'Local Lib Dems launch plan to tackle Medway's environment, supporting World Environmental Day on 5th June'

World Environment Day - a UN initiative - takes place each year on the 5th June, and it's a day that raises awareness on environmental issues and challenges. This year's theme is Only One Earth, highlighting the need to live sustainably in harmony with nature by bringing transformative changes - through policies and our

choices - towards cleaner, greener lifestyles.

There is only so much an individual can do, especially when the major contributions to Medway's carbon emissions are out of their control. A person cannot determine what kind housing is built, the kind of public transport is used or how their homes are powered. Medway Council may only contribute directly to a small percentage of

Medway's carbon emissions, but they have the powers to help reduce over 30% those emissions. Therefore if we are going to meet our 2050 net zero target, we are going to need new ambitious policies.

In April, Medway Liberal Democrats launched our bold 5-point plan to tackle climate change and meet our net zero targets. Broken down into the five most important issues, we have laid out detailed ways on how we would use the powers the council has to tackle this looming global disaster (see attached graphic). Our

detailed environmental policy for Medway is at: https://medwaylibdems.org.uk/en/page/5-point-environmental-plan

Stuart Bourne, spokesperson for the Medway Liberal Democrats said 'The climate emergency is the greatest threat facing our world, and I want to do all I can to protect my children and my grandchildren from its effects. Medway Council have the powers to help to stop it, yet their current plans are unambitious and are led by people who care more about looking green then being green. But our plans are bold and fresh, and we're not afraid to make them the number one priority of the council.'

We plan to announce more details of each of the five arms of our recovery plan over the coming weeks, and this only the first of many policies we will be releasing as we approach the 2023 local elections. Medway is in desperate need of fresh new ideas on how it can solve is many problems, and the Medway Liberal Democrats have them as well as the energy to make real change happen to our community.

ENDS

Additional Text for Editors:

For more information about our environmental policy for Medway visit: https://medwaylibdems.org.uk/en/page/5-point-environmental-plan

NOTES FOR EDITORS & ADDITIONAL TEXT

Earth faces a triple planetary emergency:

• the climate is heating up too quickly for people and nature to adapt;

• habitat loss and other pressures mean an estimated 1 million species are threatened with extinction;

• pollution continues to poison our air, land and water.

The way out of this dilemma is to transform our economies and societies to make them inclusive, fair and more connected with nature. We must shift from harming the planet to healing it. The good news is the solutions and the technology exist and are increasingly affordable. #OnlyOneEarth is the campaign for World Environment Day 2022. It calls for collective, transformative action on a global scale to celebrate, protect and restore our planet.

Please visit for more information: https://www.worldenvironmentday.global/

www.un.org/en/observances/environment-day