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West Midlands Green Party |
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West Midlands Green Party news
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Midlands Green Party website
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Midlands Green Party Press Release 26 September 2007
Airport interim report woeful on climate change
Airport abdicates responsibility on environment
Birmingham International Airport released its interim report (1) today explaining the key changes that have been made in its planned development between now and 2030. While the second runway appears to be off the priority list, the planned runway extension and trebling in the number of passengers is not properly weighed up against climate change.
NOTES
1) Birmingham International Airport press release http://www.bhx.co.uk/page.aspx?type=bEyZftSD20U=&id=jAERoqnLlek=&article=1Azz3TvxJVc
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Published and promoted by Janet Alty, 18 Lillington Rd, Leamington Spa.
West Midlands Green Party Press Release 30 July 2007
Midlands to miss out on £2 billion public transport funding
Councils "burying head in the sand over congestion"
The Green Party today expressed its deep disappointment over the failure of the West Midlands Councils to put forward a bid to the Government for a congestion charging trial and £2 billion of public transport investment. Black Country, Coventry and Solihull Councils stood firm against Birmingham who were in favour of a charge. Instead, the Councils put in a bid for more cash for traffic lights (1)
The seven metropolitan councils had spent 18 months and over £4 million in consultation fees to come up with a bid to put forward to the Government. On the day of the deadline, the Council Leaders ended up bidding for cash for traffic lights. Manchester and Cambridge have put in congestion charge bids. Once again, Manchester has shown that it has stronger leadership than the Midlands.
Birmingham City Council's Deputy Leader, Paul Tilsley, backed the proposals but they were scuppered by the Leaders of the neighbouring Black Country Councils, Solihull and Coventry . The Green Party claims that this is an example of West Midlands Councils "burying their heads in the sand over congestion". Peter Tinsley of the Green Party said that "Black Country and Coventry Council Leaders are dragging their feet while we enter a period of exacerbating climate change, recently highlighted by horrendous floods in our region, including in Birmingham. £2 billion of government funding on offer will drastically improve the region's public transport. We simply cannot afford not to support this proposal".
Published and promoted by Janet Alty for the Green Party, both at 18 Lillington Road, Leamington Spa.
West Midlands Green Party Press Release 24 July 2007
Greens attack weak leadership over congestion
Black Country and Coventry Councils "dragging feet"
West Midlands Green Party today attacked "weak leadership" from the Black Country and Coventry local authorities over congesting charging plans for the West Midlands County appear to be lost. A crucial meeting on Wednesday 25th July between the seven Council leaders of the West Midlands are most likely to result in a decision not to put in a bid to the Government for £2 billion pounds of public transport investment granted on a promise to introduce congestion charging (1).
Council Leaders have already ruled out the option of a zonal-based congestion charging system for fear of rat-running around the zones. What is up for discussion is a GPS-based tracking system where drivers would "pay-as-you-go" per mile driven depending on the time of day but due to various disagreements, plans look to be lost (1).
Birmingham City Council's Paul Tilsley is backing the proposals but they risk being scuppered by the Leaders of the smaller neighbouring Black Country Councils and Coventry. The Green Party claims that this is an example of "weak leadership". Eddie Clarke of the Green Party said that "Black Country and Coventry Council Leaders are dragging their feet while we enter a period of exacerbating climate change, recently highlighted by horrendous floods in our region, including in Birmingham. £2 billion of government funding on offer will drastically improve the region's public transport of our region. We simply cannot afford not to support this proposal".
Published and promoted by Janet Alty for the Green Party, both at 18 Lillington Road, Leamington Spa.
West Midlands Green Party Press Release 9th
April 2007Green Party fields record number of candidates
200
candidates in West Midlands region makes history
The
Green Party can reveal today that it is fielding a record 200 candidates at
the upcoming local elections in the region.
This is a threat to the political status quo in the region.
This
progress comes on the back of increasing popularity for the Green Party in
the region. An opinion poll in The
Independent at the beginning of the year put the Green Party on 8% of
the vote in the Midlands (1), just 4% behind the Liberal Democrats who have
3 MPs in the West Midlands.
The
Green Party is fielding a full slate of candidates in Birmingham, Solihull
and Worcester, while it is the only party in Warwick District that has a
candidate in every ward. The Greens are also making history by fielding candidates in
Rugby, North Warwickshire and Staffordshire Moorlands for the first time
ever! And the Greens expect to
win seats
in Frome (Herefordshire), West Malvern and in Keele (Staffordshire) with
strong performances in several seats in Birmingham, Solihull, Coventry and
Leamington Spa.
Peter
Tinsley, a West Midlands spokesperson for the Green Party, celebrating the
progress says
“The Green Party’s popularity is expanding as opinion polls are
showing. Some
of the most popular Green Party policies at the moment include our concern
for local shops, local say in housing regeneration in and our plans for
tackling climate change.
