Fleur Anderson MP: Climate Timeline

Fleur Anderson is the Labour MP for Putney.

We have identified 10 Parliamentary Votes Related to Climate since 2019 in which Fleur Anderson could have voted.

Fleur Anderson is rated Very Good for votes supporting action on climate. (Rating Methodology)

In favour of action on climate: 8
Against: 0
Did not vote: 2

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Fleur Anderson's Climate-related Tweets, Speeches & Votes

We've found the following climate-related tweets, speeches & votes by Fleur Anderson

27 Nov 2024: Parliamentary Speech

This Government are working across the whole of the UK to promote those businesses, and the industrial strategy provides an excellent opportunity to have this discussion. The UK Government are working with businesses, trade unions, local and devolved leaders, experts and international partners to develop that international strategy, which will cement this work and growth. Eight growth-driving sectors have been identified, including some that my hon. Friend the Member for Warwick and Leamington (Matt Western) has already identified—advanced manufacturing, clean energy industries, creative industries and so on. The transition to net zero also provides huge opportunities, and we will make the most of them.

Full debate: Oral Answers to Questions

I thank the hon. and learned Member for rightly singing the praises of Wrightbus. The transition to net zero presents huge opportunities, as he has identified, for businesses like Wrightbus in Ballymena. It is producing 1,000 low-carbon buses, securing 500 jobs in its factory and creating 1,500 additional jobs across the UK supply chain. This shows that Northern Ireland is leading the way, and we will continue to work on such opportunities through our industrial strategy.

Full debate: Oral Answers to Questions
11 Nov 2024: Tweet
RT @Ed_Miliband: This Government believes that climate security is national security. That will be our message at COP29 in Baku ???? https://… [Source]
23 Oct 2024: Parliamentary Speech

Although energy costs have come down, they remain too high. Our priority is to ensure access to energy is affordable and secure for consumers. That is why this Government have established Great British Energy, which will operate across the whole UK, including Northern Ireland. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Northern Ireland Department for the Economy are working together positively on the GB Energy Bill.

Full debate: Oral Answers to Questions
17 Apr 2024: Tweet
Great to hear @sadiqkhan promise to continue to stand up for renters, combat the root causes of crime, extend his free school meals policy and fight for climate change in the @itvlondon debate last night. Vote Sadiq on 2nd May for a fairer, safer and greener London. https://twitter.com/sadiqkhan/status/1780291917042889045 [Source]
26 Mar 2024: Tweet
@hilarybennmp @QUBVChancellor @QUBelfast @UFUHQ @loughneaghpart @foe_ni @EFCCG @NewsDeclan @SuzKatW @NIChamber @LabourSJ @SSE @WAVETrauma @StephenMorganMP @MikeKaneMP @ClaireHanna @JimfromOldham @niciebelfast @IntEdAlumni @lagancollege @bphillipsonMP We were thrilled to visit famous H&W cranes. Harland and Wolff is famous for building the Titanic and was in decline, but now rejuvenated, committed to net zero, and employing hundreds of people. We met apprentices and saw barges being built [Source]
22 Mar 2024: Parliamentary Speech

The decision to expand the ULEZ was a difficult one for the Mayor, but it was felt necessary to save lives, protect Londoners’ health and tackle the climate crisis. I agree, because in 2019, toxic air contributed to around 4,000 premature deaths in London. Just because we cannot see the smog—as was the case back in the days of the great smog that led to the first clean air Act—does not mean that it is not all around us. We can see the impact in our hospitals. It is mainly parents and doctors who write to me in support of the legislation that the Mayor has introduced to clean up our air, because it is doctors who see the effects of air pollution: rising levels of asthma, cancer, heart disease, stroke and dementia in our hospitals. If no further action is taken to reduce air pollution, over the next 30 years around 550,000 Londoners will develop diseases related to poor air quality. That will cost the NHS and social care system in London £10.4 billion by 2050. Air pollution costs lives, but it also costs our public services. The first, inner-London ULEZ contributed to a 30% reduction in children being admitted to hospital with asthma. I think those results speak for themselves. How can we argue against that?

