Draft Climate Change Bill Panel Debate
Thursday 7th June 2007

at the University of Gloucestershire
Francis Close Hall

This event was held at the request of our local MP, Martin Horwood, who is one of the Environment spokespeople for the Liberal Democrat party.

Martin was keen to see a public event debating the pros and cons of the Draft Climate Change bill before the public consultation period came to an end – Tuesday 12th June. The event was swiftly organised in 3 weeks and was a joint effort by staff at Vision 21 (Cheltenham’s local sustainable development organisation) and a local FoE member who also works at the University of Gloucestershire (Cathy Green). June 7th was chosen because not only was it only 2 days after World Environment Day but it was also the day when the Cheltenham Science Festival was holding most of its climate change events and David Cameron was even in town (David was invited to speak at this event but politely refused as he was speaking to the party faithful in Pittville Pump Room!).

Following intensive and targeted local publicity efforts the event attracted over 70 local people from Cheltenham, Gloucester, Cirencester, Nailsworth and even the Forest of Dean. The organisers were very pleased with the turnout and especially with the presence of an Echo Reporter who even asked Martin Horwood a pertinent question during the event! The speakers were given 5-10 minutes each to give their opinion on the Draft Bill, Martin Horwood brought a PowerPoint presentation which usefully explained the likely passage of the Bill through Parliament and the danger that it would be dropped altogether if Gordon Brown decided to call an early General Election.

Other speakers were: Klara Sudbury, a Conservative Gloucestershire County Councillor, Ian Lander, Chair of BiofuelWatch and a Director of Vision 21 (also a Cheltenham FoE member), Graham Stanley, a Director of Vision 21 and Arran Stibbe, University of Gloucestershire Ecology academic. After the panel had given their views on the Draft Bill the floor was opened up to questions which were chaired by the University’s Student Union President, Daisy Noble. Questions were mainly intelligent and well-informed and demonstrated that there is definitely a need in the county for opportunities to debate the issue of climate change in a serious and informed manner. Many of the national and local politicians are not as informed as many members of the audience, which shows that politicians generally underrate the public’s appetite for serious debate and intelligence. More local people should become involved in politics in order to rectify this balance. Cathy Green was very pleased with the turnout and said: “If this event prompts even half the people who attended to comment on the Draft Climate Change Bill before the deadline of 12th June then it will have been worth all the hard work.”