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Tag: Press Release

  • PRESS RELEASE : Greens condemn UK government for failing to honour COP commitment to update climate targets [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Greens condemn UK government for failing to honour COP commitment to update climate targets [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Green Party on 4 November 2022.

    Rishi Sunak must honour the commitment the UK made as COP president and update its climate targets to reflect what is necessary to limit global warming to 1.5C, the Green Party has said ahead of the start of COP27 this weekend.

    The Glasgow Pact agreed at COP26 last year required all countries to revisit and increase their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) this year in order to ensure the world was on track to reduce carbon emissions at a rate that would keep global temperature rise to 1.5C [1].

    However, the UK’s updated NDC in September this year included no increase in its own NDC, despite the fact it had presided over the agreement in Glasgow to do so. [2]

    The need for each country to update its NDCs is even more urgent now after the UN recently stated that there is “no credible pathway” to saving 1.5C on current trajectories. The UN said: “Only an urgent system-wide transformation can deliver the enormous cuts needed to limit greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.” [3]

    Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

    “The UK government was applauded for overseeing a commitment from all countries to increase their NDCs, but its actions subsequently suggest it was just for show.

    “It is shameful that at a time when people across the world are seeing their lives destroyed by climate change, the UK government could not live up to its commitments and set meaningful climate targets that would protect millions of people.

    “In fact, since last year in Glasgow the UK government has gone in completely the wrong direction by introducing new North Sea oil and gas licences, continued to roll out airport and road expansion and will not even rule out the opening of a new coal mine in Cumbria.

    “Regrettably, Rishi Sunak will arrive in Egypt under a cloud, with the UK also having failed to make a promised £260 million climate finance payment [4].

    “This is negligence on a historic scale, but it can be rectified. It is right that the Prime Minister has now decided to attend COP27, but he now needs to put his money where his mouth is.

    “Sunak must immediately revisit the UK’s climate targets to ensure they are in line with a 1.5C global rise in temperatures and show he is willing to act on the global stage by putting climate justice and finance for poorer countries most impacted by the climate emergency at the top of the agenda.”

    The Green Party has also set out a further six crucial tests for the UK government at this year’s COP climate targets:

    • The UK government must call for offsetting to be ruled out as part of the measurement of net zero reporting for governments and industries
    • The UK government needs to put loss and damage at the top of the agenda and back calls from the countries most impacted by climate change for the establishment of a financing facility, and to follow in the footsteps of Denmark and Scotland by delivering new and additional finance for loss and damage
    • The government must urgently deliver the UK’s overdue climate finance, reinstate the mandatory 0.7% aid budget and support calls for increased adaptation finance
    • The UK government should lobby for an immediate end to all fossil fuel subsidies and an urgent managed decline in the use of fossil fuels
    • The UK government should advocate for the global roll out of loophole-free dirty profits taxes to ensure the most polluting industries not only pay for the impact of their emissions, but are also incentivised to find efficient means of reducing them
    • The UK government should champion a system of nationally determined contributions requiring all countries to produce scientifically verifiable plans every year to show their progress in reaching the climate targets they have set themselves.

    Notes

    1

    https://www.bond.org.uk/news/2022/11/heres-what-the-uk-needs-to-do-for-cop27/

    2

    https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1109429/uk-nationally-determined-contribution.pdf

    3

    https://www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2022

    4

    https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/nov/01/uk-criticised-for-failing-to-pay-300m-in-promised-climate-funds-ahead-of-cop27

  • PRESS RELEASE : Greens welcome review into Sizewell C: “We need to invest in renewables and insulation” [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Greens welcome review into Sizewell C: “We need to invest in renewables and insulation” [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Green Party on 4 November 2022.

    The Green Party has welcomed the news that plans to build a new nuclear power plant in Suffolk are under review [1] and urged for more investment in renewables and insulation.

    Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

    “New nuclear power is a distraction from addressing the climate emergency with the speed that is required – it is far too slow and much more costly than more effective renewable energy and storage alternatives, as well as having significant environmental concerns for the local community.

    “So, we are pleased to see the government has put it under review but we now need to see real commitment to the measures that will make a benefit to people’s lives.

    “It is vital the government invests more in renewables and insulating people’s homes as this is the cheapest, quickest and most effective way to bring people’s bills down, create millions of jobs and help tackle the climate crisis all at the same time.”

