NEW GROUND SPRING 2015 Campaigning For Environmental Change & Social Justice IS THIS OUR LAST CHANCE TO SAVE THE PLANET? election special 2015 MARIA EAGLE MP THE NEXT on Labour’s plans for the GENERATION natural environment Labour’s Greenest Candidates CAROLINE FLINT MP on why this is the most important election for the environment Welcome to this election election special edition special of New Ground. 2015 Many are saying that this election at the National Policy Forum. is the last chance to safeguard our In this edition of New Ground we environment. We are witnessing highlight many of these, with articles record losses to our nation from Caroline Flint, soon to be our and planet’s biodiversity. The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate negotiations in Paris Climate Change and Maria Eagle, ABOUT in 2015 – and the actions that the next Secretary of State for the New Ground is published by follow – are being seen as the last Environment. We’ve also featured SERA, Labour’s environment hope of keeping global climate some SERA members who are campaign www.sera.org.uk change within 2 degrees. standing as candidates – including Email: [email protected] details of how you can help their Voters are facing a stark choice campaigns to become Labour MPs. If you would like to contribute between a Tory Government to future editions or join our that has been strong on green I look forward to hearing about mailing list, please contact rhetoric but slow on green action, your experiences on the campaign Melanie Smallman, Co-Chair at and a Labour Government with trail, which we will highlight in the [email protected] a strong record and passionate next edition of New Ground. The views expressed in New commitment to the environment. Ground are those of the Best wishes authors and not necessarily SERA members can be proud of Melanie Smallman those of the editor, SERA its Labour’s manifesto, which we Co-Chair, SERA executive or its members. helped influence through our role April 2015 CONTENTS WELCOME 2 NEWS News in Brief 3 NEWS Big Six Pamphlet 3 NEWS East Coast 4 NEWS Parliamentary Candidate Pack 2015 5 FEATURE Most Important Election Ever - Caroline Flint MP 6 FEATURE Labour Will Bring Nature Closer to People - Maria Eagle MP 8 FEATURE The Next Generation, Labour’s Greenest Candidates 10 FEATURE Decarbonising The Power Sector - Alan Whitehead 12 FEATURE History of SERA - Andy Roberts 14 FEATURE Our Better Environmental Plan - Alex Mayer 15 FEATURE 2015 Quick Election Environment Facts 16 SERA Campaigning For Environmental Change & Social Justice 2. NEWS NEWS in brief 2015 MARCH 2015 a global climate deal negotiated, JULY 2014 SERA members marched at the panellists agreed we wanted At Labour’s National Policy People’s Climate March” in London Labour ministers at the negotiating Forum, SERA took forward a in solidarity with over 400,000 table at these crucial events. number of amendments to the people across the globe. policy documents including SEPTEMBER 2015 a commitment to reduce air FEBRUARY 2015 SERA’s annual rally took place pollution, stronger promises on SERA organised a special event at the Labour Party Conference how we will support community in partnership with the Labour in Manchester. Titled ‘The New energy, a clear duty on Campaign for International Generation: Energising the transport authorities to involve Development to discuss the Future’ the packed audience passengers in decision-making next Labour Government’s heard five-minute future visions and a commitment that the internationalist vision. for a brighter, greener Britain, new homes built by the Labour from a new generation of MPs, Government will be built to be Douglas Alexander, Mary Creagh, PPCs, Councillors, Trade Union as energy and water efficient Caroline Flint and Ian Lucas and Business Leaders. Speakers and accessible as possible. We spoke about how internationalism included Shadow Secretary of secured some good successes. The final document can be read is in Labour’s DNA. As well as State for Business Chuka Umunna HERE: http://www.yourbritain. being election year, 2015 will MP, Shadow Secretary of state for Energy and Climate Change org.uk/uploads/editor/files/ also see a new set of Sustainable NPF_Annual_Report_2014.pdf Development Goals agreed, and Caroline Flint MP and many more. SERA & THE CO-OP PARTY SET OUT PLAN TO Turn‘Big Six’ into ‘Big Six Thousand’ SERA have set out plans to develop and makes recommendations a ‘Big Six Thousand’ of community- on how policymakers can the next generation owned energy suppliers to challenge facilitate a community energy supporting a revolution in community owned renewable energy the dominance of the ‘Big Six’ in revolution, unlocking the the energy market – providing sector’s huge potential. a fairer deal for consumers and reducing their carbon footprint. We set out plans for the creation of a national community-owned Agamemnon Otero and Afsheen Rashid Our pamphlet ‘The Next renewable energy fund, community Generation,‘ sets out a vision feed-in tariffs and renewable heat for community energy, drawing incentives as well as allowing on lessons and examples from community-owned energy groups Download HERE: http://party. coop/wp-content/blogs.dir/5/ community owned renewable to be able to supply energy direct files/2014/12/next-gen-final- energy projects across the country to residents for the very first time. web.pdf?8b5145&892eac SERA Campaigning For Environmental Change & Social Justice 3. NEWS WAVING GOODBYE to East Coast SERA HAS CONDEMNED public sector operators, as Richard Howitt MEP who THE COALITION well as cooperatively owned was there to wave goodbye GOVERNMENT’S not-for profits organisations, to the final train said: privatisation OF THE to be allowed to bid for EAST COAST MAINLINE franchises when they expire. “East Coast was successful as TRAIN FRANCHISE. a publically owned and run rail Michael Dugher, Shadow franchise, consistently delivering “The publicly run East Coast Transport Secretary reconfirmed profits for the Treasury that could Mainline has returned £800 million Labour’s commitment to be used to fund nurses and schools. to the public purse since it was this position saying: “That money will now be lost to the brought back into public ownership. UK taxpayer and instead to go into Instead of being the victim of a “Labour is committed to the hands of the private sector. pre-election fire-sale, it should legislating to allow a not-for-profit “It’s clear we need Labour to get have been the model for running public sector operator to take on our railways back on track.” other railways in the UK.” SERA and challenge train operators on co-chair Melanie Smallman said. a level playing field, safeguarding taxpayer and passenger interests Richard Howitt MEP For the past two years, SERA and putting in place a system with Cllr Sharon Taylor has been campaigning for that is fit for purpose.” It’s CLEAR WE NEED LABOUR TO GET OUR RAILWAYS BACK ON TRACK SERA Campaigning For Environmental Change & Social Justice 4. NEWS PARLIAMENTARY Candidate Pack Daniel Zeichner PARLIAMENTARY PACK 2015 SERA HAS PRODUCED They even tried to sell off the A “PARLIAMENTARY nation’s forests – backed as usual CANDIDATE PAck” full of by the LibDem MP for Cambridge useful facts and figures about on one of the 782 occasions he the environment, Labour’s plans voted with the Tories. Don’t let for Government, why you can’t the LibDems greenwash you! PROTECTING trust the Tories, LibDems, Greens OUR ENVIRONMENT A PACK FOR PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES or UKIP on the environment This government are also mistaken and a handy A-Z for hustings. in the belief that there is a trade-off CONTENTS between protecting British jobs and I’m Executive member of SERA, a tackling climate change. I recently WHY LABOUR IS THE ONLY PARTY TO P2 1 TRUST WITH OUR ENVIRONMENT GREEN ECONOMY P4 2 P6 Labour Parliamentary candidate, hosted a summit in Cambridge with ENERGY CLIMATE CHANGE P8 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT P10 TRANSPORT P12 P14 and a life-long environmental AIR POLLUTION representatives of the cleantech 3 A-Z FOR HUSTINGS P15 P18 campaigner. I used to run my own sector who know this is simply not 4 DEALING WITH THE GREENS AND UKIP 5 ARTICLES FOR YOUR CAMPAIGN P19 LITERATURE business, the “Red and Green” the case. Supporting our low-carbon CALENDAR OF CAMPAIGN P20 6 OPPORTUNITIES 7 FIND OUT MORE P21 plant nursery. When people industries, creating new high skilled, visited they thought the name had well paid jobs while transforming something to do with the colour our environment, is an essential of the front door and looked part of a strategy to earn our way astonished when I told them it was out of the cost-of-living crisis. It’s because my politics were both Red a win-win approach, but will need and Green. I remain committed a Labour Government, the right to that view today. I understand leadership and right regulatory that climate change is real, man- framework to make it happen. made and happening and I know that only a Labour Government In 2015, the year of the UN Paris will show the leadership and take Climate Change Conference, the necessary action to safeguard ensuring we have a Labour the future of our planet. Government really is vital for our environment. I’ll be using David Cameron promised to my SERA Parliamentary pack lead “the greenest government at hustings meetings coming ever”, he said “vote blue, go up, to spread Labour’s positive green”, he hugged a husky and message and I hope you will too. changed the Tory logo from a If you are a Labour candidate and fossil fuel burning torch to a would like to request a pack please lovely oak tree.