrophic climate harms (aka Loss and Damage), as well as on increasing the UK’s own carbon reduction commitments. You love to see it. 10/10

6. Ensure a healthy environment for all

Conservative Party. Targets within the government’s Environment Act were criticised as too weak by NGOs, but even these aren’t on track according to the Office of Environmental Protection, including for air and river pollution. Not just silent on calls to strengthen people’s right to a healthy environment through an Environmental Rights Act, the Conservative Party is playing with the possibility of leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, which has been increasingly recognising aspects of a right to a healthy environment. 3/10
Labour Party. Labour has a few policy highlights when it comes to the environment, like bigger fines for water companies that harm the environment and pollute our rivers. Labour’s Clean Air Act should be celebrated too, but new targets aligned with World Health Organization standards will be needed, as well as bold policy for more clean air zones like London’s ULEZ. Overall though, the interconnectedness of our environment requires more than a piecemeal approach. We need to see Labour commit to a whole framework of rights to a healthy environment. 6/10
Liberal Democrats. The Lib Dems have a very strong package of policy on the environment, not only tackling many of the key areas including air quality and sewage discharge, but also bringing forward new legislation to guarantee everyone a right to a healthy environment. Top marks. 10/10
Green Party. Once again the broad principles and direction of policy are good, but we’re hoping for some ambitious specifics in the coming weeks on air quality, our polluted waterways, funding for nature enforcement and more. While the Green Party has policy to bring in new rights for nature, we’d like to see a clear commitment to a human right to a healthy environment too. 8/10

7. Look after nature at home and abroad

Conservative Party. The Office for Environmental Protection produces an annual progress report and in January concluded that only 3 out of 10 indicators for thriving plants and wildlife have seen progress. The Conservative government has committed to introduce Forest Risk Commodities regulations to address overseas deforestation, but they’re much weaker than needed as they exclude some key commodities and only address illegal deforestation, whereas much is legal deforestation but equally harmful to nature and communities. The rhetoric is strong, the delivery is poor. 3/10
Labour Party. Nature is another area where Labour is pretty short on solid policy so far. Not only do we have little positive to point at, but there are also some worrying signs, with strong rhetoric on removing barriers to infrastructure developments. More infrastructure is needed, for example renewables, grid lines and housing, but not at the expense of nature. Some glimmers of hope exist in Labour’s National Policy Forum document, which in theory feeds into the party manifesto, including commitments to assess and prevent environmental and human rights abuses in supply chains and ensure effective due diligence rules. If this can be carried through to the manifesto with a clear commitment, then that will be a strong position on global nature protection. 4/10
Liberal Democrats. The Lib Dems have a strong showing on nature, with pledges to guarantee high environmental standards in future trade deals, set binding targets to stop the decline in nature, and double the size of the Protected Area Network by 2050. Good stuff. 8/10
Green Party. With some big policies that are both ambitious and specific (embedding nature regeneration in the planning system, stronger legal protections for nature, and a goal of making all land abundant in wildlife), this is a very solid policy area for the Greens. 10/10

8. Defend democracy

Conservative Party. Although the Conservative government currently seems to have dropped its plans to repeal the Human Rights Act, it’s overseen a plethora of restrictions on liberties, for example the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act and the Public Order Act, including the Serious Disruption Regulation. It’s also brought in the damaging requirement for voter ID. The evidence so far suggests these sorts of policies will form the basis of the party’s election platform and agenda if re-elected. 0/10
Labour Party. Very little solid Labour policy for us to assess so far. Labour spokespeople have made various commitments to repeal a number of damaging pieces of legislation, eg the “Strikes Act,” the 2016 Trade Union Act and the Public Order Act, but without being formal policy or a promise made by the leader, we have to treat these with caution. We need to see clear manifesto pledges on these before polling day, alongside pledges to scrap voter ID. 3/10
Liberal Democrats. The Lib Dems are committed to defending the Human Rights Act and repealing the pernicious restrictions on the freedom to protest, brought forwards in this parliament. This is good news for civil society, very good news. 8/10
Green Party. The party’s policy on resisting the curtailment of democracy and civil society power hits all the right notes: opposing voter ID, supporting the Human Rights Act and continued access to the European Court of Human Rights. Great to see. 8/10