Many
voters say that they like our alternative views and new outlook on
long-established problems.
The ‘grey parties’, namely Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem have
had their chances for decades now.
People now realise it’s the Green Party’s turn.
The Green Party is confident of record support at the local
elections.
We look forward with confidence to 3rd May!”.
Published and promoted by Janet Alty for the Green Party, both at 18 Lillington Road, Leamington Spa.
West Midlands Green Party Press Release 12th March 2007
Greens
expose TOP TEN TORY ECO CONS
Tory
green talk rarely stands up in practice
West Midlands
Green Party today ridiculed the Tory Party's environmental credentials,
ahead of planned 'green action days' by the party of privatise and pollute
[1].
"Today, the Green party has exposed, locally and nationally, the depth of cynicism behind Tory rhetoric. We've published the Top Ten Tory Eco Cons.
"Tories up and down the country are backing new road building, the biggest programme of airport expansion seen for a generation, and opposing congestion charging.
"How can they reconcile policies like this with a supposed new found enthusiasm for the environment?
"Here in the West Midlands, we have seen the damage done by Tories on Birmingham City Council, enthusiastically promoting the expansion of Birmingham International Airport (2). They are also supporting new supermarket building schemes on local parks (3).
Janet continued: "I would take the Tories greening more seriously if their actions on the council backed up their rhetoric. Sadly, this is not the case. Their claims are just one big eco-con.
"The only way to get green policies, and green action, is to vote Green."
The national Top Ten Tory Eco Cons the Greens are attacking are:
1 Support for nuclear power
2 Support for new roads
3 Support for aviation growth
4 Opposition to EU green schemes
5 Axing environmental regulations as “red tape”
6 Opposition to congestion charging
7 Support for incineration of waste
8 Support for tax cuts for super-consumers
9 Support for low taxes for the most polluting multinational businesses
10 Support for Trident over tackling climate change
Printed, published and promoted by Chris Lennard for West Mildlands Green Party, both at 53 Gloucester Close, Malvern, Worcs WR14 1DG
West Midlands Green Party Press Release 29th December 2006
New Poll puts Green Party on 5%
West Midlands Greens' support grows to 8% in Independent survey
The poll, conducted by Communicate Research for the Independent, is one of a string of polls that has been showing rising support for the Green Party over the last 18 months.
The three main parties will be worried by the strong showing for other parties. The Green Party, on 5 per cent, is making the most impact, while the Scottish National Party and the far-right British National Party are both on 2 per cent.
However, a closer look at the findings shows strong regional differences, and here in the Midlands the Green Party is on 8%.
West Midlands Green Party spokesman Chris Lennard commented:"People want real, practical solutions to climate change, and a better quality of life, and they know the Greens are the way to get that. That's why they're turning to us in ever increasing numbers.
"The Conservatives and LibDems appear to have stalled, and UKIP has fallen off the graph. The Green Party is the only political party in the UK that is growing. Here in the West Midlands we are on 8%, an improvement of nearly three per cent on our European vote here in 2004. If our support continues to grow in this way, we are on course to win our first European Parliamentary seat here in the West Midlands.
Printed, published and promoted by Chris Lennard for West Mildlands Green Party, both at 53 Gloucester Close, Malvern, Worcs WR14 1DG
West Midlands Green Party Press Release 1st November 2006
West Midlands Green Party joins biggest-ever climate demo
Greens say:"Failure to act to tackle climate change is costing lives"
“Many thousands around the world are paying the price for our lifestyles in the affluent West: men, women and children in Africa are dying, right now, from famines and droughts driven by climate change."
issue which has allowed the world’s biggest climate villain, the US, to remain outside the Kyoto protocol, the only international treaty designed to prevent climate catastrophe.
“Next week, government representatives from around the world will meet in Nairobi to discuss a successor treaty to Kyoto.
“If Tony Blair is to close the gap between his rhetoric and his inaction on the issue he must try to bring all the world’s nations on board, by persuading the US and Australia to act, and negotiating a treaty based on the principle of Contraction and Convergence, under which poorer nations will be allowed to continue sustainable economic development while those richer nations most responsible for greenhouse gas emissions do most to cut them.”
West Midlands Green Party Press Release 1st November 2006
West Midlands Green Party welcome Stern report
They cite a report commissioned by Green Party MEP Caroline Lucas from the Association for the Conservation of Energy which showed that the government has been sidelining precisely those EU directives and initiatives aimed at tackling climate change. Delaying implementation of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and failing to set binding targets for energy demand reduction under the Energy Services Directive are just two initiatives that they highlight.
"If only Blair would take this report on board and do something, he could truly exercise some global leadership at the forthcoming Kyoto review conference in Nairobi. But any new treaty must be based on the principle of ‘Contraction and Convergence’ which includes developing nations and places the greatest burden for emissions reduction on the most developed countries that have contributed most to the problem - and are best placed to implement immediate solutions.
