All posts by Peter Robinson

Derby City Councillors give the lead and call on Pension Fund to divest from fossil fuels

Press Release: For Immediate Release 8 March 2018

This week Derby City Councillors called on the Derbyshire Pension Fund to divest from fossil fuel and fracking companies [1]. Councillors voted overwhelmingly in support of a motion [2] to reduce fossil fuel dependence in order to prevent climate change and reduce the financial risk to pension members. Continue reading Derby City Councillors give the lead and call on Pension Fund to divest from fossil fuels

After the election – what now for climate action?

The future of the country is thrown open to new possibilities.

Young people turned out to vote in record numbers. Now politicians need to respond to those who have the biggest stake in securing a secure future on a liveable planet.

We don’t know how national politics will play out in the coming days and months.
But we know that the UK needs to align ourselves internationally with progressive nations, not with Donald Trump’s climate denial and dishonesty. We need to invest in climate jobs, taking advantage of cheap renewable energy, and building essential infrastructure. We need to make sure Brexit doesn’t scupper environmental protection.

What happens next? Can we trust Conservative minority government supported by the DUP?  While climate change scepticism is not official party “policy”, the DUP has previously appointed a denier as environment minister in Northern Ireland. The Campaign against Climate Change  has spoken out against the Conservative government’s backtracking on important climate change policies in the past two years. If the plan is to carry on with more of the same, however, they will find it difficult.

They will face ever stronger community resistance to fracking, legal challenges against dangerous schemes such as Heathrow expansion, and opposition from all those determined to take action to put the planet and the people who live on it, before profit. Join us.

Air Pollution in Derby and other Green Forum matters

The Derby Green Forum was held on Thursday 25 May 2017 and was attended by 33 people, from a wide variety of backgrounds. Three councillors were there (the Deputy Leader of the Council – Martin Rawson, Lucy Care and the new mayor – John Whitby (who said that his priority was promoting all green agenda) along with a number a number of officers from Derby City Council.

The notes for the meeting can be accessed by clicking here  Derby Green Forum Minutes 25 May 2017.

Air Pollution was the principal item . The map, shown above, shows the relationship between traffic and air pollution. This has been taken from the presentation by Karl Suschitzky’s,  from the City Council  Environmental Protection team. This is merely a screen shot from the Council’s public mapping portal which is available for access by anyone at the following address: http://maps.derby.gov.uk/  then you need to use the ‘choose an option’ drop downs in the top left corner to select ‘environment and protection’ and then select the ‘air quality management areas’ layer. Helpfully, you can zoom in on any specific location to look at the air quality in more detail in specific areas. Continue reading Air Pollution in Derby and other Green Forum matters

Derby Green Forum

derby_Green_Forum_22nov2016_eflyerDerby Climate Coalition, in partnership with Derby City Council, is setting up a quarterly forum where individuals and organisations can discuss green matters related to Derby – including green and renewable energy supply, sustainable transportation, buildings and planning issues.

This is meeting at the Council House at 6.30 pm on Tuesday November the 22nd.

Please come along and join the discussion! Book your free seat by clicking on this link: https://derby_green_forum_nov2.eventbrite.co.uk

Agenda items so far include:

  • Air pollution in Derby
  • Bike hire scheme

European Funded low energy project for Businesses

Let us know if you have any items for the agenda by emailing derbyclimatecoalition@gmail.comderby_Green_Forum_22nov2016_eflyer

Hoping to see you

Martin Rawson Deputy Leader of Derby City Council

Peter Robinson  Chair of Derby Climate Coalition

More than 1,000 people take part in an anti-fracking rally, in York,

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More than 1,000 people from across the North and including 8 supporters of Derby climate coalition, united to take part in an anti-fracking rally, in York, where they marched from Clifford’s Tower to the city’s minster. (See this link on BBC news) Continue reading More than 1,000 people take part in an anti-fracking rally, in York,

Don’t Waste Billions Of £s On Nuclear Power

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Greenpeace are calling upon people to sign the following petition:
      To: Chancellor Philip Hammond
      CC: Theresa May, Prime Minister
“Don’t waste billions of pounds building a new nuclear plant at Hinkley Point in Somerset. Please invest government spending in renewable energy instead.”

Please click on this link and sign the petition.

Continue reading Don’t Waste Billions Of £s On Nuclear Power

Shattered records show climate change is an emergency today, scientists warn

May was the 13th month in a row to break temperature records according to figures published this week that are the latest in 2016’s string of incredible climate records which scientists have described as a bombshell and an emergency.

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Continue reading Shattered records show climate change is an emergency today, scientists warn