Youth strikers and pensioners call for election climate debate

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Coalition of groups representing students, pensioners, trade unions, business and charities calls for a national televised debate with party leaders on the climate crisis and damage to nature as part of the election campaign.

  • Call comes in the wake of polling demonstrating a majority (54%) will be influenced by climate change when deciding who to vote for, but nearly two thirds (63%) say politicians are not talking about it enough.

  • Public concern over climate change rose to its highest recorded level during 2019.


Today, a coalition representing millions of people across the UK launched a campaign calling for a televised climate debate between party leaders during the election. 

Members of the coalition include the National Union of Students and National Pensioners Convention, which represent approximately 7 and 1.5 millions members respectively. The calls for a televised debate on climate and nature come amidst skyrocketing concern about climate change and wider ecological breakdown, and a majority of voters indicating the climate change will influence the way in which they cast their ballots. 


This year has seen the climate crisis move to the top of the agenda, with school strikes and Extinction Rebellion actions drawing hundreds of thousands to vote with their feet and parliament declaring a climate emergency in May. Yet this declaration has not been matched with a sense of urgency by politicians in taking action to cut the UK’s emissions fast enough to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. That’s why a climate debate is needed, to ensure party leaders provide clarity on their plans to tackle the climate crisis before voters make their choice.

The campaign for a climate and nature debate is being coordinated by climate charity Possible, with support from coordinators of the youth strike movement, the UK Student Climate Network, and is directly calling on party leaders to commit to participating.

Jan Shortt, General Secretary of the National Pensioners Convention, said,

“Older people care about the future of our country and the young people who aspire to become pensioners one day. Climate change unites the generations in a common aim to save the planet. The NPC is a campaigning organisation with no allegiance to any political party and we are whole-heartedly behind, and indeed proud, to be part of the climate movement. As voters, this election is key to our ability to tackle the climate crisis, and it is therefore imperative we have a televised climate debate to be informed about the future prime minister's plans on this issue”

Max Wakefield, Director at Possible, said,

“The past year of extraordinary social movements and political protest has created a new climate moment. Now we need a new climate mandate. The world’s first election climate and nature debate would help to deliver one, and  shine a light on just how closely this emergency affects vital issues such as housing, health and security. Simply put, this must be our first climate election.”

Ends

Notes to Editors:

Media contact

Sarah Barfield Marks

sarah@wearepossible.org

020 7388 6688


Skye Golding