Average read time: 4 minutes

Why supporting the Climate and Nature Bill matters

Carol Hall from the Quaker Support for Climate Action group explains how to show your support for the Climate and Nature Bill.

This is the best chance yet for the Climate and Nature Bill to be passed into legislation. Photo: Michael Preston for Britain Yearly Meeting
This is the best chance yet for the Climate and Nature Bill to be passed into legislation. Photo: Michael Preston for Britain Yearly Meeting

For the past few months, the Quaker Support for Climate Action group has joined the Zero Hour campaign encouraging support for the Climate and Nature Bill (formerly the Climate Ecology and Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill). The leading to take this action comes from a deep and urgent sense that, if we don't take action now, it will be too late.

This Bill was written by scientists, experts and campaigners and brings together the climate emergency and the nature crisis in a single piece of legislation for the first time. It will ensure that the international commitments made by the UK are enshrined in UK law.

The Climate and Nature (CAN) Bill plans to:

  • make sure the UK cuts its emissions fairly and fully to stand the best chance of keeping global temperatures below 1.5ºC higher than pre-industrial levels
  • make sure the UK halts and reverses nature loss by 2030
  • involve citizens in deciding a fairer way forward through Climate and Nature Assemblies

The bill will have its second reading on Friday 24 January. This is the best chance yet of it being passed into legislation.

Building support

Although many individual Labour MPs are backing the bill, the Labour Government has not come out behind it as they say they are fulfilling commitments made in existing legislation. However, this does not go anywhere near far enough for us to meet our targets.

Members of our group have been contacting their MPs to ask them to support this bill and make sure they will attend for the all-important 2nd reading. We have been raising awareness of the bill in our local and area meetings. We have been out on the streets as part of huge rallies calling on our government to restore nature, clean up our water and take the climate emergency seriously.

We have worked with the Faith in Action team to ensure that Quakers in Britain are publicly signed up to support the Bill. (Read the supportive interfaith letter here.) As a group, we have different gifts and express our witness differently, but have used these together in pursuit of this common goal.

Taking action

[QUOTE-START]

We do not own the world, and its riches are not ours to dispose of at will. Show a loving consideration for all creatures, and seek to maintain the beauty and variety of the world...

- Advices & Queries 42

[QUOTE-END]

Our testimonies to equality, sustainability and to peace are the basis for supporting this bill. Many, many times Friends have expressed views that would be covered by this bill. We have made commitments to being a low-carbon community, we have expressed our "concern for the Earth and the wellbeing of all who dwell in it", we have called for truth and integrity to strengthen democracy.

At last, here is something concrete that has the potential to create change and involve citizens in that process. This is something that we can support to push forward significant actions in these areas.

If you also feel called to take action for the sanctity of all life, please support the bill by doing the following before the second reading on the 24 January.