This week strongly indicates that some of our local and national agencies and representatives and the leaders of our World nations are trying to make communities safer, cleaner, greener and more sustainable. Recently many people and Parliamentary members called for the Prime Minister to attend the COP27 in Egypt because he had indicated that he would not participate. The decision for the PM to stay away was first announced by Truss and it was deeply concerning that Sunak initially adopted the same approach. However last Wednesday he carried out a U-turn response when he stated on twitter that

There is no long-term prosperity without action on climate change. There is no energy security without investing in renewables. That is why I will attend @COP27P next week: to deliver on Glasgow’s legacy of building a secure and sustainable future.

It is clear that COP27 is significantly potential to dramatically improve our whole world, however we require all national leaders including Rishi Sunak to be radical and to adopt the proposals that are raised. While we are waiting for their responses, we can also reflect on the themes that are taking place nationally and in our communities that involve many non-political people. We would also be very encouraged if our MPs will endorse those activities and for them to support at least one Private Members Bills and for the non-Ministers to sign at least one Early Day Motion (EDM) which follows the same theme.

Nationally there is an event that is taking place this week which is called the National Green Careers Week (GWC) that has been set up by the STEM learning agency. The GWC is taking place from today to the 12th November and it is supporting students and teachers in the awareness of future green careers. STEM is promoting green careers that can be any job, role or occupation that contributes to preserving or restoring the environment and our planet. These jobs can be in any industry not just those immediately seen as ‘green’ like renewable energy, energy efficiency, green technology, improving the environment or agriculture processes. This event is one theme that is taking place nationally and we need to endorse the STEM agency for what they are doing and if other national themes are emerging, to support them also.

At a local level there will be many communities that are responding to the COP27 event in different ways. Here in Sussex one of the communities that is very committed to this theme is based in Eastbourne, with the headline of the Eastbourne Climate Coalition. They are focusing on a six week scheme which began on the 1^st of November and they have several events that are taking place this week. The campaign which was being promoted by Oliver Sterno, the Community Leader of Plastic Free Eastbourne said

This 6 week event will enable us to share our endeavours with the people of Eastbourne. If we all work together, our voice becomes powerful and our campaign will have more chance of persuading others to change behaviour and help to heal our planet.

Two campaign days on this project take place this week which are today and Wednesday and there is another theme that takes place on Thursday which is called “Big Sparks” which is at the Winter Garden from 2 pm – 6 pm. Another person who has commented about their project is Evie Sier, a local environmentalist who said

With COP27 looming we are hoping world leaders actually make an agreement they will stick to. But in the meantime, as individuals we just have to do the best we can.  By visiting the hub the general public can find out how they can make a difference in their day to day lives, and how to encourage the powers that be to make some system changes to help combat the climate emergency.

Let us hope that all of the Sussex MPs including Caroline Ansell, the Eastbourne MP will endorse the international aspects of COP27, the National elements such as set out by STEM and local themes such as from Eastbourne Climate Coalition. There are also aspects that they could endorse within Parliament that focus on the same theme. There is an EDM which Caroline Lucas, the Brighton Pavilion MP set out on the 24th of October with the title “Global Registry of Fossil Fuels” and so far along with Caroline, another 18 MPs that have endorsed it. While Ministers cannot sign it which prevents eight of our local MPs, there are seven Sussex MPs who could endorse that EDM. There is also a private member bills that relates to this theme which Caroline Lucas has submitted. It is “Decarbonisation and Economic Strategy Bill” and tragically it is currently not due to be presented again until late March 2023.

This is the blog which has been published in the Argus Newspaper today, 7th November.