everyone is a campaign initiative by Scotland's environmental groups (including NEMT) with a combined membership of around half a million supporters. The campaign aims to push the environment up the political agenda where the electorate agrees it belongs. Politicians are being asked to account for the environment in their election promises.
everyone is encouraging voters to make their vote count for the environment by questioning candidates about their policies. A campaigning website, www.everyonecan.org has been created. everyone will encourage people to write to candidates, quiz them on the doorstep, write to the press and go to local hustings meetings.
In the run up to the election in May 2003 the everyone campaign is calling on all political parties and candidate MSPs to outline their commitment to the environment, to future generations and the resources we all depend on.
We hear much talk from politicians that they will 'put the environment at the heart of all policies' or that they will 'step up the action'. It's now time for politicians to act - voters are demanding serious political action for the environment.
A System 3 poll for the everyone campaign indicates:
You, the voter, are the most important person in the minds of politicians right now - and you can help. The most important thing you can do is simply asking your local candidates what they are going to do for the environment if elected. ACT NOW
We have also created a set of basic steps demanded of politicians drawn from our 'Manifesto for a sustainable Scotland' They are not outrageous or unrealistic - just straightforward steps that could make a difference to everyone's lives: clean air, healthy seas, safe food, less landfill, protection for wildlife and wild places, reduction in climate changing gases
The everyone challenge is a set of six basic actions:
Clean airACT NOW: Reduce road traffic levels 10% by 2010. Tackle air pollution and climate change by redirecting at least two thirds of the £900 million planned for road-building to public transport, walking and cycling. |
Why?Air pollution, mainly from vehicle exhausts, kills more people in Scotland than die in road accidents. Too much traffic divides communities and degrades the environment, in rural as well as urban areas. Less traffic would mean fewer air pollution deaths, less congestion, less climate change, less social exclusion and less wildlife kill. |
Safe foodACT NOW: Treble investment in environmentally friendly agriculture, pay organic farmers beyond the current five year support limit and introduce a new payment scheme for conversion to organic fruit and vegetables. |
Why?Requiring farmers to safeguard the environment and develop sustainable, healthier production methods in return for public money will deliver benefits for rural communities, wildlife, landscapes, animal welfare and reduce pollution. It will create more jobs compared to conventional farming. |
Healthy seasACT NOW: Reduce waste by providing doorstep recycling for every household and by introducing a plastic bag charge. Set a 1% per year reduction target for total waste produced by 2010. |
Why?Many of us would recycle more of our household waste if it were collected from our homes. Recycling creates up to ten times more jobs than dumping or burning. Scots use 200 plastic bags per person each year - most of which end up in landfill. Scotland's total waste production is rising 2% per year. |
Less landfillACT NOW: Appoint a Minister for the Seas, overhaul Scotland's outdated legislation to manage our seas and coasts better and introduce 'regeneration areas' to restore fish stocks and wildlife |
Why?Healthy and well managed seas and coasts would sustain employment in fishing communities, generate jobs in tourism and provide protection for Scotland's internationally important marine wildlife. |
Protection for wildlife and wild placesACT NOW: Stronger protection, and increased funding, to care properly for Scotland's precious wildlife and wild places. Allocate more resources for the police to deal with wildlife criminals. Commit more resources to encourage enjoyment of the countryside, including a Scotland-wide path network. |
Why?Scotland's countryside and wildlife is special and vital to the health and wealth of the nation, but is threatened by illegal damage and poor management. Now that everyone's right to responsible access to land and water is secured following the historic laws on land reform, the next step is to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to exercise that right. A majority of our most precious wildlife habitats remain without protection. |
Reduction in climate changing gasesACT NOW: Tackle climate change by improving domestic energy efficiency by 20% by 2010 and a further 20% by 2020. Introduce energy auditing for all homes. |
Why?The world's climate is changing. We are already seeing dramatic changes in our weather as shown by recent and frequent floods. The impacts of global climate change would be reduced and thousands of jobs created if government invested more in energy efficiency measures such as home insulation and home energy auditing. |
Detailed briefings and fact sheets on all of the above policy areas are available at www.everyonecan.org or by sending an SAE to Scottish Environment LINK, 2 Grosvenor House, Shore Road, Perth, PH2 8BD.
For further information about Scottish Environment LINK's parliamentary work
contact Jessica Pepper, LINK Parliamentary Officer at Jessica@scotlink.org
or on 0131 225 4345. To find out more about the work of LINK's member organisations
go to www.scotlink.org
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