Taking action on the climate emergency and clean air was one of the reasons I became an MP. One of the first things I did when I became an MP was set up the Putney Environment Commission, a rather grand-sounding group of local people who want to take action locally, nationally and internationally. We had several open meetings to decide what we would do. One of the first things we did was run Putney’s first ever clean air fair. It was clean air that everyone wanted to take action on. Hundreds of people attended the fair. There were stalls from brilliant local organisations, including Friends of Wandsworth Park, Friends of Wimbledon Park, Little Ninja UK, Wandsworth Living Streets, the Roehampton Garden Society, Putney Community Gardens, the Putney Society, Friends of the Earth Wandsworth, the Putney Pollution Busters, Green the Grid and Cycle Buddies. Hon. Members can see how many local organisations we have that really care about clean air.

I am pleased with the Mayor’s action, including the increase to more than 1,400 zero-emission buses on London’s roads. He has also rapidly expanded London’s fleet of green buses, with the capital now boasting more green buses than any other city in western Europe. He has also delivered a 170% increase in the number of public electric vehicle charging points, with London now boasting more than 11,000—a third of the UK’s total.

Full debate: Greater London Low Emission Zone Charging (Amendment) Bill
12 Mar 2024: Parliamentary Speech

The theme of this debate is productivity, which is fundamental for our competitiveness, wage growth, ability to attract investment and overall future economic wellbeing —in fact, our wellbeing as a whole. Without growth, we cannot have the hope for the future, the hope for our young people and the boost for our economy that we need. I will focus on one area of under-investment which has meant a chronic lack of productivity across the UK, an area of investment that is essential to tackle the climate crisis, boost our economy and give young people hope: green skills.

I was disappointed to hear in the Budget that there were no new policies to help boost the roll-out of low-carbon technologies such as electric vehicles or heat pumps. There is a clear need for better alignment between net zero investments and the skills and employment system. That is the problem that leads to our poor productivity at the moment. Solar Energy UK called the Budget “virtually nude” of anything to bolster that sector. We cannot begin to move in the right direction on green productivity without having the processes in place to embed green skills within our economic infrastructure, but we need a whole industry and skills approach. There is a massive shortage of heat pump engineers. We currently have 3,000, but we will need 27,000 by 2028. Offshore wind industry engineer numbers need to triple to just over 104,000 to meet our current targets, let alone our future ones.

Political choices have led to that under-investment and under-skilling. The Institute for Public Policy Research found that the UK employs fewer people in renewable energy as a proportion of the working age population than most other European countries. It does not have to be that way. In my constituency, South Thames College offers courses in green skills and solar panel fitting. It is taking proactive steps, responding to the wide range of green jobs arising across the economy. By helping students to move into apprenticeships or jobs, South Thames College shows that it is ahead of the curve in adopting a joined-up approach. Also in my constituency is Treadlighter, a solar energy company in Southfields. It is booming, but it cannot keep up with demand because it needs more skilled trainees and staff to fit panels.

Matching skills with green businesses is essential, but Government inaction is currently holding back productivity. A whole new approach is needed throughout the economy to secure a seamless transition between training, education, manufacturing, supply and services, but we do not see any of that in the Budget. We see no new boost, and nothing about the new revolution in green skills that would be so exciting for our economy and would give us hope. The Government’s green jobs delivery group has been meeting for a year and plans to publish its green jobs plan soon, but the Budget has given nothing to the green energy industry, so I have no high hopes for that plan.

We in the Labour party know how important to our success investing for the future will be, which is why we have committed ourselves to spending £23.5 billion during our first Parliament in government in order to deliver green power by 2030. Green British Energy, a publicly owned energy company, will invest in green energy projects including offshore wind, hydrogen, carbon capture, tidal and nuclear. If we can match that with the green skills revolution, we really will have the productivity that we need to change the amount of money in the pockets of people across my constituency.