    Notes

    1

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63507630

  • PRESS RELEASE : Liberal Democrats – A new right to see your GP within 7 days [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Liberal Democrats – A new right to see your GP within 7 days [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Liberal Democrats on 7 November 2022.

    Far too many people are struggling to get a GP appointment when they need one, leaving them waiting anxiously for the care they deserve.

    In September alone, 8.9 million GP appointments involved a wait of more than a week, with 5 million waiting longer than the Government’s own target of two weeks.

    This has terrible consequences for people’s health, and for our NHS. It can lead to important diagnoses being missed or delayed, and can force desperate people to call an ambulance or take themselves into A&E.

    The blame for this crisis is clear, and it isn’t the country’s overstretched GPs. It’s the Conservative Government. Back in 2019, the Conservatives promised to deliver 6,000 more doctors, but the number of qualified GPs has actually fallen by 500.

    People across the country are suffering from years of neglect under the Conservatives, who have repeatedly broken their promises on local health services. It’s just not good enough.

    That’s why the Liberal Democrats are calling for patients to have a new right: to see a GP within 7 days, or within 24 hours if they urgently need to.

    Of course, delivering on that right can’t mean copying the Conservatives’ failed approach, of just setting the targets, cutting GP numbers, and then blaming GPs when the targets are missed.

    That’s why we have set out a clear plan for how the Government should step up and recruit 8,000 more GPs and free up more of their time, including by:

    Increasing training places for GPs and medical school places across the country.

    Fixing the broken NHS pension rules to help experienced GPs stay in the profession.

    Giving more prescribing rights and public health advisory services to qualified pharmacists, nurse practitioners and appropriately trained paramedics.

    Introducing a 24/7 phone line to manage the booking of appointments more efficiently.

    Empowering GPs to spend more of their budgets as they see fit by removing top-down bureaucracy.

    By giving doctors the time and the tools they need to do their jobs, we can make sure everyone gets the care they need, when they need it.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Mebyon Kernow Demands Cornish Language Act [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Mebyon Kernow Demands Cornish Language Act [November 2022]

    The press release issued by Mebyon Kernow on 5 November 2022.

    Saturday 5th November marks twenty years since the Cornish language was recognised by the UK Government through Part II of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages.

    Speaking to a meeting of MK’s National Executive at the time of the anniversary, language spokesperson Cllr Loveday Jenkin hit out at the UK Government for not doing enough to support Cornish.

    Cllr Jenkin said: “It is right that we celebrate the fantastic work done by so many people to promote the language. But over the last two decades, Cornish has not achieved language parity with the other Celtic languages of the UK and as we mark the 20th anniversary of recognition, we must challenge the UK Government to properly meet its obligations to the language.”

    Specific issues raised by Cllr Jenkin included the following:

    Cornish was only recognised under Part II of the Charter, while Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Welsh are recognised under Part III, which has a more comprehensive and far-reaching set of obligations.

    The BBC Charter defines “regional and minority languages” as “Welsh, Scottish-Gaelic, Irish and Ulster Scots,” actively excluding Cornish from broadcasting support.

    Cornish will soon be the only Celtic language in the United Kingdom without any safeguards embedded in domestic law. The first Welsh Language Act was passed in 1967 and a second one in 1993, while further legislation has been passed by the Welsh Parliament. The Scottish Gaelic Act was passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2005. The Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill meanwhile recently passed its final hurdles in the House of Commons.

    The Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill comes with the investment of £4 million in an Irish Language Investment Fund, while the UK Government ending formal funding of the Cornish language in 2016.

    Cllr Jenkin said: “We need greater recognition for Cornish through Part III of the European Charter and a Cornish Language Act, along with greater respect from public bodies such as the BBC and the reintroduction of funding from Westminster.”

    She concluded by saying: “I would welcome responsibility for the Cornish language being devolved to Cornwall, but for that we need a legislative Cornish Parliament with full legislative and fiscal powers.”

  • PRESS RELEASE : Non-disabled workers paid 17% more than disabled peers – TUC [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Non-disabled workers paid 17% more than disabled peers – TUC [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the TUC on 7 November 2022.

