Shrewsbury and North Shropshire Green Party sent its full support today to the Extinction Rebellion campaigners in London, including Lesley Sweet from Oswestry who is one of those arrested, calling for urgent action to deal with the climate crisis.

Councillor for Porthill Julian Dean said:

"The climate crisis has to be the most urgent priority for political action now and we must act at a global, national and local level to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025. This will mean changes to all our lifestyles but it can be done in ways that enhance our quality of life and provide jobs in clean new industries to replace polluting old ones."

"We fully support the XR campaigners, including a group from Shrewsbury and Oswestry, who are giving up their time and risking arrest in London.

"Locally we've had the excellent news that both Shrewsbury and Oswestry town councils have declared climate emergencies, and now they need to follow up with actions. The Green Party in Shropshire is working with both councils and will be continuing to put forward practical proposals for action to reduce CO2 emissions in every area of our lives"

Local campaigners have put themselves on the line for the sake of their children to demand urgent action that reflects the gravity of the climate challenge. Governments are finally accepting the need to get to carbon-neutral but they are still not taking sufficient action. They recognise it has caused inconvenience, but time is running out and better an inconvenience now than a climate catastrophe.

Jackie Jones, a recently arrested protester from Shrewsbury, said "I feel I have no other choice but to be involved in non violent direct action to protest about the governments criminal inaction about the climate crisis. Their policies have actively supported fracking and heavily subsidise the fossil fuel industry . I am here for my children’s future."

Councillor Olly Rose of Oswestry Town Council said:

"Many of us have been inspired by Swedish climate change campaigner Greta Thunberg who has done so much in a few short months to put pressure on governments and multinational companies.

"Greta will be speaking in London next week and all MPs are invited to hear her at a meeting on Tuesday 23rd April at the House of Commons.

"We urge our local MPs Owen Paterson, Daniel Kawczynski and Philip Dunne to take up this invitation and show that they agree with the need to address the climate crisis for the sake of future generations.

"Here in Oswestry we are planning what action we can take to reduce our carbon footprint and look forward to working with other local councils to share knowledge and skills to make the necessary changes before it is too late."

Further information

• Climate change in Shropshire
• Greta Thunberg's speech to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Climate Change, Tue 23 April 2019.
• Zero Carbon Britain sets out practical measures to achieve carbon neutrality.