Calls to ACTION!!

If you are reading this article on this website it is almost certain that you will be aware that the Liberal Democrat Online Conference is about to take place this coming weekend 25th-28th September. And, if you have read to the end of the last sentence it is more than likely that you are registered to be at the conference. So, please take a note of a number of things you can do to make a difference.

JOIN THE DEBATE(S)

Of course, it`s a Conference, so you will probably join the debates anyway. But we have a special interest in calling you to ACTION in the following debates:

F8 Universal Basic Income

Most Green Lib Dems are generally supportive of a Universal Basic Income (UBI) - sometimes known as an Unconditional Basic Income, so we welcome its appearance as motion F8, timed for 19.50 on Friday evening. As you may know we wanted to add a specifically environmental touch to it and submitted an amendment, but after extensive conversations with the movers of F8 we decided to withdraw the amendment to allow more time devoted to the motion itself. For the full story on this see here with contributions from GLD Chair Keith Melton and former MP Jane Dodds.

But, anyway, we think you should be there to support UBI please!

F12 The Government's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

The newly-minted motion on the government`s response to Covid-19 will take place starting at 14.00 on Saturday afternoon. Green Liberal Democrats have supported an amendment to the motion F12, calling for much greater rights in terms of employees seeking to work from home initiated by ALDTU and supported by GLD and LDDA. For the details of the amendment see here. We don`t yet know if the amendment will be taken, of course...

But, please be there to support the motion and the amendment in particular.

F21 A Green Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic

SEPARATE VOTES

We hope you will have seen our article about the general Amendments Saga and the fact that GLD submitted four amendments to F21 three of which were quashed and one severely curtailed. Since our improving words have not made it into the debate, we have called for separate votes on two phrases which we think should be cut from the motion as it stands. The debate on F21 starts at 15.00 on Sunday afternoon.

We think the words `Excluding the COVID-19 pandemic,` should be cut from line 13 of the motion. (The FCC argued that since the motion was about Covid-19 they should stay in the motion - but WE think that Climate Change is much, much worse a threat than Covid-19, bad as it is, and leaving them in seriously undermines that position.)

We also are calling for the words `green growth,` to be cut from line 18 of the motion. Well meaning though they are, they give a false impression that environmental activity can somehow be grafted on to running the economy as always, without considering the implications of our finite world and its unhealthy imbalance of `standard of living` at the expense of `quality of life`. We should instead be speaking about and promoting `Sustainable Development`

We are pleased to be able to report that our Climate Change spokesperson, Sarah Olney MP, supports our argument and hopes to say so from the `podium` when she moves the motion.

Please make sure you are there for the debate and support the votes to remove these phrases from the motion.

JOIN OUR FRINGE MEETINGS

We are running five fringe meetings. Each of them has its own PAGE on the website, so if you click on the title, you will be able to see the details of when each fringe meeting is on and who will be speaking and what it is about. In chronological order the GLD fringes are as follows:

1. Friday 5pm: sponsored by `sustainability hub`: Introduced by GLD Chair, Keith Melton - 2020 Vision - Leadership on the Road to COP26 - this will be our first opportunity to hear Party Leader, Sir Ed Davey MP and our new Climate Change spokesperson, Sarah Olney MP speak formally on our environmental priorities in their new roles. Karen Potter Project Director of `sustainability hub`, Professor Jim Watson, Research Director, UCL Institute of Sustainable Resources and Dom Goggins, Coordinator, PRASEG will also be speaking.

2. Saturday 12 noon: Presented with Young Liberals. GLD Chair, Keith Melton presiding: the topic is "2020 Vision - Wellbeing beats GDP". Our former MEP, Cllr Jane Brophy sets the scene and former MP and Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Jane Dodds, who is summating the UBI motion will explain the role of a Universal Basic Income in wellbeing.

3. Saturday 4pm: Chaired by GLD President (and former MEP) Martin Horwood: 2020 Vision - Environmental Issues in Planning: The session will preview the debate on the topical motion on Planning put forward by ALDC and the Liberal Group on the LGA. Speakers will include ALDC`s, Cllr Adele Morris and our own GLD Exec member, Cllr Pippa Heylings.

4. Saturday 18.45pm: Vision 2020 - Carbon Pricing: Carbon Taxes and Emissions trading Schemes - a debate. The session will open with a brief video from Prof Dieter Helm: Julian Hawkins and John Leach will present either side of the debate. Hannah Dillon from the Zero Carbon Campaign will also be speaking. Session Chair, Keith Melton.

5. Monday 12 noon: We were lucky enough to enjoy her presence at the GLD "Green Festival" over the summer and we are delighted to welcome again: our SuperStar Guest, Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE - Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace, will be introduced by GLD Chair, Keith Melton.

Final Call to ACTION: If you are not YET a member of the Green Liberal Democrats, then please take this opportunity to join us and help us tackle the twin scourges of Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss