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Ash urges action on climate change as they bring Friends of the Earth's Big Ask campaign to Belfast

Rock band Ash will be calling for urgent Government action on climate change as they play in Belfast's Mandela Hall tomorrow night (Friday 7 December 2007).  The local band members are the latest celebrities to sign up to Friends of the Earth's Big Ask campaign, which is calling for a strengthening of the Climate Change Bill which is currently making its passage through Westminster [1].

They've invited Friends of the Earth to help them to get the message out to their fans at the Students' Union gig tomorrow night.  Activists will be giving fans of the band the opportunity to sign up to the Big Ask and put pressure on Northern Ireland MPs [2].

Ash bassist Mark Hamilton said:

"We're really excited to be working with Friends of the Earth on The Big Ask campaign.  We're urging Northern Ireland MPs to get behind a strong Climate Change law.  So many people, particularly young people, are worried about climate change at the moment and The Big Ask offers us a solution."

Friends of the Earth's Activism Co-ordinator, Niall Bakewell said:

"This law gives us a unique chance to stop climate change from getting worse. We're hoping Ash fans will join the Big Ask shout-out to our MPs to do everything they can to make sure it's strong enough. It's fantastic to think the UK could be the first country to have a Climate Change law but it would be crazy if it is too weak to work - it's got to be tougher and we have to take action now."

The band has also recorded a video for Friends of the Earth's online march [3], which can be viewed at www.thebigask.com.

Notes

[1] (back) Further information about The Big Ask:

Last year 412 MPs (almost two thirds of all MPs) signed Early Day Motion 178 calling for new climate change legislation "so that annual cuts in carbon dioxide emissions of three per cent can be delivered". As a result, the government announced a Climate Change Bill in the Queen's Speech in November 2006 and published the first draft on 13 March 2007.

Friends of the Earth is calling for the Bill to be strengthened - this will be essential for it to succeed.  Specific changes needed are:

• Bigger cuts: Government originally proposed 60% cuts of carbon dioxide by 2050. There is wide scientific recognition there needs to be reductions of at least 80% by 2050.  Government has recently begun to reconsider its stance and could back the higher target, but further campaigning is necessary to guarantee this.
• Aviation and shipping: International flights and shipping emissions are excluded. We need these to be included as they are the fastest growing source of carbon dioxide emissions.
• Annual targets: Government wants five-year milestones for reducing carbon dioxide. We want shorter, annual targets - to hold the current and future Parliaments to account.

The cuts in carbon dioxide emissions proposed by the Bill need to ensure the UK plays its part in keeping global temperatures from rising two degrees above pre industrial levels - the temperature rise recognised by the EU as a 'danger level' we should not breach.

Further info at: www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate or www.thebigask.com

[2] (back) Every MP in Northern Ireland supported the campaign last year.  Since then the Northern Ireland Assembly has signed up to the UK Climate Change Bill in principle but has not agreed to any binding targets aimed specifically at reducing Northern Ireland's carbon emissions.

[3] (back) Friends of the Earth's Big Ask online march is an online version of a traditional demo. It's a way for people to contact their MP face-to-face to demand action on climate change without having to leave their front room.  By filming and uploading a short video clip to www.thebigask.com, people will be joining thousands of others who are calling for action on climate change. Clips will join the site and will also be sent direct to the marcher's MP.

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