Strengthening local alliances and planning for action

Sheffield Climate Alliance brings together a range of local organisations and individuals who are pressing for effective action to tackle climate change, campaigning on issues including climate jobs and fossil fuel divestment. On 29 May a special meeting was held where Suzanne Jeffery from the Campaign against Climate Change was invited to speak about our Time to Act campaign. The meeting was a great success and the format could be repeated elsewhere - please get in touch if you would like to hold a similar meeting in your area!

At the Campaign against Climate Change, we are currently supporting not one but two petitions to stop the government blocking wind energy projects that have already had local approval. Yes, that's right: blocking wind energy projects that have already had local approval.

That these petitions are necessary is mind-boggling. We all know that we are no longer in the days of 'greenest government ever' rhetoric. But you might have thought that the IPCC's recent dire warnings would have caused a moment's reflection, a touch of unease as to whether this is an appropriate response to the crisis facing humanity... apparently not.

The first petition, set up by Dan Grierson and hosted by 38 Degrees, refers to the Conservative Party's intended manifesto pledge to ban new onshore windfarms from 2020. The argument that they are doing this because wind farms are "unpopular" is a fascinating one, given the party's gung-ho support for fracking, a far less popular technology. DECC's most recent figures show a record 70% support for onshore wind, compared to 12% opposition.

Last year, the IPCC produced a report on the science of climate change: it's here, it's because of us and it's set to change our planet fundamentally.

Then last month came the second report, on the impacts of climate change: serious consequences for people around the world even if we curb our emissions to keep warming to around 2C.

Now, the third report sets out a challenge for the world. If we act now, we can step off the path we are on, which would mean up to 5C of warming by the end of this century.