On Tuesday 23rd April 2019, sparked by the visit of Greta
Thunberg to the UK, the Westminster leaders of the UK political
parties, except for the Prime Minister and the DUP (both
invited), took part in a private round-table with a number of the
leaders of the youth climate strikes to discuss the UK’s response
to the deteriorating ecological crises.
At that meeting, the Westminster Leaders present agreed to
three actions. These actions mark a significant cross-party
response to Greta’s visit to the UK; the UK youth climate strikes
and ongoing climate protests; the IPCC’s Special Report on 1.5
Degrees; the upcoming Committee on Climate Change report on a
net-zero greenhouse gas target for the UK on May 2nd; and above
all, the knowledge that it is young people across the world who
will bear the brunt of the climate crisis.
, who called the round-table,
said, “Climate change is the greatest challenge of our
time and it is only right that we work across party divides to
show leadership on this issue. It is therefore deeply
disappointing the Government refused to take part in today’s
discussion.”
“Today, we have agreed a few small steps – the task
ahead of us is to put into action real changes that will ensure
young people are guaranteed a secure, safe and prosperous future.
We must do what is scientifically necessary, not what’s deemed
politically possible. ”
There is an open invitation for the Government, and all
other political parties, to sign-up to these cross-party
actions.
Ongoing Cross-Party Cooperation & Dialogue with
Young People
By working together collaboratively, political parties,
even without the Government, can start to build the bold
solutions and public consent needed to ensure young people are
guaranteed a secure, safe and prosperous future.
Westminster party leaders therefore agree to ongoing
cross-party roundtables with the youth climate strikers - and to
increased cross-party collaboration on climate change, including
an agreement to issue a statement endorsing the UK’s bid to host
COP26 in 2020.
Supporting the UK Youth Climate
Assemblies
Over the coming months, the UK youth climate strikers will
continue to expand and build their movement - and it is essential
that the views of young people are incorporated into the
decision-making of politicians and political parties and that
politicians have chance to engage directly with young people
across the UK.Westminster party leaders therefore agree to
actively support and engage with youth climate assemblies in
towns and cities across the UK.
Stress-Test UK Climate Policy
The United Kingdom has signed and ratified the Paris
Climate Agreement - the international treaty negotiated in 2015
part of the United Nations’ climate framework - which places a
commitment on the UK to meet the targets in the Paris Agreement,
including efforts to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees
celsius.
Westminster party leaders therefore agree, as a
minimum, to accept and meet the imminent recommendation of the
Committee on Climate Change on net-zero - and that they will seek
a common framework to ensure party policy and manifestos are in
line with CCC recommendations and the Paris Climate
Agreement.
Alongside these initial actions, the Party Leaders
reiterated their support for lowering the voting age to 16 and to
ensure that knowledge and information about the causes and
solutions to the ecological crises are at the heart of our
education system.
Leaders
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