Should MN support Mothers Rise Up's call for urgent climate action? Tell MNHQ what you think

[NiamhMumsnet]

Hello all.

Mothers Rise Up have been in touch asking if we would like to sign their open letter calling on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to take urgent climate action.

The letter will highlight the government's continued investment in oil and gas projects around the globe and its plans to build yet more polluting roads and runways. It will also call for a massive expansion in clean energy and green transport across the UK.

A similar letter was pulled together last year - it was featured in the Guardian and helped draw attention to their call for climate action and to engage parents across the UK.

The letter will be published ahead of a Mother's Day march to Downing Street - you can find more details about this march on their website.

We see a lot of threads on Mumsnet discussing the climate crisis - so do please let us know what you think.

Thanks
MNHQ

No, purely because its the half a dozen companies that are responsible for 90% of the world's pollution that need pressurising to act!!

If they went about it in the right way, I'd be right behind it.

These corporates are bleeding the world and it's people dry, apart from the small percentage who are making ridiculous amounts of money on the back of it.

Of course personal action is important. But not everything can be sorted out at an individual level. We’ve done what we can to reduce our footprint, but we can’t do much to reduce our car use because we live in a rural area - the bus service has been cut to the bone, and the roads aren’t particularly safe for cycling. I can’t fix either of those issues myself, I need government to do it. Nor can I do much, at an individual level to influence corporations - I can withdraw my individual custom but that’s a drop in the ocean. Government may not be able to wave a magic wand, but they can certainly apply more pressure than I as an individual can.

Yes, please.,

Yes 10000000x yes.
Collective action rather than individual hectoring is what gets this done.
www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2020/02/24/former-un-climate-chief-calls-for-civil-disobedience/#3063e9cb3214

Yes, definitely.

strange that none of these groups thought to field candidates in the recent election, as the way things get changed in this country is by parliament. Or did they stand and not get in?

abrogating individual responsibility is such a cop out.

rather than a jolly day out to London in sunny weather, how about the following pledges from all the members of this organisation:

• no more than two kids unless second one turns out to be twins.
• no more flying, ever, for any reason.
• no buying stuff from the countries that are really causing problems; China, India etc. This will rather limit lifestyle but if you are serious...
• no supporting truanting. Protest in free time not in valuable education time. You change the planet by educating women, encouraging your daughters to drop 20% of their school time is disgusting.
• no pets. Waste of resources. (and please, no boneheaded comments about zoos - designer dogs and cats are not endangered animals)
• anyone near a school will know how bad the pollution problem is there. Organise school buses, walking buses, ban all parking within half a mile of the school except for disabled kids or parents, car share, parents to get together to help those who have to get to work, name and shame all who leave the engine on, stuff like that.
• pledge to support politicians who will raise taxes to cover all the changes that are needed. (clearly they don't or we'd have a Libdem government, I don't support all they do but they did promise a tax rise)

then they will be worthy of support. Otherwise - just looks like another bunch of pointless shriekers who get in the way.

Just catching up with this thread and a Shell as and two car ads popped up....

Yes of course. But if at all possible, produce no population increase, especially while unwanted children need adoption or fostering.