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media release everyone - Scotland's environment groups campaigning together (500,000 supporters, 26 organisations, ONE voice) ‘Candidate watch’ website to monitor parties pledges on environment Friday 22 April 2005 Public encouraged to "surf before you vote"
Voters across Scotland are to be provided with a simple guide to how their local election candidates measure up on the "biggest threat facing the planet" – climate change. From today (Friday 22 April) Scottish Environment LINK's everyone campaign will begin publishing, on its website, the replies received in response to questions sent to candidates from the six main political parties.
The everyone campaign
is an initiative from Scottish Environment LINK [1],
the umbrella body for Scotland's environmental organisations. Using
the slogan 'cut climate change – turn the heat up on your MP' the groups
are
pressing candidates to pledge, if elected, to make year-on-year cuts
in
climate emissions.
"Climate change represents the biggest threat facing the planet right now. Much environmental legislation is now devolved. However, some key areas of government policy that could help cut climate change remain at Westminster. Our campaign is about reminding the public that when it comes to climate change - knowing where each candidate stands on this issue is important.
" At our website - www.everyonecan.org - voters will be able to see at a glance exactly how each of the main political candidates measure up on tackling climate change. We are also encouraging the public to engage in the political process by quizzing their candidates locally and online. So the message to the public is simple. If you care about want to cut climate change, then be sure to surf our website before you vote."
ENDS
More information on the campaign: Lang Banks (FoE): 0131 554 9977
NOTES TO EDITORS:
[1] The everyone campaign is an initiative from Scottish Environment LINK, the umbrella body for Scotland's environmental organisations. Campaigning together as the everyone coalition, the groups plan to mobilise their collective half a million supporters to challenge politicians to step up action to cut global climate change. Using the slogan 'cut climate change, turn the heat up on your MP' the groups have published a series of election demands they wish politicians to take action on.
The everyone campaign is demanding that politicians come forward with policies that will deliver year-on-year progress toward a cut of at least 20 per cent in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010, and put us on a path to a 60 per cent cut by 2050.
• The campaign is providing user-friendly information packs and has launched a campaigning website: http://www.everyonecan.org with briefing materials and information on contacting candidates.
• Campaign postcards and an e-mail advert will be circulated widely to encourage people to get involved.
• LINK groups are organising a
series of 'quiz the candidates' meetings.
The everyone cut climate change campaign is open to any group which agrees with the campaign aims and is currently supported by: Association of Regional and Island Archaeologists, Badenoch and Strathspey Conservation Group, Biological Recording in Scotland, Butterfly Conservation Scotland, Cairngorms Campaign, Friends of the Earth Scotland, Greenpeace UK, Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust, John Muir Trust, Marine Conservation Society, Mountaineering Council of Scotland, The National Trust for Scotland, North East Mountain Trust, Plantlife, Ramblers' Association Scotland, Reforesting Scotland, RSPB Scotland, ruralScotland, Soil Association Scotland, Scottish Countryside Activities Council, Scottish Countryside Rangers' Association, Scottish Wild Land Group, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Sustrans Scotland, TRANSform Scotland, Woodland Trust Scotland and WWF Scotland
[2] The everyone campaign wrote to all the candidates
from the six main parties asking them to respond to the following two
questions on climate
change:
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