The Decision
In its February 2021 meeting, the Steering Group of Wycombe discussed the merits of joining the Buckinghamshire Climate Action Alliance organization.
There was a unanimous decision to back and support this alliance as climate change, climate justice, environmental degradation, and sustainability are becoming ever more important elements of fair trade generally, and with fair trade farmers and producers facing the brunt of climatic extremes caused largely by developed world policies and corporate neglect.
Therefore, Wycombe Fairtrade will become an official member of this pressure group operating at county level and support action to ensure that the new Buckinghamshire Council gives due consideration to global warming and climate change issues, and takes measures to ensure a renewable resources base with “green energy” wherever possible.
Bucks Climate Action Alliance
The Bucks Climate Action Alliance (BCAA) is an umbrella organisation enabling all Bucks organisations and groups concerned about the Climate Crisis and Biodiversity Loss, to come together as one powerful voice, calling on Bucks Council to ACT NOW.
BCAA Mission
- To persuade Buckinghamshire Council to acknowledge that there is a Climate Emergency.
- Urgent action is required to meet Net Zero Emissions across the county now.
- Embed potential climate change impacts as a key factor in all decision making across all the council’s policies and functions.
- Ensure awareness of climate change threats to all residents and businesses in the county, and encourage appropriate action.
Actions
- Evaluating Council strategy and giving constructive feedback
- Raising important questions at Council Committee meetings
- Co-ordinated Letter writing campaigns to highlight depth of feeling in the county
- Engagement with Community Boards to champion the climate in local decisions.
Group Members Include
CAN-Risborough; The Chiltern Society; Sustainable Chesham; Speen Environmental Action Group; Bucks WI; Believers Action on Climate Change; MarlowCAN [an alliance of Marlow environmental groups); XR Chesham; Chesham4Fairtrade Steering Group; Chiltern Peace and Justice Group; Aylesbury Vale XR; Dan’s Refill Store in Chalfont St Peter; Wycombe Friends of the Earth; Risborough Environmental Group; Population Matters; and Wycombe For Fairtrade Steering Group.
For further details see the Bucks Climate Action Alliance (BCAA) website
Values
The Pathways for Change document describes and gives examples of the actions likely to be required by Buckinghamshire Council and others to address the Climate Emergency that we should all collectively be working towards.
BCAA seeks to prevent extreme weather like the 2020 UK floods affecting the county of Buckinghamshhire by the Council taking measures to ensure that decisions and policies made by the Council include adequate climate action responses to reduce t global warming and occurrences of severe weather extremes.