    New analysis shows pay gap between non-disabled and disabled workers is now 17.2%, or £3,700 a year
    • Disabled women face even bigger pay penalty of 35%, over £7,000 a year
    • TUC writes to government to call for mandatory disability pay gap reporting

    New analysis published by the TUC today (Monday) shows that non-disabled workers now earn a sixth (17.2%) more than disabled workers.

    The analysis found that the pay gap for disabled workers currently stands at £2.05 an hour – or £3,731 per year for someone working a 35-hour week.

    This pay gap – which has increased from 16.5% last year – means that disabled people effectively work for free for the last 54 days of the year and stop getting paid today, on the day the TUC has branded Disability Pay Gap Day.

    Disability pay gap by gender and age

    The new TUC analysis reveals that disabled women face the biggest pay gap. Non-disabled men are paid on average 35% (£3.93 an hour, or £7,144 a year) more than disabled women.

    The research also shows that the disability pay gap persists for workers throughout their careers. It starts at age 20 at 65p an hour and increases steadily with age to a peak of £3.55 an hour, or £6,461 a year, for disabled workers aged 40 to 44.

    Regional and industrial disability pay gaps

    The analysis looked at pay data from across the country and found disability pay gaps in every region of England.

    The highest pay gaps are in the South East (22% or £2.78 an hour), and the West Midlands and the South West (both 17% or £2.20 an hour).

    The research found that disability pay gaps also vary by industry. The biggest pay gap is in financial and industrial services, where the pay gap stands at 39% or £5.90 an hour, followed by agriculture, forestry and fishing (24%) and mining and quarrying and admin and support services (both 18%).

    Unemployment

    Not only are disabled workers paid less than non-disabled workers, they are also more likely to be excluded from the job market.

    Disabled workers are now twice as likely as non-disabled workers to be unemployed (6.8% compared to 3.4%).

    And the analysis shows disabled BME workers face a much tougher labour market – 10.9% of BME disabled workers are unemployment compared to 2.8% of white non-disabled workers.

    TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Everybody deserves a fair chance to get a job with decent pay. Being disabled should not mean you’re on a lower wage – or that you’re excluded from the jobs market altogether.

    “It’s time to introduce mandatory disability pay gap reporting to shine a light on inequality at work. Without this, millions of disabled workers will be consigned to years of lower pay and in-work poverty.

    “During the pandemic, many disabled people were able to work flexibly or from home for the first time. We must ensure this continues – flexible workplaces are accessible workplaces and give everyone better work life balance.

    “Ministers must change the law so that all jobs are advertised with flexible options clearly stated, and all workers have the legal right to work flexibly from their first day in a job.”

    Disability pay gap reporting

    The TUC has today (Monday) written to the government to call for urgent action to address the disability pay gap.

    The union body wants the government to bring in mandatory disability pay gap reporting for all employers with more than 50 employees.

    The TUC says the legislation should be accompanied by a duty on employers to produce action plans identifying the steps they will take to address any gaps identified.

    Government action needed

    To address the causes of the pay gap, the TUC is calling for:

    • The National Minimum Wage to be raised to £15 an hour as soon as possible.
    • More funding for the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to enforce disabled workers’ rights to reasonable adjustments. The EHRC must update their statutory code of practice to include more examples of reasonable adjustments, to help disabled workers get the adjustments they need quickly and effectively.
    • A stronger legal framework for reasonable adjustments including: ensuring employers respond quickly to requests, substantial penalties for bosses who fail to provide adjustments and for reasonable adjustment passports to be mandatory in all public bodies.
    • A day one right to flexible working for everyone and a duty on employers to include possible flexible working options in job adverts.
  • PRESS RELEASE : 1 in 4 children with care worker parents are growing up in poverty [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : 1 in 4 children with care worker parents are growing up in poverty [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the TUC on 2 November 2022.

    • Union body warns of “rampant” hardship in key worker households
    • 1 in 5 children growing up in key worker households are living in poverty 
    • Ministers accused of “abandoning” the workers who got us through the pandemic
    • Mass Westminster lobby and rally to take place to demand general election

    More than 1 in 4 (28.4%) children with care worker parents are growing up in poverty, according to new TUC analysis published today (Tuesday).

    The analysis – carried out by Landman Economics – shows that 220,000 kids with at least one social care worker as a parent are in poverty.

    The union body warned this number is on course to rise to nearly 300,000 by the end of this parliament unless swift action is taken to boost pay and conditions.

