Tag: environment

Bishop of Salisbury calls for climate action and legally binding target of net zero emissions by 2045

On 2nd May 2019 the House of Lords debated a motion from Lord Rooker, that “this House takes note of Her Majesty’s Government’s legal responsibility to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as detailed in the Climate Change Act 2008 and the implications of continuing climatic changes for global security and stability and for the world economy.” The Bishop of Salisbury, Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam, spoke in the debate:

The Lord Bishop of Salisbury: My Lords, the context of this debate has changed radically over the past few months. Whatever you think of the tactics of Extinction Rebellion, what has been created by its disruption has put the environment on the agenda in a new way and with greater urgency. The debate in the other place yesterday on a climate emergency was Parliament catching up with more than 40 councils in the UK that have decided to act in response to this climate emergency, including Wiltshire declaring that it will be carbon neutral by 2030. Two-thirds of Britons are now said to agree that the planet is in a climate emergency.

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Bishop of St Albans asks Government about action to protect children from air pollution

On 11th April 2019 the Bishop of St Albans received a written answer to a question on children’s exposure to air pollution:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans:  (HL14975) To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the report by Unicef Healthy air for every child: A call for national action, published on 5 February; and what steps, if any, they intend to take in response to its recommendations, in particular the recommendation to set up a “Little Lungs Fund” of £215 million to pay for measures that specifically reduce children’s exposure to toxic air. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about action to protect children from air pollution”

Bishop of Salisbury asks Government about clean growth targets, gas and coal

On 10th April 2019 the Bishop of Salisbury, Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam, received written answers to three questions on the environment: on clean growth targets, gas and coal:

The Lord Bishop of Salisbury: (HL15041) To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to announce (1) measurable targets, and (2) deadlines, for their clean growth measures announced in the Chancellor’s Spring Statement; by how much they intend to increase the proportion of green gas in the National Grid; and when they estimate that target will be reached. Continue reading “Bishop of Salisbury asks Government about clean growth targets, gas and coal”

Bishop of London asks about impact of air pollution on children

On 8th April 2019 Baroness Kennedy of Cradley asked the Government “what action they are taking to reduce air pollution.” The Bishop of London, Rt Revd Sarah Mullally, asked a follow-up question:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for her answers so far. Can I pick up the issue of children? As the Bishop of London, I am very grateful for the ultra-low emission zone being implemented today. Can the Minister reassure us that money is going to be put into research to ensure that we know the long-term effects on the health of those children who have already incurred high emissions?

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Bishop of St Albans asks Government about building on brownfield sites

On 4th April 2019 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received a written answer to a question on building on brownfield sites:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to their commitment to “maintaining existing strong protections for the Green Belt, and clarifying that Green Belt boundaries should be amended only in exceptional circumstances” in Fixing our broken housing market (CM 9352), published in February 2017, what assessment they have made of the Campaign to Protect Rural England’s report State of Brownfield 2019, published in March; and what plans they have to incentivise building on brownfield sites.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about protecting children from effects of air pollution

On 25th and 26th March 2019 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received written answers to questions on protecting children from effects of air pollution:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration has been given to developing a cross-governmental healthy air for children action plan as part of a national framework to protect children and young people from toxic air. HL14480 Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about protecting children from effects of air pollution”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about plans to address decline in bee population

On 19th March 2019 Baroness Boycott asked the Government “what plans they have to deal with the decline in the insect population.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a follow up question:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, will the Government’s environmental land management schemes specifically have a long-term strategy to address the decline in pollinators, particularly bees?

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Bishop of St Albans asks Government about legally binding targets on air pollution

On 19th March 2019 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received a written answer to a question on air pollution:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans:

HL14478

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to setting legally binding targets to meet WHO-recommended limit values for particulate matter across the UK, and if consideration has been given, when the targets will be implemented. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about legally binding targets on air pollution”

Bishop of Salisbury asks Government about environmental standards of new homes

On 18th March 2019 the Bishop of Salisbury, Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam, received a written answer to a question on environmental standards for building new homes:

The Lord Bishop of Salisbury:

HL14210

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to support housing developers and homeowners to improve the environmental standards of new homes; and what steps they are taking to improve the environmental impact of existing housing stock. Continue reading “Bishop of Salisbury asks Government about environmental standards of new homes”

Bishop of Salisbury – Climate emergency requires more consistent response from Government

On 4th March 2019 the House of Lords debated the Feed-in Tariffs (Closure, etc.) Order 2018, and a ‘Motion to Regret’ criticising the Order from Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb. The Bishop of Salisbury, Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam, spoke in support of Baroness Jones’s Motion, and a transcript is below:

Motion to Regret: That this House regrets, in the light of the worsening climate emergency, that the Feed-in Tariffs (Closure, etc.) Order 2018 will end the export tariff for small-scale renewable energy without any replacement scheme in place; will result in new installations having to export their electricity to the National Grid for free; and will harm jobs and investment in the renewable energy industry (SI 2018/1380).

The Lord Bishop of Salisbury: My Lords, I support the noble Baroness’s Motion of regret. It is almost inevitable that a debate such as this will range more widely than the specific issues that the noble Baroness is focused on. I hope your Lordships will forgive me for beginning in Salisbury, my cathedral city, on a day when there has been a considerable amount of reflection about events there a year ago and their significance for the city and internationally.

We were grateful for the Prime Minister’s visit earlier today. I particularly thank the council, Wiltshire Police and the fire and ambulance services, as well as the district hospital, Porton Down and the military, for their commitment through the year. Wiltshire County Council has led a programme of recovery. Although business is still badly affected, we are making progress. We are grateful for the involvement of the noble Lord, Lord Henley.

From those ghastly events that began to unfold a year ago, we have learned not just about the need to recover but about using a crisis as an opportunity to rethink what sort of city Salisbury can be. The same is true of the environmental crisis we face.

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