press releases

Airport campaigners headed to Downing Street today to present the new Prime Minister with a legal Deed of Trust containing the names of over 90,000 people who jointly own a plot of land at the centre of the proposed Heathrow runway development, and to thank David Cameron and Nick Clegg for agreeing to officially scrap the planned expansion.

Action on climate change must not be the loser from a hung parliament. That was the message today (Friday 7 May 2010) from seven of the UK's largest environmental organisations as they issued a joint challenge to the political parties now haggling over the make-up of the next Government. David Norman, head of Campaigns at WWF, said: "Whoever becomes Prime Minister, one of their most pressing tasks will be to take rapid action to deal with the threat of climate change. They must also take action to protect our under-pressure natural environment.

Reacting to the launch of the Liberal Democrat manifesto, Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said:

"The Liberal Democrats have set out the most progressive environmental policies of all the major parties, and they now have a real chance to make them count. As part of a coalition government, this party could establish red lines on issues like Heathrow and coal power and focus instead on developing the clean technologies that will define the 21st Century.

Reacting to publication of the Conservative Party election manifesto, Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said:

Reacting to Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague's speech on climate change and foreign policy today, Greenpeace Executive Director John Sauven said:

"The fact that William Hague has recognised climate change as one of the top issues affecting British foreign policy is significant, especially in the run up to a general election.

Reacting to Shadow Chancellor George Osborne's Speech at Imperial College today, Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said:

"A new bank to drive money into green investment is a good proposal. We now need clarity on how the Conservatives would make this sufficiently ambitious to provide the tens of billions needed to create a low carbon economy and develop new green industries.

"We need to encourage long term investment from pension funds and savings schemes to fund clean energy projects.

Reacting to the news that the US has become the first country to pledge money to a short term fund to protect tropical rainforests which has been backed by the Prince of Wales, Greenpeace Executive Director John Sauven said:

"We all rely on the world's tropical rainforests for food and rainfall, and to store vast amounts of our carbon emissions each year. Paying a relatively small amount to protect them is an absolute bargain, because without them the very basis for our economy could collapse and the climate would become increasingly hostile.

Actors, political party leaders, local residents and the Poet Laureate are planting an apple orchard on the site of Heathrow's proposed third runway to show their opposition to expansion at the airport.

Commenting on energy minister Ed Miliband's announcements on more nuclear power stations today, Ben Ayliffe, head of Greenpeace's nuclear campaign, said:

"Miliband can name as many sites as he likes for new nuclear power stations, but the fact remains that the figures simply don't add up.

Reacting to the release of a new Government map showing the potential impacts of a 4 degrees global rise in temperature due to climate change, Greenpeace head of climate and energy Robin Oakley said:

"It's up to our politicians to make sure this projection doesn't become an atlas in the future. Four degrees of warming could happen within our lifetimes, but we can avoid this by changing a political system that currently sees tackling climate change as less important than fighting the next election.