    Key worker poverty “is rampant”

    The TUC analysis reveals that child poverty “is rampant” in key worker households. In addition to care staff:

    • Nearly a tenth (9.4%) of kids with nurses as parents are living below the breadline. This represents over 70,000 children.
    • 1 in 9 (10.8%) children with teaching staff as parents are growing up in poverty. This represents around 100,000 children.
    • 1 in 8 (11.8 %) kids of local government workers are growing up in poverty. This represents over 220,000 children.
    • 1 in 4 (25%) children with public transport workers as parents have kids growing up in poverty. This represents 50,000 children.

    Overall, the TUC estimates that 1 in 5 (19%) key worker households have children living in poverty.

    Worse set to come

    The TUC warned that child poverty rates among key worker households are likely to get worse.

    Ministers have announced another of year of real-terms pay cuts for millions of key workers in the public sector.

    This will result in the average nurse losing £1,100 in real wages this year. And in social care 6 in 10 workers are still being paid less than £10 an hour.

    The TUC says the additional support announced by the Treasury to help families with energy bills will be offset by cuts to real-terms pay and other rising living costs.

    TUC polling published last month revealed that 1 in 7 UK workers were skipping meals and going without food to make ends meet.

    And the same poll showed that over half of UK households were cutting back on central heating, electricity and hot water to save money.

    Mass lobby of parliament and rally

    The findings are published as workers from across Britain assemble for a mass rally and lobby of MPs in central London on Wednesday 2 November.

    From 2pm, trade union members from across the UK will head to the Palace of Westminster for appointments which will start at 2.30pm.

    The mass rally will begin at Westminster Central Hall from 6pm.

    Speakers will include Frances O’Grady, RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch, CWU General Secretary Dave Ward and frontline workers taking strike action .

    Hundreds of union members from all over the country will be in the audience and the rally is expected to finish at around 8pm, when attendees will disperse.

    We demand better

    The TUC and unions are calling for:

    • Universal credit, benefits and pensions to be updated at least in line with inflation
    • A much higher windfall tax on oil and gas companies
    • Pay to rise across the economy through sector-wide fair pay agreements
    • Key workers in the public sector to be given cost-of-living proofed pay rises
    • A £15 an hour minimum wage as soon as possible

    Commenting on the analysis, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

    “Our amazing key workers risked their lives to get us through the pandemic. The very least they deserve is to be able to provide for their families.

    “But many have been trapped in poverty and abandoned by this government.

    “The Conservatives’ decision to hold down wages – as living costs soar – is causing rampant hardship.

    “We can’t go on like this.

    “We can’t be a country where bankers are allowed to help themselves to bigger bonuses, while nurses and care staff are forced to use foodbanks.

    “There must be a general election now.”

  • PRESS RELEASE : Bonfire night – new statistics show fire and rescue services slashed [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Bonfire night – new statistics show fire and rescue services slashed [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Fire Brigades Union on 5 November 2022.

    This bonfire night there are worries that fire and rescue services may not be able to cope, with new statistics revealing massive cuts.

    Bonfire night is traditionally the fire and rescue service’s busiest night of the year and can be hugely dangerous for fires and other incidents.

    Statistics collated by the Fire Brigades Union reveal further real-terms cuts to central funding for fire and rescue services in England.

    Funding for 2022-2023 has been boosted by just 1% on last year (2021-22). Inflation is currently running at around 10%. Funding stands at £882m compared to £1,240m in 2013-14 – meaning there has been a huge cut of 29%, or over 40% in real terms.

    There have also been significant cuts across parts of the rest of the UK. Scotland’s funding is up just £3m since 2013 and Northern Ireland’s is down by £1m since 2012. These will be both significant real-terms cuts.

    Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said:

    Communities should know that their fire and rescue service is far weaker than it should be. Bonfire night is a massive stress and strain on fire and rescue services and firefighters, and we are hugely concerned as to how a significantly under-resourced fire and rescue service will cope. Firefighters are facing a cash-starved service every night of the year: their own wages have been cut by £4,000 since 2009 and this year they received a measly 5% pay offer. We need a properly funded fire service that includes decent resources and fair pay for firefighters, and that reflects the extraordinary job they do and their contribution over the pandemic.

