Climate Rush visits Peter Lilley

We wanted to speak to Peter Lilley and his constituents about climate change and challenge this oil-loving MP’s skulduggery in attempting to weaken the 2008 Climate Act, uncovered in the recent Energygate Scandal.

As newly appointed member of the Energy and Climate Change Committee, Lilley was recorded by an undercover Greenpeace investigation talking of getting the government “off the hook” from the obligations of climate legislation. He is a vocal climate sceptic and has received more than $400 000 in oil company share options from Tethys Petroleum.

The Climate Act is the UK’s ground breaking law to reduce carbon emissions. If the targets cease to be legally-binding, the government can simply continue to ignore them.

We spoke to one of Peter Lilley’s constituents, Richard Wise, before out visit to Peter. Richard told us that, “I am appalled that anyone would consider trying to weaken the hard fought for Climate Act. I bet Tethys Petroleum think they are getting good value for money! His vested interests make him an entirely inappropriate choice for the Energy and Climate Change Committee, and his outdated climate position means that the view of a tiny minority is getting more than its fair share of influence.”

We couldn’t agree with Richard more!

We arrived at Peter’s advice surgery and chatted over cake with others who were waiting to see their MP. before being invited into a meeting with Peter too. In our meeting with Peter he told us that climate change is simply not true because the earth has not warmed up, that low lying islands will not go under water as a result of climate change, and that cutting carbon emissions is just too expensive.

So here are some easy facts for the especially challenged:

1. Global temperatures are rising

The ten warmest years have occurred in the past twelve years and global surface temperatures continue to rise.

Here is a chart showing global temperatures from the NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS):

2. Sea levels are rising

Global sea level rose about 17 centimetres (6.7 inches) in the last century. The rate in the last decade, however, is nearly double that of the last century.

3. The Arctic really is melting

4. Climate Change is very expensive

Climate change could cost more than a trillion dollars a year globally.

So let’s keep on challenging carbon-loving politicians, stopping oil money in politics, celebrating low-carbon champions and working towards a sustainable future.