Full debate: Budget Resolutions
17 Jan 2024: Parliamentary Speech

This latest gimmick—not a plan—lets down people fleeing persecution and will not deliver on fixing the immigration system. It will leave nearly 100,000 cases in the backlog, 56,000 people in hotels and, as we have now heard, more than 4,000 people missing from the system. It will not fix the system that the Conservatives have broken. It will not be that deterrent; it is too small and unworkable. It does not respond to the international situation of increasing climate change impact and conflict around the world that is driving people to seek safety. It feels like the Conservatives cannot cope with international reality and have stuck their fingers in their ears and are chanting something about Rwanda instead of facing up to reality. This lets our country down.

Full debate: Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill
06 Jan 2024: Tweet
Well done to Chris Skidmore for taking a stand against Conservative plans to increase use of fossil fuels. This won’t cut bills but will undermine moves to green energy, green jobs and net zero. I will be joining Labour MPs and voting against this on Monday. #ClimateAction https://twitter.com/cskidmoreuk/status/1743324376479486007 [Source]
04 Jan 2024: Tweet
Parliament returns on Monday. I want to see ACTION. In 2023 we saw Tory dither and delay. In 2024 we need a general election. Only a Labour Government will take action. I hope this year we see issues of climate crisis, cost of living crisis and problems in our NHS tackled. https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1742936192008810972/video/1 [Source]
11 Dec 2023: Tweet
My final update from COP28: ???? The immersion I've had in climate negotiations and the amazing array of people I've spoken with from all over the world ✅ Causes for optimism - my thoughts on the Loss and Damage fund and other encouraging outcomes ????️ Taking this back to Putney https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1734251043897176428/video/1 [Source]
11 Dec 2023: Tweet
Reporting from behind the scenes at COP28 - including the questions I'm asking, the people I'm meeting from civil society organisations and youth delegations from across the world and what kind of outcomes we can anticipate from this global summit. https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1734250344505352282/video/1 [Source]
10 Dec 2023: Tweet
RT @wateraid: Today is Water Day at COP28 ???? ???? Swipe to read about the three things we want to see to ensure people can cope with the deva… [Source]
10 Dec 2023: Tweet
More inside views of #COP28 in between meetings we held with Parliamentarians, local organisations from many countries and negotiators. So much is at stake here for us and our planet. https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1733727006573965798/video/1 [Source]
10 Dec 2023: Tweet
Inside COP28 #COP28 #climate #nature https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1733725202901590246/video/1 [Source]
7 Dec 2023: Parliamentary Speech

Sudan, Yemen, Syria, Tigray, Myanmar, Xinjiang, the Hazaras, the Yazidis, and what is happening in Israel and Palestine are all examples of ongoing atrocities. As my hon. Friend the Member for Rochdale said, we condemn the actions of Hamas against the Jews, who are living peacefully—the rape of women, the killing and hostage-taking. We also condemn the disproportionate use of force by Israel—the use of access to water, food, medicines and fuel as a weapon of war, and the forced displacement of 1.7 million people and rising. The incidence of mass atrocities is rising across the world because inequality, social fracture, democratic backsliding, resource scarcity, arms proliferation, climate change and the internationalisation of malign, non-state actors are all moving us in the wrong direction.

Full debate: Universal Declaration of Human Rights and UN Convention on Genocide
02 Dec 2023: Tweet
RT @Keir_Starmer: The Tories see net zero as a device to divide - for Labour it’s an opportunity to make working people better off. Our cl… [Source]
21 Nov 2023: Parliamentary Speech

I start my contribution by declaring an interest. Before being elected to this place, I was a Jubilee 2000 campaigner back in the 1990s, along with others, and I was then a trustee for the Jubilee Debt Campaign, which is now Debt Justice. As a campaigner for Christian Aid, then for Methodist aid and then for the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development or CAFOD, I led ordinary people in protests up and down the country. Those people all absolutely understood the stranglehold that debt repayments have over so many Governments that would otherwise use that money to educate girls, invest in clean water and sanitation, tackle climate change, and invest in infrastructure such as roads to increase trade and boost the economy.