    Oxfordshire, Surrey, Warwickshire and West Sussex brigades are in particular danger of cuts. These councils agreed to reduce central funding in order to keep more local revenue – local revenue which would have been anticipated but then disappeared in recent years due to the pandemic.

    Cross-year time periods quoted here are references to financial years.

    The statistics from England come from FBU analysis of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities local government finance settlement for the financial year 2022-3.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Until Syria gives proper assurances to the international community, we must assume it continues to hold chemical weapons [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Until Syria gives proper assurances to the international community, we must assume it continues to hold chemical weapons [November 2022]

    Statement by Fergus Eckersley, UK Political Coordinator at the UN, at the Security Council briefing on Syrian chemical weapons.

    Thank you President, and thank you to the High Representative for the very helpful briefing.

    President, Syria has had nine years to come into compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention. But since its accession, it has repeatedly and categorically failed to provide the OPCW with a complete account of its chemical weapons programme. And as we know, the Syrian regime has been independently found responsible for at least 8 chemical weapons attacks by UN and OPCW independent investigations – attacks on its own people.

    Syria has failed to assure the OPCW, or this Council, that it is today abiding by its commitments under resolution 2118 and as a state party to the Chemical Weapons Convention

    There is understandable frustration in the Council about the lack of progress, but we must see this for what it is. The problem here is not how many meetings this Council has. The problem is the behaviour of the Syrian regime in breach of core international laws, including resolutions of this Council. And the problem is systematic disinformation from Syria and Russia in an effort to obscure this behaviour and to avoid accountability. Including deeply irresponsible attempts to attack the OPCW.

    We heard from the High Representative today the risks of the erosion of the taboo against using chemical weapons. The OPCW is responsible for preventing the spread of chemical weapons. It is an expert and highly professional organisation, and it is in all of our interests to prevent it from being degraded by disinformation.

    President, until Syria gives proper assurances to the international community, we must assume that Syria continues to hold chemical weapons. And given its track record, we must assume that the regime remains willing to use them.

    So, it is up to members of this Council to maintain the pressure to resolve this ongoing threat to international peace and security.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : World Leaders Launch Forests and Climate Leaders’ Partnership to accelerate momentum to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : World Leaders Launch Forests and Climate Leaders’ Partnership to accelerate momentum to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 7 November 2022.

    • 26 countries and the European Union – which together account for over 33% of the world’s forests and nearly 60% of the world’s GDP – will launch the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP).
    • This high ambition partnership of countries will build on the Glasgow Leaders Declaration for Forests and Land Use made by 140+ countries to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 while delivering sustainable development and promoting an inclusive rural transformation.
    • These 26 countries, including some of the most highly forested countries, have volunteered to lead high ambition efforts to drive delivery and accountability  through annual high-level events; during the FCLP’s first public meeting at COP27, an alliance of government leaders, companies, financial actors and Indigenous peoples’ will report on progress.
    • It will be announced that public donors have already spent $2.67 billion of the $12 billion committed last year to protect and restore forests. At COP27 a further $4.5 billion from public and private donors will be committed.
    • The UK Prime Minister and leaders of Colombia, Congo, Ghana, France and Germany will address the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Summit.

    Today at COP27 world leaders will launch the Forests and Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP), committing to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 in the fight against climate change and as promised in the Glasgow Climate Pact.

    The FCLP, launched at the inaugural Forest and Climate Leaders’ Summit, is a voluntary partnership of 26 countries committed to delivery, accountability and innovation following the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use, which was endorsed by more than 140 world leaders at COP26 last year to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation this decade. If achieved, this would deliver 10% of the climate mitigation action needed by 2030 to deliver on the Paris Agreement.

    Chaired by the United States and Ghana, FCLP members represent a range of regions, major forest areas, and centres of commerce and finance. 60% of global GDP and over  33% the world’s forests are covered in this partnership.

    All members of the FCLP are united by a common goal; each member must be committed to leading on at least one of the FCLP’s action areas. Through the FCLP, countries will lead the initiatives which will scale and drive delivery. The goal is to identify strategic areas where the FCLP can help implement or scale up both new and existing solutions, working closely with the private sector, civil society and community leaders.

    As part of this, the United Kingdom has committed £1.5 billion finance for forests over 2021-25, as part of a wider £3bn ring fence for nature. As part of this, the UK is announcing a further £65m for the nature pillar of the Climate Investment Fund, which will place Indigenous people and local communities, who shoulder the burden of climate change, at the heart of forest protection across rainforests, cloud forests and island forests. The UK is also today announcing that we are working on a new programme of £90 million towards the protection of the Congo Basin as part of our promise to support this region. The Congo Basin is the world’s most efficient carbon sink, supports the livelihoods of over 80 million people, and is home to 10,000 species of tropical plants – as well as endangered species like forest elephants, chimpanzees and mountain gorillas.

    Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak said:

    For too long the world’s forests have been undervalued and underestimated. They are one of the great natural wonders of our world, and with the loss of our forests accounting for more than 10% of global emissions, protecting them is one of the best ways of getting us back on track to 1.5 degrees.

    That’s why the UK put nature at the heart of COP26, and countries home to 90 per cent of the world’s forests committed not just to halting but reversing forest loss and land degradation by 2030.

    Let’s build on what we have achieved and together secure this incredible legacy for our children and the many generations to come.

    H. E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana, said:

    Forest loss can be averted. There is, however, the need for a dedicated space, globally, to provide the needed support and accountability checks to countries that are committed to delivering the Glasgow Leaders Declaration. The FCLP is a first and key step towards this goal, and Ghana supports and endorses, fully, the FCLP.

    Olaf Scholz, Chancellor of Germany, said:

    Our joint global commitment to halt deforestation and restore forests needs to be translated into concrete and scaled action on the ground that will benefit people, biodiversity and the climate. Germany has joined the Forests and Climate Leaders’ Partnership today since we are convinced that it provides a strong forum for international collaboration to progress on this front. To underpin our commitment, Germany will support the establishment of the partnership’s secretariat and is doubling its initial contribution to the Global Forest Finance Pledge to a total of 2 billion EUR.

    At the inaugural Forest and Climate Leaders’ Summit, an alliance of government leaders, companies, financial actors and Indigenous peoples’ will report on progress. This includes:

    • Contributing countries demonstrating unparalleled levels of accountability and transparency. 12 countries will report a combined spend of $2.67 billion to support activities in developing countries, including restoring degraded land, tackling wildfires and supporting the rights of indigenous communities.
    • At least $4.5bn of newly-mobilised public and private sector funding will be announced.
    • Leading financial institutions from Japan to Norway to Brazil, all signatories to the Financial Sector Commitment on Eliminating Commodity-driven Deforestation have been moving forward with implementation through the Finance Sector Deforestation Action (FSDA) initiative. FSDA members have published shared investor expectations for companies, are stepping up engagement activity and are working with policymakers and data providers. New members joining in 2022 include SouthBridge Group, the first African financial institution to join the initiative, Banco Estado de Chile, London CIV and GAM Investments.
    • In their call to action, the GFANZ co-chairs and vice chair, including Mark Carney, are calling on all financial institutions to embed deforestation into their net zero transition plans.

    The FCLP will hold annual meetings to encourage accountability, including leader-level events at climate COPs. Starting in 2023, the FCLP will also publish an annual Global Progress Report that includes independent assessments of global progress toward the 2030 goal, as well as summarising progress made by the FCLP itself, including in its action areas and initiatives.

    At the Summit, those who spoke alongside Prime Minister Rishi Sunak included: President Emmanuel Macron of France, President Akufo-Addo of Ghana, President Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo, President Petro of Colombia, Chancellor Scholz of Germany, and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Flood Action Week – Households urged to prepare in 2022 year of extremes [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Flood Action Week – Households urged to prepare in 2022 year of extremes [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 7 November 2022.

    Communities are being urged to prepare for flooding this winter with the Environment Agency warning of “ignoring the danger at your own peril”.

    Amid increased extreme weather events brought on by the climate emergency, the Environment Agency is launching an awareness campaign – Flood Action Week – to encourage those who live in areas at risk of flooding to act now to protect their home, possessions and family.

    This year alone, the UK experienced its highest ever recorded temperatures, as the Met Office confirmed that England had its joint hottest summer on record with much of the country still struggling with drought.

    Looking ahead to this winter, although the Met Office says the chance of wet and windy weather increases as we go through the season, unexpected flooding could occur at any time and communities are being warned not to be complacent following this summer’s dry weather.

    Since 1998 we have seen six of the ten wettest years on record and this year for the first time ever saw three named storms in one week.

