Bristol's Liberal Democrat council leader, Barbara Janke, is jetting off for a couple of days in Copenhagen. Meanwhile her website condemns government officials for travelling to the climate change talks the same polluting way.
Just another example of LibDem hypocrisy. Makes a change from wanting prestige buildings on the green belt, or new roads to bring more traffic and congestion.
Bristol City Council has made no official announcement of the council leader's trip, so its purpose and justification - if any - is unclear.
But you have to ask why the city (on our behalf) will pay the environmental and financial costs of Janke's junket when they're desperately searching for ways to cut spending on essential public services and to reduce our carbon footprint.
Maybe Babs didn't have time to read what LibDem front-bencher Simon Hughes had to say about flying to Copenhagen before she quoted it on her web site.....
"At least half of the 38 Ministers and officials that the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) are taking to the Copenhagen Conference will be travelling by plane, research by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.
The information was released in answer to Parliamentary Questions.
Liberal Democrat Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Simon Hughes will be travelling to the Copenhagen conference by train next weekend. The cost of his travel will be cheaper than the average £460 that DECC is paying to send each of its ministers and civil servants to the Conference.
Commenting, Simon Hughes said:
“It’s a disgrace that ministers and officials are flying today to attend the Copenhagen Conference.
“They are supposed to be discussing how to save the world from a climate crisis and yet many of them are using the most polluting form of transport available - and at a very high cost to the public.
“I will be travelling to the conference by train, a method of transport far less damaging to the environment. It may take a little longer to get there, but it certainly will cost less than the people at the Department of Climate Change are spending on their travel.
“Labour has to wake up and realise that words are not what is needed to avert a climate crisis, it is real action that counts.”
[Added 10.15 on 10/12/09]:
Jankepage link above now working - until the item drops off the page, anyway.
Meanwhile, the view from the cockpit - it's not my usual reading, but here's the story from the Bristol chapter of the Professional Pilots Rumour Network
7 comments:
Well spotted, but your link to Babs' blog doesn't seem to work. The following should work
http://barbarajanke.mycouncillor.org.uk/lib-dem-news/
Even travelling those sorts of distances by train has a pretty big carbon footprint, especially if you take building the Channel Tunnel and accommodation and subsistence during the much longer journey into account.
One wonders what on earth Babs is doing there anyway. Does she really expect to make a difference to the outcome or is it about touting Bristol's 'Green Credentials' in the hope of generating international tourism?
Thanks, Chris. Corrected now.... plus a footnote to the post linking to the cockpit view of Babs!
"Does she really expect to make a difference to the outcome or is it about touting Bristol's 'Green Credentials' in the hope of generating international tourism?"
Wow! Second greenest city in England? Not the best USP....
Excellent story. Contender for scoop of the year?
hilarious, at we know that a deal will now be done with Barbara's well known talent for mediation and partnership
Paul, I'm sure Bristol's Labour group deputy leader will be setting a better example with his imminent trip to Greece.
I would note that Kobnhaven is on the coast, and it is technically possible to get there from Bristol harbour by sailing boat or kayak. I think in terms of CO2 emissions, the sails have the edge. If you sail close enough to the coastline you will only be without mobile phone coverage for a short bit of the channel crossing.
BB: I think the planespotters would want to claim the scoop.
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