13/02/2020
John Penrose
MP
House of
Commons
London SW1A
0AA
Dear John
Action on
human-caused climate change
I have been deferring
the writing of this letter for months, but have decided to write after reading
the Prime Minister’s speech at the COP26 launch on February 4th.
Here are some excerpts:
“…a
defining year of action for our country, and indeed for our planet, on tackling
climate change but also on protecting the natural world… the global addiction
to hydrocarbons has got totally out of control…the evidence is now overwhelming
and it is taking its toll”
It would be
easy here to raise previous statements and present policy decisions
contradicting this position, but the urgency of the situation demands that we
should all choose to work together rather than playing politics.
He mentioned
Walter Bersey, the inventor of the electric car, “and the tragedy for humanity
was that
he allowed himself to be daunted in what he was trying to do because he was in
the end defeated by the sceptics and those who thought that his efforts were
technologically impossible…”
This is what
moves me to write. What I am going to propose here is not at all impossible,
either technologically, or even financially, but will be seen as politically
difficult to the point of impossible, even though it is a very simple proposal
indeed. It is that we should allow, encourage and assist people to move into
work that will help solve the climate and biodiversity problems that the PM
refers to.
We are very
much in a “phoney war” situation regarding climate change. A Climate Emergency
has been declared in many quarters, not least in North Somerset, but there is a
sense of unreality and a distinct lack of action. Nearly a year has gone by
since the speakers at the UNGA declared that we have only 11 years to take
meaningful action to hold climate change to 1.5 degrees Celsius, but there is
no real manifestation of urgent action.
The actions
needed are many and various, and it is important that they do not cause damage
to ordinary people. We must remember that the riots in France began with a fuel
price increase. The opposite way to address the problem is to enable people to
pay less on their fuel bills by insulating the housing stock in North Somerset.
This would be a massive task. There are two approved companies in North
Somerset who do this work. Both would need to expand their workforce significantly
to carry out the necessary work in good time.
This brings
me to the core of the present proposal. At present there are many young people
in your constituency who are without work. Unemployment has a profoundly
debilitating effect on the health of individuals and communities. It is
irrational to inflict unemployment on people when there is so much good work,
work to heal the environment and society, crying out to be done.
1/2
Please read
the attached briefing sheet on Green Wage Subsidy, which would enable local
firms to employ local people in reducing the domestic fuel bills of local
people. It is extremely simple administratively, yet politically I recognise
will be very difficult indeed.
All I am
asking at present is that we sit down together and discuss this proposal.
Thank you,
Richard Lawson
GREEN WAGE SUBSIDY PILOT IN NORTH SOMERSET
North
Somerset Council declared a Climate Emergency on February 19th 2019,
and a number of civil societies came together forming Zero Carbon North
Somerset to help the Council in its efforts.
At the
first meeting I took on the task of stimulating the provision of insulation in
North Somerset's housing stock.
What
follows is an extremely brief introduction to an ambitious proposal.
GREEN
WAGE SUBSIDY (GWS)
This
scheme will stimulate provision of work in energy conservation, renewable
energy and energy storage technologies (and later in the whole green sector of
the economy) by putting an end to the withdrawal of benefits that occurs on
taking up employment.
It works
like this:
1.
North Somerset Council, supported by local community, unemployed people,
unions, civil society, small businesses, and both MPs will apply to the
Department for Work and Pensions for permission to pilot this scheme in their
locality.
2.
The Local Authority will designate officer(s) to administer the scheme,
primarily to assess and accredit local employers in the fields of energy
conservation, renewable energy and energy storage who wish to join.
3.
Approved employers can go to local Job Centres to take on extra workers.
4.
These new workers are allowed to bring their benefits into work with them for
an indefinite period.
5.
The employer will bring the new employee’s remuneration up to the going rate
for the job.
6.
The employer is not allowed to replace their existing workforce with GWS
workers.
7.
The process is entirely voluntary on both sides. Any claimant who may turn down
an offer is not sanctioned.
ADVANTAGES
OF GWS
1.
It is 100% voluntary. It is not, repeat not, Workfare.
2.
It is simple. The rest of the benefits system is unaffected.
3.
It addresses the Climate Emergency through reduction in energy loss from
buildings.
4.
It leads to reduced fuel bills for occupants of houses that have been insulated,
causing reduced illness and mortality, and stimulation of the local economy.
5.
It leads to more employment and so leads to reduced illness and mortality.
6.
It stimulates the local economy.
7.
It leads to an overall increase to GDP in the region of £10 billion per year.
8.
It opens the way to its application in other sectors of the green economy –
water, agriculture, housing, education, health and social care.
9.
It leads to the gradual introduction of Basic Income.
DISADVANTAGES OF
GWS
There is
a slight increase in amount paid out in Job Seekers Allowance and other
benefits as the scheme progresses over the years. JSA is only 5% of the total
welfare budget 2009-10.
GWS is
set out in more detail here : http://www.greenhealth.org.uk/GreenWageSubsidy.htm
Development
in North Somerset
We are
approaching all stakeholders, throwing the net as wide as possible. We are
approaching businesses, we will spread the idea among local XR, Transition
Town, FoE and all other environmental groups. We will try to get the support of
local Unions. We will take it to local Green, Labour, LibDem and Conservative
parties. We will take it to North Somerset Council as a formal motion, and we
will lobby our MPs to present the proposal as a pilot project to the DWP.
Obviously,
this latter is the most difficult hurdle to overcome, but if you don’t ask, you
don’t get.
We will aim to get an airing in local media and social media. Radio Bristol has covered the GWS idea in the past. There is a possibility of filming the insulation of one house by volunteers and running it on YouTube.
We will aim to get an airing in local media and social media. Radio Bristol has covered the GWS idea in the past. There is a possibility of filming the insulation of one house by volunteers and running it on YouTube.
Many
thanks for giving your attention to this communication
Dr
Richard Lawson
_________________________________________________________________________________
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