Oxford parents join more than 100 mums and dads in demanding a green and just economic recovery from coronavirus for their children.
Famous people including actor Julie Walters; scientist Professor Robert Winston; author, Michael Morpurgo and singer, Paloma Faith signed an open letter to the Prime Minister calling for a green economic recovery from Covid-19.
The letter is being published ahead of a parent protest where mums and dads will create a wind farm outside Downing Street to highlight the need for a low carbon revival.
The letter urges the Prime Minister not to ‘build our way out of one disaster by supercharging the next.’
The parents have warned that if we allow climate emissions to creep up to pre-pandemic levels then we will have ‘catastrophic consequences for children’s lives and livelihoods with those from the poorest and most disadvantaged communities in the UK, and across the globe, being hardest hit.’
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Another point the parents highlight in the letter is that there does not have to be a ‘trade-off between creating jobs now and building a fairer, safer world for all our children.’ The letter also suggests that investing in a low carbon recovery will create more and better jobs than could be generated by rebuilding an outdated fossil fuel economy.
Dr Rebecca Willis, expert lead for Climate Assembly UK said: “As a climate expert, I know that urgent decisive action is needed to tackle the climate crisis. As a parent I know we owe it to them to act.”
The parents point to evidence that thousands more good jobs could be rapidly created by boosting investment in energy efficiency, public transport, renewable energy, restoring nature and a repair economy.
The UK, which will host a critical UN Climate Summit next year, is likely to miss its targets for emissions cuts without urgent action.
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