The Hallowe’en XR march through Hastings Old Town was spectacular – but don’t forget to play your part and contact Sally Ann Hart

Time to do our part to stop climate change

Whilst everyone knows that our climate is changing, there still doesn’t seem to have been many effective measures put in place by government to reduce CO2 emissions. HOT’s Erica Smith shares three simple ways that you can help get the message across to our elected representatives.

The XR “We Want To Live” march through the Old Town on Hallowe’en was an impressive spectacle and a model for socially distanced, Covid-aware campaigning. The police presence was helpful to keep traffic calm behind the protestors, but the reaction to the march was 100% supportive.

XR organiser Felix Lozano said: “Over a hundred turned out to support the march and express their concern for the burning earth and to support the CEE Bill.”

The purpose of the march was to lobby for support for the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill – this is a Private Members’ Bill co-ordinated by an alliance and has been written by scientists, lawyers and activists. It is gathering support from a broad range of campaign groups, businesses, charities and individuals. The bill has the potential to become the most significant move forward since the Climate Change Act 2008.

How you can help #1

In order to make sure that the Hallowe’en protest has more impact than simply another carnival parade, please send an email to our MP, Sally Ann Hart lobbying her to support the CEE Bill. Her email address is: sallyann.hart.mp@parliament.uk

How you can help #2

In order to continue pressure on our County Council representatives, Divest East Sussex have been running a campaign encouraging local residents to send questions in to the full council meetings.

If you haven’t already done so then please take two minutes to send the Divest East Sussex campaign’s ‘Tell the truth about climate change & fossil fuels!” question to East Sussex County Council (ESCC) in time for its next Full Council meeting in December. The deadline is Monday 23 November. Find out more by following this link:.

Divest East Sussex campaigner Gabriel Caryle said: “The current moves to halve the ESCC Pension Fund’s exposure to fossil fuels were won through dogged persistence over the last four years from local residents who have supported our campaign. We’ll only win divestment by escalating that pressure – which we will do – even as COVID-19 sets severe constraints on the types of action that we’re able to organise.”

How you can help #3

Finally, if you’d like to find out more about the Divest East Sussex campaign – including what YOU can do to help make divestment happen – then join the Zoom drop-in tomorrow (Monday 9 November) between 7–8pm.
Email divesteastsussex@gmail.com for a link if you’d like to take part.

Also in: Campaigns