Thousands urge MPs to tackle climate change

Over 9,000 people demanding climate change action took part in a mass lobby calling on UK politicians to take strong action. Those involved travelled to Westminster to ask their local MPs to tackle the global issue.

The lobby was organised by the Climate Coalition. The organisation wants politicians to work together across party lines to create a low-carbon infrastructure plan, covering energy, transport and the restoration of nature.

The people attending the protest, from nuns to farmers, highlight what a diverse issue climate change is.

Bernard Llewelyn, a farmer from Carmarthenshire, who also runs a tourism business, said, “Climate change is a big issue for farmers. I’m joining this lobby because I’m concerned about the impact it will have on our family farms and the beauty of rural Wales.

“We must address this serious issue for the sake of our food supply and rural economy. If we act now, we can provide a positive future from Welsh family farms and farmers worldwide.”

Double Olympic gold medallist rower Andrew Triggs-Hodge also noted that climate change threatens many aspects of human life, with changing weather patterns being one of the main risks.

“In London, the population depends on a relatively small river basin, the Thames. If the stress to the Thames Basin become intolerable, it will be hard for my sport to continue in the UK. The risk is too great to ignore. That’s why I’m speaking up for the love of rowing,” he added.

Triggs-Hodge’s comments come as a new report suggests human activities are “rapidly draining” some of the world’s largest groundwater aquifers pushing them past sustainable limits.

Catholic nun, Sr Karen Marguerite d’Artois OP explained she attended the lobby because she care about our world and what is happening to it.

She continued, “I’ve come to speak to my MP because climate change is having its greatest impact on the most vulnerable: it’s pushing the poorest people in our world deeper into poverty. We have a responsibility towards those who are less privileged than we are, and we have to start thinking about how our lifestyles affect our brothers and sisters in developing countries.”

Today Pope Francis has issued an encyclical on climate change and the environment calling for action to protect ecosystems and those most at risk of climate impacts.

Photo: soosalu via Flickr

Further reading:

People’s Climate March: 600,000 demand climate action

Climate march in London set to go ahead this weekend

Cameron, Clegg and Miliband sign joint climate change agreement

People’s Climate March: World takes to the streets to demand climate change action

Ban Ki-Moon to take part to climate march during UN climate summit