Disappointed in MP - climate crisis

[ridl14]

Emailed my local MP recently asking him to support policies to address the climate emergency. I used a template email from a climate action charity and adapted it with my own suggestions and ideas. I think it's too long to copy here but the fundamental questions were mainly:

Will you commit to supporting policies that address the climate emergency?

Plus a number of ideas eg initiatives to train young people in green jobs, awareness campaign / council planning departments to require how public buildings and new homes could mitigate the risk of flooding and heatwaves. Not at all saying my ideas are the best, but there were a number of concrete suggestions. I also expressed my frustration that all my individual efforts are drowned out by jet fuel being tax free, the actions of other governments and corporations, and billionaires taking private jets to Bezos' wedding.

Someone has replied on the MP's behalf - here's part of it:

"Should we should all drive EV’s? But the latest figures show that building an EV, and probably shipping them around the world, emits more CO2 than a conventional engine will during the normal lifetime of a non-EV! (Like you, [redacted] also purchased an EV as he believed it to be the correct thing to do environmentally).

Should the whole of the UK stop using any energy at all? Then the difference to reaching 2 degrees above the agreed ideal temperature would take less than a few days to reach anyway. Not that this is a reason not to try and cut emissions.

Global temperatures are rising but so is the quantity of ice in the Antarctic!

Confusing isn’t it!

What we need is good, positive action and not hyperbole. There is no benefit in turning the UK into a poorer nation and living in misery. We require are good policies and sensible approaches where the fossil fuel industry can work with new technologies"

I'm honestly deeply disappointed. I don't need the MP to agree with me or adopt any of my suggestions but it basically seems like a nonchalant shoulder shrug. I've joined a couple of climate action charities and am doing some ad hoc volunteering with one (small baby in tow) but just feel really powerless and worried about the future.

At least you got a response and at least it was an honest response so you know where you stand with that MP in future. I can't stand the ones who either ignore you completely or tell you "yes I 100% agree with you this is a real problem and I'm committed to sorting it" but their voting says otherwise.

It sounds like you sent a pretty lengthy email that was mostly a cut and paste job. How many of the same cut and paste job do you think they received? I never understand the logic of sending MPs these "standard emails" written by activists. If I was an MP I'd roll my eyes so hard at getting 500 of the same email in a week and would probably have to bite my tongue to respond politely.

I know you said you changed/added a few bits so why not just write your own email about the things that specifically concern you or the things it's within the MP's remit to actually do anything about?

Yes that's a really good point, thank you for your reply. I did change quite a bit but I think it was too general in its scope. I was thinking I need to try and cover many different points and take this to an organisation bigger than me that can actually do something effective.

But I'm thinking now I need to approach it like bringing solutions to a manager. I think I'll write back with a few ideas that can be implemented on a local level, minimal cost to the taxpayer as well as the larger projects I'm concerned about (Rosebank)

Tory or Reform?

He's Tory. Thankfully not Reform!

I also expressed my frustration that all my individual efforts are drowned out by jet fuel being tax free, the actions of other governments and corporations, and billionaires taking private jets to Bezos' wedding.

I get your frustration, I feel it too. But what is the point of moaning to your MP about it? There is literally nothing he can do about billionaires from the US flying to Italy. If he had replied saying he would do something he'd be lying.

That's true on billionaires - if they taxed jet fuel, the mega wealthy would just pay it anyway. I just wanted to give context to my frustration and the large focus of my email was specific points to take action on (basically to try and offset things we can't do anything about).

Just checked out his voting record so I shouldn't be surprised really!

Consistently voted against measures to prevent climate change 2 votes against, in 2025.

Consistently voted against financial incentives for low carbon emission electricity generation methods 2 votes against, in 2025.

Consistently voted against increasing windfall tax on oil and gas companies. 5 votes against, between 2024 and 2025.

Consistently voted against measures to encourage purchase and use of electric vehicles. 1 vote against, in 2025.

Well he's factually inaccurate for starters.

https://www.desmog.com/2024/06/12/mapped-tory-network-climate-denial-fossil-fuel-funding/

Interesting article here on how much funding the Tory party gets from fossil fuel companies.

They don't represent you, they defend their funders

He’s an opposition MP? So he doesn’t have any power to implement any of your ideas anyway, even if he wanted to. Writing to your MP is utterly pointless unless you have a serious personal problem that you need help resolving. They’re just glorified social workers.