Photo: stopclimatechaos

Last year they marched through London, this year the Big Climate Connection will see climate campaigners taking local action as they bring their message directly to their MPs.

Residents of Tower Hamlets will lobby Rushanara Ali, MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, this Sunday, stating that action on climate change is good for fuel poverty, energy security and a stronger national and global economy.

“The aim of the event is to encourage people all over the country to lobby their MP and ask them to act internationally, nationally and locally to tackle climate change,” said Stephanie Delaney, one of the coordinators of the Bethnal Green and Bow lobby group.

Ali is currently attending a climate tribunal in Bangladesh, which Ms Delaney thinks will strengthen their cause. She said: “ Hopefully this will work to our advantage when we meet her, as the most pertinent issues related to climate change will be fresh in her mind.”

The campaign has been organised by Stop Climate Chaos (SCC), a coalition of charities, unions, and faith and community groups. Martin Harper, Chair of SCC, said: “ David Cameron has said this government will be the greenest ever; now is the time to prove it.”

The group will present Ali with several asks concerning domestic and global climate issues. They believe that the government should deliver on a low carbon economy at home and lead global negotiations to push for richer nations to provide support for climate action in developing countries.

Local activists will ask Ali to write to David Cameron and Chris Huhne, Climate Change Secretary, ahead of the upcoming UK Energy Bill and UN climate talks in Cancun, Mexico. Mr Harper said: “This month is a key time for climate politics.”

Speaking at a press conference last week, Ali spoke about the pressing need for climate action: “ It is very important that climate change does not go off the agenda, but unfortunately the government is not talking about it as much as we’d like to.”

The Big Climate Connection went live nationally last Friday and is made up of over a thousand grassroots lobbyists covering 267 constituencies. The Bethnal Green and Bow Group will be meeting on November 12 in Bethnal Green Park at 2pm.

For more information or to join a lobbying group go to: www.stopclimatechaos.org/the-big-connection