    One of the key messages coming from COP27, which gets underway in Egypt this week, is that we must plan and prepare for increasingly extreme events.

    As we have seen across the globe, the effects of climate change are becoming clearer, with wildfires raging across Europe; China experiencing its worst heatwave in decades; and devastating floods in Pakistan ripping through communities killing more than 1500 people and displacing millions.

    This Flood Action Week (7 November – 13 November) the Environment Agency is urging people to take three simple steps:

    Caroline Douglass, Executive Director of Flooding at the Environment Agency, said:

    Climate change is happening now. We’re seeing more extreme weather – in this year alone with three named storms in a week, record-breaking temperatures and drought declared across large parts of the country.

    “That is why it is vital that people take the necessary preparations as early as possible to prepare for the worst. Our recent investment programme has better protected 314,000 homes from flooding and we’re investing millions into keeping communities safe, but we can’t stop all flooding.

    The message is clear – households risk ignoring the danger of flooding at their own peril. Anyone can go online to check if they are at risk, sign up for Environment Agency warnings, and, most importantly, know what you need to do if flooding hits.

    Floods Minister Rebecca Pow said:

    I know how devastating flooding can be – the loss of your home, the financial stress, and the destruction of irreplaceable, sentimental belongings all place unbelievable strain on those affected.

    Simple steps such as checking your flood risk online and signing up for flood warnings can make all the difference in terms of preparing yourself for what may come.

    We are committed to pressing ahead with our record £5.2 billion investment in flood and coastal defences between 2021 and 2027 to ensure more communities are even better prepared for future flooding events.

    This year’s Flood Action Week comes as the Environment Agency has now expanded its flood warning service to reach almost 50,000 new properties at risk of flooding and hopes to exceed its target to provide new warning capability for 62,000 properties at risk of flooding by this winter. It brings the number of properties registered with the service to 1.6 million.

    With over 250 mobile pumps and 5,000 trained staff across the country, the Environment Agency is ready to take action wherever it is needed this winter. The construction and repair of flood defences has also continued throughout the year as part of the record £5.2 billion government investment in flood and coastal defences.

    These preparations have already helped to protect communities from flooding. During the storms earlier this year, despite some 400 properties sadly flooding, around 35,000 were protected by Environment Agency schemes.

    Will Lang from the Met Office said:

    Winters in the UK usually include a wide variety of weather, and this winter looks to be no exception.

    Although we expect to see high pressure dominating our weather through much of the early winter, which increases the potential for cold spells, we could still see wet and windy weather at times.

    The risk of unsettled weather increases as we head into 2023 with wet, windy, and mild spells a real possibility.

    At least one in six people in England are at risk from flooding from rivers and the sea, with many more at risk from surface water flooding.

    However nearly two in three households at risk of flooding don’t believe it will happen to them, according to analysis produced by the Environment Agency earlier this year.

    And despite the research showing that almost two thirds of people (60%) have taken at least one action to prepare for flooding, as many as 1.5 million households, who are at risk, are yet to prepare.

    Those at risk are encouraged to follow the advice to ‘Prepare. Act. Survive’, specifically:

    • If there is an initial flood alert – prepare by packing medicines and insurance and other important documents and visit the flood warning information service
    • If there is a subsequent confirmed flood warning – act by moving family, pets and belongings to safety. Turn off gas, water and electricity
    • If there is a severe flood warning – survive immediate danger by following the advice of emergency services or calling 999 if needed

    With just 30cm of flowing water being enough to float a car, drivers are also being warned not to attempt to drive through flood water and take extra precautions in wet weather.

    Tony Rich, from The AA said:

    It’s vital for drivers to be aware of the risks of driving in floodwater and during heavy rain. Roads can quickly become flooded, making your intended route impassable, so allow plenty of time for journeys. It’s also important to leave more space than normal between you and the car in front to allow for greater stopping distances.

    Drivers should take extra care where roads dip, especially under bridges as these are most likely to flood first. Flood water can be deceptively deep and can easily cause damage to your vehicle’s bodywork or worse – the engine, often resulting in hefty repair bills.

    Flood water can also mask other hazards in the road, such as displaced drain covers and potholes, so if in doubt turn around and find another route. Doing this may add time to your journey, but as it only takes 30cm of flowing water to float a car – it’s better to be safe than sorry.