New Forest, Autumn 2021 Around 230 councils in the United Kingdom have declared a climate emergency, many of them setting 2030 as their target date to achieve net-zero carbon. Across the world, and as of June this year, 1,900 local governments in 34 countries have made climate emergency declarations. The term ‘climate emergency’ is used … Read more
Recent news article ‘Senior NFDC Tories at odds over climate change urgency’ was written by Jon Waller – jon.waller@advertiserandtimes.co.uk | Published: 00:30, 19 September 2021. You can read it here: https://www.advertiserandtimes.co.uk/news/senior-nfdc-tories-at-odds-over-climate-change-urgency-9216366/ Our response to this article is below: “Sir – The recent debate over NFDC’s Climate (in)Action, is deeply concerning (reported 19.9.21). The use of ‘Emergency’ vs ‘Action Plan’ would … Read more
Success in the Hampshire County Council elections Well done Greens in the County Council election of 6 May 2021. To have New Forest Green Party candidates standing in all 10 County Council divisions in the New Forest is an achievement in itself. But to then get 10.2% of the vote is quite remarkable. This percentage … Read more
In the first half of the 19th century, the American naturalist and writer Henry David Thoreau wrote ‘Thank God men cannot fly, and lay waste the sky as well as the earth’. He might think differently now. Flying is a wonderful means of transport, with many benefits. It has linked people and countries across the … Read more
This Thursday we go to the ballot box to select our representatives on the County Council. “But what’s the point in voting when nothing ever changes?” The voters of the New Forest could easily be forgiven their apathy when living in such a Conservative stronghold. Our disastrously archaic First Past The Post voting system wildly … Read more
The New Forest Green Party has 10 candidates standing in the Hampshire County Council elections on 6th May, one for each County Council seat in the New Forest district. The world is increasingly coming to the view that climate change is happening and that we are contaminating the air with pollutants and the water with … Read more
To provide sufficient water in its area Southern Water is proposing building a large-scale desalination plant with extensive supply and discharge pipes in a conservation area. What disruption will building it cause? Is the damage to the environment from its construction and subsequent operation justified? Are there better solutions? The availability of drinking water is … Read more
The government’s new document Gear Change – A bold vision for cycling and walking signals a major shift towards promoting greener travel. Increasing cycling and walking, it states, can help tackle some of the most challenging issues we face as a society – improving air quality, combatting climate change, improving health and wellbeing, addressing inequalities … Read more
Overall, the nationwide results can only be a disappointment to those of us who put the environment at the top of our priorities. Locally, however, we have run astonishingly successful campaigns, with 4.8% of votes in the East and 7.7% in the West, these are our best ever results and considerably higher than the national … Read more
Local success for the New Forest Green’s I woke up this morning to bittersweet news in the General Election. The Conservatives may have regained a majority in Parliament, but the Green Party also achieved one of it’s best results, including here in the New Forest. Together with a groundswell of enthusiasm from local members and … Read more