I also welcome the inclusion of debt in many places in the international White Paper, published yesterday, and agree with its assessment that high and rising debt vulnerability poses a significant development challenge. There needs to be more focus on debt reduction for the world’s most fragile and conflict-risk states. That is vitally linked to climate finance but, again, will there really be the significant action we need to see following that White Paper?

A reported 72% of the sustainable development goals to achieve poverty eradication are off track. According to the UN, they are “woefully off track”, dangerously so. The increasing amount of unsustainable debt is one of the major reasons for that. Many countries were forced to reduce public spending during the pandemic, to keep up with debt payments. That is spending on education, health, water and sanitation. Lower-income countries spend five times more on debt repayment than on addressing the climate crisis.

Countries have had no choice but to turn to fossil fuels to generate the funds needed to meet their colossal debt repayments. I will be at COP28 in a few weeks’ time with a delegation of MPs, and I will make this case to those attending from across the globe. I look to the Government to make the same case and the links. I hope the Minister will say something about the link between debt cancellation and climate finance, which is essential.

Full debate: Debt in Africa
16 Nov 2023: Parliamentary Speech

As chair of the all-party parliamentary group for water, sanitation and hygiene, I declare an interest relevant to this debate and to the future of our globe. I am honoured to be part of this debate on such an important issue. No other important issue is raised so many times by young people when I visit schools in Putney, Southfields and Roehampton, and by the many members of the Putney Environment Commission, which I set up shortly after I was elected for local people interested in taking action on climate internationally, nationally and locally. Last night we had a meeting about what we can do to rewild local streets in London, and are looking forward to playing our part in action before and after the United Nations climate change conference, COP28. I will attend the conference, with a delegation of 10 MPs. It is important that parliamentarians are at the conference, meeting experts and activists who are all working towards ensuring a green future and the action on climate and nature that is so important for our long-term survival.

This year, 2023, will be the hottest year on record. Every day we witness the climate crisis unfold, from the effects of El Niño to the UK battered by storm after storm. Currently, between 3.3 billion and 3.6 billion people live in areas that are highly vulnerable to climate change. The world’s poorest people, including women and girls so often on the frontline, are paying the highest price. Under current estimates, we face a 40% shortfall in fresh water by 2030—not very far away. Water scarcity is escalating, which affects trade, economies, poverty reduction, food and nutrition, but also migration—an issue that is a subject of many debates in this House and will only be exacerbated by climate change. That is the tip of the iceberg. The disruption and damage that the climate crisis causes and will cause to all our lives cannot be overstated. As the Minister said, the world is badly off track to agreeing the Paris agreement targets and keeping 1.5° alive.

The right hon. Member for Suffolk Coastal (Dr Coffey) mentioned mangrove forests. I am also a fan, having been to visit mangrove forests in Bangladesh when I worked for Water Aid. I had the privilege of visiting a coastal community in Bangladesh, where the climate crisis is already extremely real. It used to be a freshwater area where people survived by fishing, but it has been salinated. I sat with a group of women in that rural area where they could not harvest or grow anything—there was nothing they could do. They wanted to move anywhere else, but were stuck in an area that seemed arid, like a desert from the future, where climate change was making such an impact on communities. I have said many times that climate change is not something that will happen to us; it is happening now. That was understood by the recent COPs, but needs to be understood even more. If we are too late, there will be no concrete action to effect change at the scale we need.

The main outcome needed at COP28 is obvious: an agreement for no new fossil fuels. Many organisations such as the International Energy Agency have said that to achieve global net zero emissions by the year 2050, there should be no new fossil fuel extraction projects beyond those already committed. How can the Government believe that approving more than 100 new North sea oil and gas projects is in any way in line with that, the legal frameworks or the views of the vast majority of voters? As other countries forge ahead with renewables, the UK is lagging behind. We need to keep it in the ground, it is very simple. Unless we and other countries get this right, there will not be the progress we need.