9. Enhance democracy

Conservative Party. The Conservative government has committed to further devolution in England, but complex devolution deals with no clear duty or responsibility to deliver on climate change and no extra funding don’t make up for more than a decade of cuts. Promised reform of local government funding hasn’t happened, and there’s been very little action to support local government to deliver on climate, with some policy changes and rhetoric from government hindering ambitious councils. 4/10
Labour Party. Labour has promised a “full-fat approach to devolution,” which is certainly what will be needed to ensure the climate transition is sensitive to regional opportunities and differences. We’d like some more detail on the specifics of the “Take Back Control Act” in the manifesto. In particular, there needs to be more join-up between Labour’s promises on devolution and local growth and environmental objectives, but from what we can tell so far this is likely to be a strong area of policy for Labour. 7/10
Liberal Democrats. A strong emphasis on access to the vote and devolution leads the Lib Dems democracy policy platform. Assuming this carries over into the manifesto and there’s funding to back up devolved powers, then this is a solid policy area for the Lib Dems too. 7/10
Green Party. Solid policy in this area with a focus on improving access to democracy for young people, and a strong devolutionary agenda. We look forward to seeing commitments in the party’s manifesto to reflect this. 8/10

10. Improve planning policy

Conservative Party. The Conservative government’s Levelling Up and Regeneration Act (2023) signalled the beginning of the end for important Environmental Impact Assessments, which inhibit environmentally damaging developments. On top of this, the Conservative government has maintained the imbalance between onshore wind developments in England and oil and gas developments, with the latter much less restricted in the National Planning Policy Framework. 1/10
Labour Party. Labour is certainly clear on one thing: if elected it will reform the planning system. Less clear so far, however, is to reform it how, and to what end. The UK’s planning system is certainly in need of change, for example to swiftly build the low-carbon infrastructure needed, but not at the cost of nature. Labour needs to spell out its reform agenda, including how it will help carbon reduction and nature restoration targets. It has however promised to fund more planners in local government, the shortage of whom is a major reason for planning delays. 4/10
Liberal Democrats. The Lib Dems are clear in their commitment to the Habitats Regulations, which have protected our most important wildlife sites and species for the last 30 years, pledging to double the area of land they protect. At this point, there’s not much we can find to go on beyond this, besides some general good noises about making planning for new developments more integrated to better achieve holistic climate and environment goals. We’ll keep a watching eye on this area, and hopefully we’ll see more positive commitments soon. 6/10
Green Party. Green Party policy pledges to put climate and environment at the centre of planning decision making is what’s needed to ensure a built environment that’s fit for a sustainable future. Further detail is needed on what this commitment means in practice. 7/10

The post UK election: which party’s green policies can you trust? first appeared on Ealing Friends of the Earth.

London’s next Mayor needs to be the ‘greenest’ yet

Caroline Evans — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 15:22:58 +0000

Ealing Friends of the Earth has been scanning the manifestos of the candidates for the London mayoral election on May 2 to discover where they stand on green issues. We cannot advise people who to vote for but we are looking for promises that the candidate will put cutting CO2 emissions and enhancing the environment at the top of their ‘to do’ list. The new London Mayor will have many competing priorities and a limited budget so it is vital that London chooses a candidate who knows about the issues before they take the job. London needs its ‘greenest’ Mayor so far. We’ve only looked at the manifestos of a few of the candidates – the full list can be found here https://www.londonelects.org.uk/im-voter/candidates/mayoral-candidates.

ROB BLACKIE - Liberal Democrat

Manifesto Pledge: Tackle the sewage dumping crisis in the Thames

Ealing Friends of the Earth says: It is excellent that Rob Blackie mentions tackling sewage dumping the Thames in his manifesto. This is an extremely important issue for London. But there are many other equally important environmental issues that need to be tackled such as cutting CO2 emissions, enhancing green spaces and reducing air pollution.

