Yorkshire and Humberside Regional meeting

Yorkshire and Humberside Regional meeting November 4^th 2017

We took the GLD stand to the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional meeting on

4^th November 2017 and had plenty of interest in the work of the Green Liberal

Democrats as well as meeting several delegates who were already GLD members.

We were also successful in having the GLD rainforest resolution chosen for debate here. There was only space for two debates and our resolution was chosen from a field of 14 submitted for discussion. The wording of the resolution is appended below - it is a work in progress, so if you would like to submit it for your own region do please get in touch as we shall probably update it further yet, hoping to submit something along these lines to the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference. The resolution as worded was proposed by Matt Walker and seconded by Mark McDermid. Matt was the Lib Dem candidate for Keighley and Ilkley at the last election and Mark is a Lib Dem newbie and now an enthusiastic GLD member.

There were two speakers against the resolution, but the main objection related to

doubts that Tropical rainforests should have been chosen for debate when there

are so many things affecting Yorkshire and Humberside in domestic policy areas.

Nevertheless, the resolution was passed by a significant margin - so thanks to

Matt and Mark for your efforts.

Once you have read the resolution, if you have suggestions for improving on the structure and wording of the resolution, feel free to get in touch with me (Keith Melton) in the first instance through Facebook.

The GLD bandwagon will now move to the South-East Region meeting in Reigate on Saturday 11^th November and thence to the West Midlands Regional meeting on 18^th November. Please come and chat with us at the GLD stand if you happen to be there on those dates.

RAINFOREST RESOLUTION

Conference notes the alarming recent research which has revealed that the level of degradation and disturbance suffered by many of the earth`s tropical rainforests in recent years means that they have become a source rather than a sink of carbon emissions. Researchers found that forest areas in South America, Africa and Asia - which have until recently played a key role in absorbing greenhouse gases - are now releasing 425 teragrams of carbon annually, which is more than all the traffic in the United States.

Conference recognises that such degradation and disturbance is entirely the result of unsustainable human (anthropogenic) activity driven by mistaken economic pressures and in some cases by clearly illegal activities. Conference further recognises that this issue is clearly global rather than specifically local and that it therefore requires global action and pressure in order to be resolved.

Conference notes that the resolution of the problem does not require any complex technological fix; that methods of rectification are well-understood and that, therefore, it is a question of political will required to reverse these trends. Conference notes also that such action fits well with the existing Liberal Democrat emphasis upon achieving a net-zero carbon position by 2050.

Conference believes that:-

1. Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Indonesia are the countries where the greatest effect could be achieved with the least investment of effort.
2. International and global pressure is required to substantially develop this key area of sustainability for the world`s population of humans as well as for "the continuity of life in all its forms".
3. Indigenous peoples urgently require external support in order to protect both their well-being and the forests they manage so effectively on behalf of us all.
4. We all have a responsibility to build appropriate political will to effect change.

Conference therefore calls upon:-

• The United Nations to sponsor further research into the effects of deforestation and degradation of rain-forest areas as well as remedial work to restore under-canopy planting to bring back the valuable carbon-sink capacity of rain-forests.
• The governments responsible for these areas, in particular the governments of Brazil, the Congo and Indonesia, to support indigenous peoples in these areas to help their forest-management capacities.
• The UK Government to initiate early concerted action to build the necessary global partnership to bring pressure to bear on all aspects of this issue by directing funds allocated for forest protection in the International Climate Fund towards rainforest conservation projects, and working through the Department for International Development (DFID) and trusted NGOs (Non-Government Organisations) to deliver effective projects on the ground.
• Liberal Democrat parliamentarians, councillors, officers and activists to raise the priority of the carbon capture of tropical rainforests amongst their political endeavours.
• The Liberal Democratic Party to extend its outreach activity to the key countries concerned to assist in developing appropriate political links around, and emphasis upon, these issues, as a matter of urgency. Contact, in particular, should be with like-minded parties and NGOs who wish to promote similar ends.

Keith Melton 6th November 2017