Climate justice is very important. Making sure that lower and middle-income countries can respond to climate impacts is essential. I hope that will be one of the biggest outcomes of COP28. In 2009, rich Governments agreed to provide $100 billion in climate finance annually to developing countries. But that goal, which originally was meant to be fulfilled by 2020, has still not been met. The £11.6 billion adaptation and mitigation finance that the UK pledged in 2019 is more loan-based than grant-based, and so only increases debt for the world’s most indebted countries.

Some 85% of our climate finance is grant-based.

I highlight five areas of concern. First, on phasing out fossil fuels, the UK Government must play their part in ending the fossil fuel era by committing to cease direct and indirect funding of overseas fossil fuel projects, including those financed by British international investment, and instead committing to rapidly scaling up investment in renewable energy at home. Secondly, on the loss and damage fund, Governments at COP28 must commit to designing a loss and damage fund with adequate grant-based funding arrangements and specific plans to support countries facing economic and non-economic losses and damage. The polluters must pay. The fossil fuel industry is posting record profits, but it should be paying for the damage it is causing. The UK Government must commit to providing their fair share of funding through grant-based funding arrangements, and should have specific plans to support countries that face both economic and non-economic losses and damages.

The third concern is the need to fulfil climate finance pledges. The UK Government must meet their own climate finance commitments with additional, new funds, not by re-badging finance already given to British International Investment or the World Bank. The fourth concern is the need to reform the global food system in order to tackle the climate crisis. Action on food and action by farmers go hand-in-hand with tackling climate change. Governments at COP28 must to commit to transforming food systems through progress on the Sharm el-Sheikh joint work on agriculture. Alongside that, the UK Government must develop a cross-departmental strategy on providing support for more resilient food systems internationally that prioritises the needs of small-scale farmers. Small-scale farmers are really the climate activists on the frontline of climate change; they will be the best advocates, and will take the best actions on climate change, but they need funding and support to do so.

The fifth concern is the need to invest in climate-resilient water sanitation and hygiene projects, and the need for policies that enable people to respond to immediate threats and to adapt to the impacts of climate change where they are. People do not want to leave where they live because of climate change. They absolutely want to stay where they are, but with water for agriculture, to grow crops and to live in hygienic conditions.

The climate crisis is also a crisis of health around the world. As we saw with covid, we need to be able to wash our hands. That is such a basic need. Healthcare centres need adequate water and sanitation. The climate crisis threatens advances in sanitation, which threatens advances in poverty reduction. We must also ensure we keep clean water, wherever it is found.

Labour believes that we need a just transition to a net zero economy. That cannot be left to the whims of the market, as was the de-industrialisation of the 1980s. Social justice must be at the centre of our response to the climate and environment emergency, and fairness must shape our approach to the green transition here at home. We have to actively shape that green transition, so that no one is left behind and people and places are protected throughout. Ecological breakdown is also a major problem; the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries on earth. Labour will ensure that we not only halt but reverse the loss of biodiversity in the UK by 2030.

In conclusion, I look forward to attending COP28 this year. I went to many international conferences in my previous work before I was an MP. I always go with high hopes, and always leave with a high degree of disappointment, feeling that we could have gone further. I could almost write the conference press releases before I go, but I maintain a high degree of hope and optimism, as more and more people work together internationally to take on the crisis. All around the world, the green sprint has now begun; there is a surge in renewables, green technology and economic growth. We are making, at pace, some of the technological advances that are needed if we are to achieve the necessary outcomes for our climate, and they are becoming affordable. I hope we can come together to stave off the worst of the impacts to climate and nature, and together create a better and more prosperous world.

In conclusion, I look forward to attending COP28 this year. I went to many international conferences in my previous work before I was an MP. I always go with high hopes, and always leave with a high degree of disappointment, feeling that we could have gone further. I could almost write the conference press releases before I go, but I maintain a high degree of hope and optimism, as more and more people work together internationally to take on the crisis. All around the world, the green sprint has now begun; there is a surge in renewables, green technology and economic growth. We are making, at pace, some of the technological advances that are needed if we are to achieve the necessary outcomes for our climate, and they are becoming affordable. I hope we can come together to stave off the worst of the impacts to climate and nature, and together create a better and more prosperous world.

