How do we fast track the energy transition? As Greens we know that to create a safe and liveable future for all, we have to end the use of fossil fuels, fast track the energy transition and slash emissions. But how do we get there?

With the backdrop of COP28, deputy leader Zack Polanski hosted Uplift UK’s Policy Lead – Brook Dambacher, Liam Hardy – Senior Policy Analyst at Green Alliance, Ria Patel – Fuel Poverty Director for Croydon Community Energy and Green Party Spokesperson on Equalities and Diversity and Green Peer – Natalie Bennett, to discuss how we can take action to end fossil fuels.

Learn more about the topic

During the event, our panellists mentioned resources that can be helpful for further learning on the topic and ways to get involved. They include:

• Book: ‘Change Everything’ by Natalie Bennett – preorder here
• The Stop Rosebank Campaign and how to take action
• The Warm This Winter Campaign and how to take action
• Green Alliance’s recent report on methane: ‘Why the UK should do more to cut methane emissions’
• Book: ‘The Shock Doctrine’ by Naomi Klein

The post Ending fossil fuels and fast tracking the energy transition: how do we get there? appeared first on Green Living Room.

Inequality defines our capitalist economy. Yet, some have never had it so good: fossil fuel and luxury goods companies are posting record profits, while the wealth of billionaires in the UK has tripled since 2010. In short, the super-rich are getting ever richer – and doing so at the expense of wider society and the health of the planet. As Greens, we know that environmental justice and economic justice must go hand in hand. A greener future must be a fairer future. 

But what are the obstacles we face on that path? And what are the policies that will help us get there? In this Green Talks, deputy leader Zack Polanski hosted Molly Scott Cato (finance & economy spokesperson), Hamza Egal (circular economy lead & Green activist) and Chesca Walton (head of finance and operations at mytalu & parliamentary candidate), to discuss how a decade of austerity, stagnant wages, and rocketing prices have pushed millions into a situation of poverty, and how a Green economy can be a more equal one. Catch a replay of the full discussion below!

Learn more about the topic:

• Book: Green Economics: An Introduction to Theory, Policy and Practice (Earthscan, 2009)
• Book: Post Growth: Life After Capitalism by Tim Jackson (Polity, 2021)
• Book: Kate Raworth: Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist (Penguin, 2018)
• Book: Jason Hickel: Less is More (Penguin, 2023)

Help elect more Greens that want to change our economy into one that works for people and planet:

• Join the Brighton Action Weekend in September to help elect Sian Berry as a Green MP
• Join the Bristol Action Weekend in September to help elect Carla Denyer as a Green MP
• Help get Adrian Ramsay elected as an MP in Waveney Valley
• Support the campaign to get Ellie Chowns elected as an MP in North Herefordshire

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In this important Green Talks, Green Party co-leader hosted George Monbiot, Joycelyn Longdon and Green Peer Natalie Bennett, to discuss why we are seeing empty shelves in the supermarkets so frequently and what we can do to solve the food shortages.

The panellists offered their expert opinions on pathways out of the crisis, and although the solution does not have one answer, they all agreed that we need to build a resilient and sustainable food system that lifts people out of food poverty and insecurity and provides the UK with a proper food strategy that is fit for the future. Catch a reprise of the full discussion below!

During the discussion, the panellists gave mention to a range of brilliant resources, including:

• Find out more about Green Party food and agriculture policies.
• How can we reform the food system so that it produces the food we really need? Natalie Bennett writes more about that in Green World.
• What is land for? We need to overhaul how and what we grow to make the most of our land and fight climate change.
• George Monbiot has written several essays and books on the topic – including ‘The Hunger Gap’. Find out more about them and how to access them here.
• Find out more about Joycelyn Longdon and her organisation Climate in Colour, where you can learn more about climate justice.
• What a food strategy for England could look like.
• House of Lords Committee report on England needing a land use framework.
• Learn more about Food Sovereignty at Climate in Colour’s course.