HOWARD COX - ReformUK

Manifesto pledges: Scrap all Ulez charges and cameras. Refund all Ulez fees & fines since 29th August 2023. Remove LTNs, 20mph zones, needless road restrictions, pinch points, floating bus stops & excessively wide cycle lanes.

He goes on to say: “As the founder of the FairFuelUK campaign, I am the only Mayoral candidate with a proven track record of making a difference to your lives by helping to reduce your cost of living.
“Since 2011, every driver, business and charity has benefited from paying thousands of pounds less to fill up their motorbikes, cars, vans and trucks – all because of my campaign against fuel duty increases.”

Ealing Friends of the Earth says: Howard Cox’s manifesto pledges will make the environment in London much worse. They are anti-environment pledges. They will result in many more vehicles on the roads causing a huge rise in air pollution which is already over the World Health Organisation’s guidelines. More cars means traffic will not flow freely as they will be stuck in endless traffic jams. CO2 emissions in London will also massively increase which will contribute to the destruction of London’s environment by causing temperatures to increase.

The only environmental issue he seems concerned about is destroying the environment by getting more cars on the roads – travelling more miles, faster and at a cheaper price. There is nothing about clean air, lowering CO2 emissions, green spaces, water pollution or any other important environmental issue.

ZOE GARBETT - Green Party

Manifesto pledges: I’ll make transport affordable for all, working towards one city-wide, low fare for public transport. This next term of the Mayor is critical to addressing the climate emergency - we must act now and I know what needs to be done.

Ealing Friends of the Earth says: Zoe Garbett’s aim to make transport in London affordable for all will be a step forward in reducing CO2 emissions and air pollution. She recognises that the next term of the Mayor will be critical in addressing the climate emergency but doesn’t say what she would do or how that would be implemented.

SADIQ KHAN - Labour

Manifesto pledges: Vote for a fairer, safer, greener London for everyone. TfL fares frozen. A greener future. Tackling air pollution and the climate crisis

Ealing Friends of the Earth says: Sadiq Khan’s manifesto pledges cover a wide variety of environmental issues: TfL fares frozen will encourage people to use public transport and leave their cars at home which will reduce CO2 emissions and air pollution. He mentions the climate crisis and twice mentions ‘a greener future’ although there is no explanation of what that means and how he will achieve it.

Mr Khan is the current Mayor of London and in his manifesto he does mention what he considers ‘successes’ – the Elizabeth Line, Night Tube, the Superloop bus route and the cheaper Hopper fares – all of which have improved public transport in London and so have gone some way to improving air quality and reducing CO2 emissions. During his first term as Mayor he froze TfL fares for five years which meant public transport was cheaper and so more accessible. He also mentions ‘World-leading climate action’ without being specific but Mr Khan has been chair of C40 Cities – a network of mayors from cities around the world confronting climate change.

SUSAN HALL - Conservatives

Manifesto pledges: Too many drivers are struggling to make ends meet, because of new driving charges introduced at the worst possible time. I am listening to the Londoners struggling to make ends meet because of new driving charges. This is why we’ll scrap ULEZ expansion on day one. Cut the cost of travelling around London. Scrap ULEZ expansion on day one. Support local councils to remove unwanted low-traffic-neighbourhoods. No driving charge for every mile you drive. Prioritise building on brownfield sites. Not London’s remaining greenbelt

Ealing Friends of the Earth says: Susan Hall wants to make driving around London in cars easier which will increase air pollution and CO2 emissions and make London’s already poor quality air much worse. More cars on the roads mean more traffic jams. She has nothing to say about improving public transport which is used by nearly everyone in London. She does mention prioritising building on brownfield sites and not on the greenbelt which is an important environmental issue. Many developers would prefer to use a greenfield site where construction costs may be cheaper.

The post London’s next Mayor needs to be the ‘greenest’ yet first appeared on Ealing Friends of the Earth.