Mr Lennard continued:"As the report makes clear, the problem is urgent. One litmus test to assess whether the government is serious about rising to the challenge will be whether it responds just as urgently, by fully implementing all EU legislation on cutting greenhouse gas emissions. And they must swiftly abandon those areas of government policy which are making the problem worse – their support for roadbuilding schemes and massive expansion of the aviation industry, for instance."
West Midlands Green
Party Press Release 6th
July
2006
West
Midlands Green Party welcome proposals to cut aviation's impact on
climate
European Parliament votes
for Green Party proposals
West Midlands Green Party this week welcomed the vote in the
European Parliament calling for a raft of measures to tackle aviation's
growing contribution to climate change.
Euro-MPs in Strasbourg voted by 439 to 74 to adopt proposals drafted by
Green Party MEP Caroline Lucas to introduce a range of measures including
an airlines-only CO2 Emissions Trading Scheme and emissions charges to
tackle their non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions. There were 102 abstentions.
Dr Lucas told fellow MEPs the EU must take action to curb airlines’
greenhouse gas emissions if there is to be any chance of
avoiding devastating climate change: “Doing nothing just isn’t
an option”.
"The aviation sector
is growing fast – aircraft movements are predicted to double by 2020 and
triple by 2030 - and technological efficiency gains just aren't enough to
counteract the massive increases in emissions that this will generate.
“We simply have no choice but to clip the airlines' wings and force them
to reduce their impact on the climate, if we are to stand any chance of
cutting our emissions by the level that’s needed to halt the deadly march
of climate change.
In
the European Parliamentary elections in June 2004, West Midlands Green Party
spoke out against expansion plans for Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton
airports as a central plank of their election campaign.
Dr Lucas’s report will now form the Parliament’s submission
to the EU Commission’s forthcoming legislative proposals – which could
be on the EU
statute book by 2008.
Dr Lucas said:“Emissions trading has the potential to play a
role in reducing the climate change impact of aviation - but only if it is
accompanied by other measures to tackle the fact that aircraft emissions
are two to four times more potent than those from other industries
(because of the altitude at which they are emitted, and the effects of
non-CO2 emissions like condensation trails and nitrogen oxides) – and,
crucially, only if it doesn’t allow airlines to carry on business as
usual by gobbling up the emission rights of other sectors.”
“At a time when few now deny the urgency of addressing climate
change, the rapid growth in flying threatens to throw all efforts to
reduce dangerous emissions off course,” added Dr Lucas, who is
also an MEP for South-East England and Green Party Principal Speaker.
“We must work together to find ways of making the aviation
industry reduce its social and environmental impact, rather than draining
tax payers’ cash as it continues to generate pollution, noise,
congestion – and climate change.”
West Midlands Green Party Press Release 22nd May 2006
West Midlands Greens condemn police and ambulance service mergers
"victims of crime and hospital patients will suffer from centralisation"
Printed, published and promoted by Chris Lennard for West Mildlands Green Party, both at 53 Gloucester Close, Malvern, Worcs WR14 1DG
West Midlands Greens meet in Wolverhampton
growing success of local parties in region
Printed, published and promoted by Chris Lennard for West Mildlands Green Party, both at 53 Gloucester Close, Malvern, Worcs WR14 1DG
Local Election Campaign Launched
A healthy local environment Decent local services A strong local voice
West Midlands Green Party today launched their regional campaign for the local elections in May.
West Midlands Green Party Spokesman Chris Lennard chaired a press conference at which the party's themes for the local elections were announced: A healthy local environment, decent local services, and a strong local voice
Mr.Lennard commented: "The Green party are committed to tackling climate change at every level with renewable energy and energy efficiency, not nuclear power. We want to see massive investment in these methods of dealing with the looming energy crisis and climate change, not more wasted money on nuclear power.
He also pledged a clampdown on more new supermarkets, in favour of supporting local shops.
"The Green Party wants to see vital local services within walking distance for everyone - all over the country our councillors are working hard to protect schools, libraries and other local services from cuts, closures and privatisation. We are already standing up for the local community, providing proper value for money and listening to local people not big business. Electing more Greens means voting to protect our vital public services.
"Greens are already working at a local level to make a real difference. Three Green Councillors on Kirklees council have ensured that there are renewable energy requirements in all new public buildings, with at least 30% of energy consumption from renewable sources such as solar panels and wind turbines by 2011.
"Oxford's 7-strong Green Group, who hold the balance of power on Oxford City Council, managed to secure one million pounds (£1m) of new environmental and social initiatives during the 2006/07 budget negotiations. And here in the West Midlands, Liberal Democrat/Green Party-controlled Malvern Hills District Council is setting new standards in recycling."
The Greens are fielding 72 candidates on these elections in the West Midlands, almost a quarter of the total up for election. This includes a full-slate of candidates (12) in Worcester and one short of a full slate (39) in Birmingham.
