Government’s inaction on the Climate & Ecological Emergency is killing our children

An inquest into Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah’s death in London last year found the cause of death was air pollution, caused by breathing toxic air from a nearby busy road.  She was only 9 years old.

 HOW BAD IS IT? 

• More than 90% of the world’s children breathe toxic air every day¹
• UK 1 in 3  children live in toxic air zones²  and air pollution causes an estimated 40,000 premature deaths a year³
• Babies in the most polluted areas have a 30-50% greater risk of dying before the age of 1⁴

 WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURES?

• A report commissioned in 2020 by the Ministry of Defence⁵ states that extreme weather events such as floods and drought will become more frequent.
• Natural resource shortages are likely to trigger population displacement and potential conflict.
• The UN Security Council acknowledges climate change as one of the most urgent challenges to the maintenance of international security.

WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT DOING TO SAVE OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURES?

• UK Gov is committing £12bn on it's 'Green 10 point plan',  but it's spending more on environmentally destructive projects: over £100bn on HS2 and £27bn on new roads (RIS2).
• Parliament declared a Climate Emergency in 2019 but hasn't made an appropriate emergency response. 
• Failing to meet its own targets, given to them by their own climate panel. 

We all now know that climate breakdown has started, we see it on our TV screens and we know it in our hearts.  In the UK and around the world children are already suffering the consequences and these will only get worse unless we ACT NOW

BUT WHAT CAN I DO?

1.    We ask you to take a stand.  Send an email to alok.sharma.mp@parliament.uk (UK President of COP26, Global Climate Summit).  Tell him the COP26 summit is the world’s LAST CHANCE.  

2.    Join Extinction Rebellion & get active - www.extinctionrebellion.uk/join-us/ 

3.  Engage in conversations with others about the issue

4.    Make those environmental changes in your own life - you already know what they are - go on, you can do it! 

COURAGE, LOVE, PEACE, ACTION - only together, can we do this!

¹ World Health Org Report 2018

² www.unicef.org.uk - One in three UK children live in toxic air zones

³ Royal Colleges of Physicians & Paediatrics & Child Health

⁴ Dr Sarah Kotecha, Cardiff University School of Medicine

⁵ GOV.UK - A changing climate: exploring the implications of climate change for UK defence and security