Help elect more Greens that take the climate crisis seriously by:

• Helping us double our Green councillors in Newham! Sunday 25 June in Upton Park – Green Party Migrant & Refugee Support Spokesperson, Benali Hamdache is coming, are you?
• Joining our Action Day with Green Peer Jenny Jones 2 July to help win a crucial council by-election in the heart of Waveney Valley constituency.
• Coming to our Action Day with Green Peer Natalie Bennett 9 July in Norfolk to help elect Adrian Ramsay as one of our next Green MPs!
• Attending Bristol Summer Special Action Weekend 15-16 July to help elect Carla Denyer as one of our next Green MPs!

The post Why are the shelves empty? appeared first on Green Living Room.

They assessed the current approach to and criminalisation of drugs in the UK and presented their own alternatives. They all agreed that we desperately need change. We need drug laws that are based on dignity, fairness and human rights. The current system favours the illicit drug trade and undermines the poorest in our society. The solutions put forward by the panel put science, safety and harm reduction at the very heart.

Resources mentioned during the event

• Interactive map of drug decriminalization around the world
• Release publication on the unequal enforcement of drug laws and racial injustice
• Release publication on drug decriminalization across the globe
• Release publication on equity and social justice within cannabis reform
• The Green Party Drug Policy Working Group explains our policy in Green World. It is informed by evidence and not political ideology. An approach that puts harm reduction, community safety and an opposition to profiteering at the very heart of drug policy.
• The full Green Party Drug Policy
• Law Enforcement Action Partnership (for drug law reform)
• Zoë writes about how dangerous it is to ban the use of nitrous oxide within the misuse of drugs act
• Reducing drug deaths report from London Assembly Health Committee
• Find out more about the cost our current war on drugs have on the environment
• The cost global drug trade is estimated at $650bn a year and the environmental harm is exponential

Get involved

• The organisation Anyone’s Child are lobbying parliament on 27 June, find out more about how you can join them here
• Help us campaign to get more Greens elected in Bristol in July!
• Help us campaign to get more Greens elected in London!

The post Time to end the war on drugs: what do we propose instead? appeared first on Green Living Room.

Local councils have a vital role to play tackling climate change, that’s why the elections on 4 May are so important. We need more Green Councillors to reach net zero.

Can you help us win more seats, gain power on more councils and break through into new areas by supporting our campaign today?

The post We Need More Green Councillors To Move Faster To Net Zero appeared first on Green Living Room.

In the second instalment of our event series Green Talks, we came together online to discuss how we could make society more equal for all. Green Party Deputy Leader Zack Polanski was joined by Cllr and Equalities & Diversity Spokesperson Ria Patel, Cllr Ekua Bayunu and Prof Richard Wilkinson from The Equality Trust.

We looked at the key drivers of inequality in society today and talked about the impacts of inequality on local communities before discussing what our policies need to focus on to tackle inequality at its core. Finally, our brilliant panellists offered their views on what a more equal society would look like and how we would get there before answering a range of thought-provoking questions from the audience. 

During the discussion, we mentioned the Deyika fund, which was set up in honour of Deyika Nzeribe who was an inspiring member of the Green Party of England and Wales. Deyika was involved with so much including fighting poverty and austerity, tackling racism, promoting equality and defending the environment. You can help us support the Deyika fund here!

The post A Fairer Future: What Will a More Equal Society Look Like? appeared first on Green Living Room.

In this first Green Talks event, we discussed our broken voting system, its challenges and what it would take to fix it. Green Peer Natalie Bennett was joined by Green Party Deputy Leader Zack Polanski, Green Party Councillor Nate Higgins and Owen Winter, Co-founder and Researcher at Make Votes Matter.

We looked at the problem with first past the post and what proportional representation, the idea that seats in Parliament are proportional to the votes cast, would offer as an alternative. The panel also explored the link between electoral systems and climate action, the far right and political participation. Finally, we asked: what can we all do to help achieve a fairer and more equal voting system?

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP ACHIEVE PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION?

1. Donate to the Green Party: You can help us continue to campaign on changing our voting systems by supporting our fiftieth anniversary campaign. Find out how to and more about other activities we are putting on as part of the campaign throughout the year here.
2. Join the Green Party: We are the only party that uncompromisingly has the plans and policies to tackle electoral reform. Join us today.
3. Write to your MP: Tell your MP to support PR! Even if you know your MP is opposed, let them know you care and help MVM keep its records up to date. Write your letter here.
4. Demand voting reform: Pro-PR organisations including Make Votes Matter are organising a mass lobby of Parliament, calling for voting reform. Save the date: Wednesday 24th May – details to be announced in February (check Make Votes Matter’s social media and websites).

