The Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) Bill

By Kevin Boon

Introduction

On Wednesday 2 September, Caroline Lucas tabled the CEE Bill in parliament supported by 20 MPs (this is now 70 MPs from October 1st 2020) from a number of political parties. It was given a date of March 12th 2021 for a second reading and debate.

The draft CEE Bill is an initiative which has been launched as a grassroots campaign to build an alliance around this proposed legislation. It has been developed with members of Extinction Rebellion alongside members of the successful Big Ask campaign that led to the Climate Change Act in 2008.

A bill is a proposal for a new law, or a change to an existing law that is presented for debate before parliament. A bill must be passed by the House of Commons and the House of Lords. It is then given Royal Assent and becomes an Act of Parliament. It is intended that the CEE Bill will be presented as a Private Members’ Bill. Those behind the CEE bill campaign are calling for the backing of as many MPs as possible. The more MPs back the Bill, the more pressure grows on government to give it parliamentary time and enable it to continue on its journey to becoming new law. Please lobby your local MP in writing and through social media.

Key points central to the CEE Bill are as follows:

  • A serious plan to deal with the UK’s fair share of emissions and to halt critical rises in global temperatures (consistent with keeping the global average temperature increase to 1.5oC compared to pre-industrial levels, in accordance with the provisions of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement).
  • Our entire carbon footprint to be taken into account both in the UK and overseas (i.e. imports, exports and all GHG emissions arising from aviation, shipping and land-based transport).
  • The active conservation and restoration of nature here and overseas, recognising the damage we cause through supply chains and the goods we import.
  • Legislators not to make achieving targets dependent on unproven future technologies.
  • Enabling ordinary members of society to have a real say on the right way forward by means of a Citizens’ Assembly with influential power.

The draft Bill has already attracted high profile support from Caroline Lucas (Green Party MP) and Kumi Naidoo (International Executive Director of Greenpeace International from 2009 – 2016 and Secretary General of Amnesty International from 2018 – 2020).

“This Bill outlines the path needed to avoid the catastrophe outlined by the United Nations General-Secretary António Guterres in 2018. Based on the accepted science of the IPCC, it is farsighted aiming to protect those at risk now and in the future.” (Kumi Naidoo)

For more and to join the campaign, go to ceebill.uk. You can read the draft CEE Bill here.