Moorlands Climate Action (MCA) is keen to know how candidates will help to tackle the climate emergency in Staffordshire if elected.

We want to work with councillors to try and make the best of the situation we find ourselves in. If you would like to work with us, please keep in touch.

This questionnaire has been sent to all the candidates and we will put an unbiased document together with the responses to help you and hold you to account. Please note that we will also document non-responses.

You can fill in the questions here; https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeymCRhTN5DBxDbKCDvu0K3Zijy_tQ3XKL_xPav6uqq-iOohQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

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A group of MCA members have written a report to respond to SMDC's Draft Action Plan.  You can read this by downloading the pdf file in this link.

MCA Response to SMDC's Action Plan.

 

There has been some debate about installing EV charging points in the Moorlands but not apparently much action. However, the climate clock is ticking and we hope that you can help us put pressure on SMDC to implement what should after all be an easy hit. As you can see in the Pressure on Politicians article above, we’ve introduced a new feature to the newsletter to encourage our supporters to write to local politicians on pressing matters relating to the climate crisis. As outlined in that article, it’s well understood that writing to your political representative can have an impact, especially if they receive a lot of messages on the same topic and the writers are not perceived to be political activists. Please read it if you would like to participate. We provide a sample letter and bullet points here.

As our regular readers will be aware, one of MCA’s key commitments in working towards Net-Zero Carbon, is to engage with local authorities and hold them to account. So far, we’ve been successful in encouraging SMDC to declare a climate emergency; set up a Climate Change sub-committee and, after some delay, establish specialist working groups to report to it, with MCA representatives attending these group meetings.

Since progress has been very slow, we are trying to inject a greater sense of urgency; more understanding of the issues; a greater awareness of what can be achieved and what other councils are doing, as well as an awareness of MCA’s expertise and our willingness to help.

THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN  -  READ ABOUT ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING POINTS

The pace is hotting up on climate action in the Moorlands and, as ever, MCA is in the thick of it. Deadlines are looming for SMDC to finally deliver on a plan to underlie its commitment to achieve Net Zero Carbon by 2030, and much work remains to be done. In late January, Councillor Porter finally unveiled his long-awaited draft action plan and it is fair to say that the reaction to the document was underwhelming. Speaking at the SMDC Climate Committee, MCA’s Mike Jones gave the report a C-minus; some councillors were less polite. Even Cllr Porter seemed a little hesitant about the fruits of his labours. It certainly was shockingly thin on numbers, data and dates.

The new timetable is for a proper action plan for the council’s own emissions by spring – which to judge by the flowers and the birds is coming up fast – followed by a document on non-council emissions in the summer. That latter phase will be informed by the results of the various SMDC working groups, on which MCA members sit.

A public consultation is then planned in the autumn, in time for a final plan by the start of the COP-26 Climate Summit in Glasgow in November, 2021 – a full two and a half years since SMDC declared a climate emergency.

Moorlands Climate Action enters 2021 angry, determined and resolute. Angry at the continued failure of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council to come up with a coherent plan – any plan – to translate their declaration of a climate emergency into action. Determined to continue to campaign on this and other climate matters. Resolute because throughout the year, the actions of members have shown that, together, they constitute the largest pool of citizen knowledge and commitment on climate and environmental issues in the district.

Apart from developing the most comprehensive critique of SMDC inaction, while maintaining sustained and constructive participation in SMDC climate working groups, MCA has cemented its district-wide credibility by cooperating with officials at town and district level in practical matters such as a water bottle refill scheme and town planting.

As an organisation it has strengthened its links with other climate action groups. Indeed, some members have found through their participation in online climate forums and seminars that MCA is considerably ahead of many fellow campaigners in other parts of the UK. We don’t, of course, view this as a competition, and have no desire to be ‘World Beating’ in climate matters. Doing our tiny bit to help others help save the World will do.