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6th December 2022
Climate special
concrete-online.co.uk/news/ | @ConcreteUEA
Exclusive :
Clive Lewis MP on the costs of climate change Charlotte Gullick News Writer
by 2030 (70% wind and solar, 30% nuclear, hydrogen and other renewables), the instating of a publicly owned energy company, and to triple the amount of solar power production, and quadruple offshore wind farms. In putting this to Mr Lewis, he remarked “Infinite growth on a finite planet is not scientifically possible. I think my par ty does tend to focus too much on growth; let ’s focus on the things that need fixing, rewilding, renewable tech, retrofitting, properly paid social care jobs, nursing, increasing the number of nurses and doctors, enhancing and increasing the roles of teachers.”
As the annual UN climate change conference, COP27, comes to an end, many of us may be left with questions, and no more so than towards our local representatives. In a Concrete exclusive, our local MP – Labour ’s Clive Lewis – reflects on the politics of the ‘climate crisis’, and shares his views on the steps we can take as a community here in Nor wich Expanding on the economics South. of the climate crisis, Lewis repeatedly highlighted that When asked the seemingly “you don’t have to wear a hard obvious question of his views hat to be in a green job.” He on climate change, Lewis wants to see fur ther investment highlighted his views on the in the “jobs which enhance impor tance of framing, stating, our wellbeing, enhance our “It's not climate change, it ’s a mental health…That ’s the kind climate crisis; it ’s not just about of growth of the economy that change, it ’s catastrophic change I want to see, rather than just that ’s taking place which is seeing empty growth in terms going to cause a crisis.” of consumption or par ts of the economy which are harming the environment and the ecological systems which we need to sur vive.”
"the biggest thing
people can do is take an interest"
With regard to political policy, it was clear the former Shadow Defence Secretar y believed his par ty was not doing enough.
Asked what he would be telling the leaders of the Conser vative par ty to do right now if he was their environmental advisor, he exclaimed that he would call for them to “resign!” and added “ The Conser vative par ty is inimical to genuine climate action. I personally think that capitalism - or the variations on capitalism that we have at the moment - is always going to struggle to be able to tackle the climate crisis”.
At their recent autumn conference, The Labour Par ty pledged 100% clean electricity Mr
Lewis
emphasised
to
us
Photo: Pixabay
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that he was a self defining “Socialist ”, in a break from the Moving on to the current cost more social-democrat (centre of living crisis, Lewis remarked on how the energy crisis and left) political positioning of the the climate crisis are “one in the current Labour Par ty leadership. same thing”. In the context of the Just Stop Oil protests that have been materialising across the countr y in recent weeks, Lewis responded that “yes”, there are circumstances in which breaking the law is permissible: “those protesters, I think,
"you don't have to wear a hard hat to be in a green job"
when they make their case in a peaceful way, and sometimes it is disruptive - I am suppor tive of that. I personally think that they have ever y right to do what they need to do in the way that they want to express themselves, in a peaceful way, to make their point. And I’ll make the point that there is a big backlash about the fact that they ’ve delayed ambulances and so on, and I’m afraid to say that this government and the way it has treated the NHS in the 12 years of austerity has probably contributed more than any climate protester ever has.”
He emphasised “what is driving inflation is excess profiteering, we know that there are a large number of companies that are increasing their prices under the guise of inflation, because they can, and they ’re generating super profits…you can just look at the oil companies they are a classic example of that, and they are benefitting ver y much from a crisis, in par t, of their own making.”
the argument, say oh hold on a second why are they protesting, what ’s happening, what are the failures." Lewis also urged readers to vote and hold those accountable who possess the ultimate power to make a difference, without putting too much pressure on ourselves to tr y and fix things with personal actions, and instead to come together as a community.
"The Conservative party is inimical to genuine
Lewis continued to explain that not only nationally but globally climate action" those who are poorest are those most affected by the climate crisis; from those struggling to heat their homes in the UK this winter to those affected by adverse weather conditions in Leaving students with one final the global south. message the Nor wich South MP advised readers to “educate themselves about what is In considering the above, we happening, understand what is asked Mr Lewis what advice happening, and make sure they play he would give to students in an active par t in their democracy, Nor wich; “I think the biggest ensuring that their politicians are thing people can do is take an doing what is necessar y.” interest in these issues, speak up on these issues, and act as If you are registered to vote in a kind of spokesperson in their Nor wich South, you can contact community ; when you go into Clive Lewis MP on any issue work, when you speak to your at clive.lewis.mp@parliament. family, when you hear people uk stating your full name and saying ‘oh those pesky climate address. protesters’ and have