Lewes & Ouse Valley

@ East Sussex County Council

On 19 and 20 July we took two days of action to demand that the Council takes meaningful action in the face of climate change. On the UK’s hottest day so far, we tried to put forward our concerns at the Council’s cabinet meeting. Their response was to eject us from the building and bar all public from the Pension Committee meeting the following day.

We have demanded a public meeting about their climate emergency plan- so citizens can hold the Council to account and share their ideas for bringing emissions down in East Sussex. It’s the least they could do isn’t it? We’ve not yet received an answer and will continue direct action until a meeting is arranged.

Digital action 26 july: #youhadonejob

ESCC’s Resources and Climate Change Committee had one job, to discuss climate change. But the agenda for their meeting on Tuesday 26 July doesn’t have a single thing about climate change on it!

Join us on Zoom at 3pm for a practical session to send a clear message by email, Twitter, Instagram or Facebook that they are #justnotcuttingit!

Please see ESCC’s Resources and Climate Change Committee Agenda. Yes it’s true, absolutely nothing about climate change! there’s no opportunity for the community to engage in this meeting either so as part of our action we’ll be giving them suggestions for what they can talk about!

Join the digital action on Zoom – 3 pm, Tuesday 26 July (Zoom link)

If you can’t make it to the Zoom, just join in on your own any time from 3pm ***EXAMPLE EMAIL, TWEETS AND POSTS HERE***

no ideas + no ambition + no funding

This graph, from the Council’s own ‘Climate emergency plan’ shows that even if they do EVERYTHING they say they will (orange line), they will be nowhere near carbon net zero by 2050 (red line).

In fact, the limits of the Council’s ambition are to change the bulbs in street lights, upgrade the heating systems in some council buildings, and then hope that the government will step in.

But the UK government is criminally complicit in continuing our reliance on oil and gas.

our demands

Our Council must stop passing the buck; stop the excuses and wishful thinking; and step up. They must:

Divest pensions from Fossil Fuels – Invest in our future
Urgently cut their own emissions but also show leadership to drive cuts in local transport, energy, buildings and food.
Listen to the People- The Council must involve and inspire all of us in this mammoth challenge, starting with a public meeting about their climate emergency ‘plan’.