Join “The Time is now: A Mass Lobby for Climate, Nature and People” and urge your MP to demand that renewable energy subsidies be redirected from high-carbon biomass to true renewables.
On Wednesday 26 June thousands of individuals and organisations will gather in London for The Time is Now – the largest mass lobby for climate and the environment the UK has ever seen.
Biofuelwatch will be there: and we hope you’ll join us to tell MPs that #TheTimeIsNow for urgent action to protect forests, wildlife, people and the climate by transferring around £1 billion in renewable subsidies from biomass burning to genuine renewables.
1. How do I take part?
To sign up for the lobby, please sign up via the Climate Coalition website. It would also be great if you can let us know you are attending by emailing: biofuelwatch@gmail.com. We can help put you in touch with other Biofuelwatch supporters who will be there.
The Climate Coalition has advice on travel options to London, including special coaches to London from 10 locations across the UK. It’s also a good idea to invite your MP and let them know that you would like to meet them. The Climate Coalition has a template MP invitation which you’re very welcome to personalise.
2. Why a mass lobby now?
We are the last generation that can stop climate breakdown. But MPs will only make the big changes needed to tackle the climate crisis, save forests and protect nature if they know how much we care about these issues.
And they’re deciding on those changes this summer. That’s why we need you at the mass lobby on 26 June to make the case for urgent climate and environmental action.
3. I can’t be in London on the 26th of June. Can I still take part?
Absolutely! Don’t worry if you can’t be in London on the 26th of June. There are lots of things you can do to take part!
You can share the word about the lobby on social media, contact your MP via the email alert or arrange to meet your MP in your own constituency.
This guide has information about how to arrange a meeting with your MP.
This campaign guide has information, pictures and quotes to help you prepare for a meeting with your MP.
It’s also a good idea to send or give your MP this MP Briefing with information about why biomass burning is not part of the climate solution.
4. What’s the problem?
Drax Power Station in Yorkshire, the world’s biggest biomass burner
Across the world, people and wildlife are already suffering the effects of the climate crisis. MPs in Westminster have declared a Climate Emergency but our government is still giving around £1 billion a year in renewable subsidies to biomass power stations. These subsidies are paid for through a surcharge on our energy bills.
UK power stations are burning millions of tonnes of wood every year, a large proportion of which comes from the clear-felling of biodiverse wetland forests in the Southern USA.Far from being a green or renewable solution to the climate crisis, this biomass burning is devastating forests & wildlife, polluting communities and making climate change worse.
Coastal wetland forest in the Southern US. Photo: Dogwood Alliance.
5. And what’s the solution?
It’s time to confront this climate and environmental crisis and tell our MPs that Britain should no longer contribute to the destruction of our shared home by burning millions of tonnes of wood from clear-felled forests in UK power stations.
Instead, we need our MPs to protect forests and support green energy by transferring the huge biomass subsidies to genuinely renewable wind, wave and solar power. For more information about why we need to divert subsidies from dirty, high-carbon biomass burning to clean, low-carbon renewables, please see here.
Help us to take this message to politicians at Westminster and join us on 26th June for the biggest ever mass lobby of Parliament.
6. What will happen on the day?
The main event, where you get to lobby MPs, takes place between 1pm and 4pm.
The lobby line will be divided into different regions and constituencies so your MP can find you more easily. There will be stewards there to help you throughout the day.
In the morning, there will also be a range of free events and workshops along with stalls from different organisations and an information hub.
This Climate Coalition Mass Lobby Guide has more information about the arrangements for the day and this event map has more information about the lobby locations.
At 2pm, everyone in the lobby line will pause to set off as many alarm clocks as possible. This is to tell MPs that #TheTimeisNow to wake up and take urgent action to tackle the climate crisis.
If you can, please bring a portable alarm clock or your phone on the day and set the alarm to go off at 2pm.
7. What can I ask my MP to do?
Clear-felled wetland forest in the Southern US. Photo: Dogwood Alliance.
You may only have a short time with your MP so it’s good to think of 1 or 2 key points you would like to raise about why you care about forests, the climate crisis and the impacts of biomass burning.
You can let your MP know that they can help to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, protect vital forests and create green jobs by redirecting subsidies from biomass power stations to wind, wave and solar power. They can do this by:
a) Signing Early Day Motion 1771: Subsidies for Biomass Electricity Generation
b) Signing the Open Letter to the Secretary of State
c) Asking a Parliamentary Question about biomass subsidies.
d) Writing personally to the Secretary of State (Greg Clark) and Minister of Energy and Clean Growth (Claire Perry) on your behalf.
This campaign guide has information, pictures and quotes to help you prepare for a meeting with your MP.
It’s also useful to give your MP a copy of the MP Briefing. You can also email or post it to them if you forget it on the day.
8. What do I do if my MP doesn’t come to the lobby?
Your MP should come along if they have confirmed this with you.
However, their plans may change at the last minute so it’s useful to call their offices when you arrive to let them know you are in the queue by phoning the MP switchboard (020 7219 3000) and asking to be put through to your MP’s office.
If your MP doesn’t come, you can tweet them to say why you are at the lobby, using the hashtag #TheTimeIsNow & including the Biofuelwatch Twitter handle @biofuelwatch.
You can also email your MP afterwards to explain why you attended the lobby and asking for a meeting at your constituency surgery.
We hope to see you there and please email biofuelwatch@gmail.com if you have any questions about #TheTimeIsNow.