LEARN MORE

• Read about how electoral systems can influence policy innovation (article mentioned by Owen Winter from Make Votes Matter during the event).
• Read Nation of Devils by Stein Ringen (book mentioned by Natalie Bennett during the event), on how a government persuades the people to accept its authority.
• Download this digital factsheet by Make Votes Matter on Proportional Representation.
• Molly Scott Cato highlights the unmistakable correlation between a fair voting system and tackling climate change in this article.

The post Electoral Reform: Is Proportional Representation The Solution? appeared first on Green Living Room.

‘The Green Party is the only party with the policies to tackle the cost of living crisis and our acute climate emergency’ – Natalie Bennett, Green Party Peer.

Watch Natalie outline why the local elections on 5 May are important for the future of communities throughout England and Wales 🔽

We are contesting seats in over 100 areas in this election, including all local authorities in London and Wales, which have elections for the first time in four years.

We need help from members and supporters to defend existing seats and break through into new areas. Every penny helps.

The post Vote Green: Help tackle the cost of living crisis appeared first on Green Living Room.

Watch co-leader Carla Denyer making a case for supporting our Fairer Greener Communities election campaign!

The Green Party is leading an energy revolution that will reduce emissions and cut fuel bills.

At our local election campaign launch, co leaders Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay pledged to invest in insulating and installing renewable energy in homes across the country, like in Lewes where we worked with neighbouring councils to retrofit 40,000 council homes.

The launch was held at a housing estate in south east London at risk of demolition by Lambeth Council.

Carla Denyer said:

“In the middle of this cost of living crisis, we know what needs to be done and yet the government is falling so chronically short.

Insulation programmes don’t sound very glamorous but what they can deliver is nothing short of incredible.

“Imagine – a warm, snug home even on the coldest days. Little to no heating bill at all. A neighbourhood that has almost zero emissions.

“That’s what Greens are pushing for alongside local residents.”

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Our recent Green Party Climate Emergency Policy Series recently came to a close. Below you will find a roundup of the replays and blog posts outlining what each policy is, and how it interconnects with our other policies to create the systems change we so desperately need.

EPISODE 1: NO POLICY IS AN ISLAND

Host Zoe Nicholson, who is the Green Party spokesperson for the Green New Deal, Green councillor in Lewes, and deputy leader of Lewes District Council welcomed members of the Green Party Policy Working Group (David Flint, Tony Firkins, Phil Horton) to share how each Green Party policy connects to create the systems change required to deliver environmental, social and economic justice for all. Read the blog post HERE.

EPISODE 2: GLOBAL GREEN CHALLENGES

In this episode of our policy series Carne Ross, our Global Solidarity spokesperson, Cleo Lake, ex-Lord Green Mayor of Bristol, Anika Jane Dorothy, Executive Director of the Green Congress of Kenya (GCK), and members of our Green Party Policy Working Groups discuss where our policies are at and where they still need to go. Read the blog post HERE

EPISODE 3: FUNDING CHANGE

In this episode, the Climate Policy Working group discuss what carbon tax is, and how it funds change Read the blog post HERE

EPISODE 4: GREEN PARTY ENERGY POLICY

In this episode, Green Party Co-Leader, Carla Denyer, joins the Climate Emergency Policy Working Group to discuss the Green Party’s green energy policies. Read the blog post HERE.

EPISODE 5: LAND AND FOOD JUSTICE

The Climate Policy Working Group and Land Policy Working Group join forces to share our land and food policies as they relate to climate policy. Read the blog post HERE.

EPISODE 6: GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND INDUSTRY

Join our Climate Policy Working Group to learn how Greens plan to transform infrastructure and industry with Green Party policy Read the blog post HERE

EPISODE 7: TRANSFORMING TRANSPORT

In this episode, our spokesperson for Transport, Caroline Russel joins Climate Policy Working Group members David Flint, Tony Firkins, councillor Joanna Wright, Professor John Whitelegg and Transport Policy Working Group member, Alan Francis to discuss our policies and how they link together to create systems change. Read the blog post HERE

The post Green Party 2021 Policy Series appeared first on Green Living Room.