Full debate: COP28
14 Nov 2023: Tweet
This is a zombie Government. Their inaction is astonishing, with so much missing from last weeks King's speech. They are doing nothing on: the climate crisis, cost of living crisis, children in destitution, our international reputation or our NHS. https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1724402232920019351/video/1 [Source]
13 Nov 2023: Parliamentary Speech

It is an honour to speak in this historic debate on the first King’s Speech for 72 years, but, to be frank, it is not a pleasure. When I go around and talk to people in Putney, Southfields, Roehampton and Wandsworth town about what I can say for them on their behalf in Parliament, many just shrug their shoulders and say, “Where do you start?”, because there are so many things they feel that the Government should be doing that they are not doing, whether that is: the climate crisis; the cost of living crisis; a million children living in destitution in the UK; the damage to our international reputation; or the NHS crisis, with 125,000 vacancies in our NHS and nearly 8 million people on waiting lists. Those are all things that my constituents think should be tackled by the Government, and I just have not seen that in the King’s Speech. It is disappointing.

Before turning to the pressing issue of healthcare, I put on record my disappointment at the lack of legislation to move us towards a net zero green future in the King’s Speech. There could have been so much more in that legislative programme. It is being left to Labour to pick up the pieces, but we will do so in all our actions for Government. There is also welcome reform for leaseholders, but the legislation is too weak and is mainly not for current leaseholders, but for future and new-build leaseholders. I am pleased to see that the Government have reintroduced the Renters (Reform) Bill in the King’s Speech, but the long delay has caused suffering across the country and across London. Will the section 21 eviction ban actually see the light of day, as we need it to?

Full debate: Building an NHS Fit for the Future
19 Oct 2023: Tweet
RT @1SanaJafri: Last night in full council I gave my motion on the climate crisis affecting South Asia specifically Pakistan and the contri… [Source]
17 Oct 2023: Parliamentary Speech

As co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group, I am glad of this opportunity to talk about the global crisis, the rise of antimicrobial resistance, the impact on women and WASH at home and in the UK, and how investing in that will tackle poverty and inequality, and yield results far into the future. As previous contributors to the debate have said, 1.9 billion people live in severely water-scarce areas, and that number is growing all the time. It is a climate crisis. Also, 2.2 billion people do not have access to clean water and sanitation. That undermines our progress on so many of the sustainable development goals, and not only No. 6, which is dedicated to that issue, but those on climate, health, gender equality, food security, conflict and economic growth, so it is vital that we get this right.

Full debate: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: Sustainable Development
20 Sep 2023: Tweet
RT @Ed_Miliband: Rishi Sunak's panicked net zero speech is crumbling in the face of opposition from industry, the public, and his own MPs.… [Source]
20 Sep 2023: Tweet
RT @SadiqKhan: Utter chaos, confusion and uncertainty from the Govt. We’re in a climate emergency. Now is not the time to water down vital… [Source]
04 Aug 2023: Tweet
My column in the @wandsworthtimes this month ✍️ ????Celebrating 75 years of our NHS ????‍♀️My charity bike ride for St George’s with @DrRosena ???? Keeping up the fight for cladding justice ????Tackling the climate crisis https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1687475603509784578/photo/1 [Source]
28 Jul 2023: Tweet
???? Breaking news: ULEZ going ahead. ‘This unambiguous decision today in the High Court, allows us to press on with the difficult but vital task of cleaning up London’s air and tackling the climate crisis.’ #cleanair #ULEZexpansion https://twitter.com/MayorofLondon/status/1684855360354426881 [Source]
20 Jul 2023: Parliamentary Speech

I have received more than 18,500 emails from constituents since the parliamentary Session began in May last year and my hard-working team and I have sent out nearly 27,000 in reply. I thank my hard-working and caring parliamentary staff team— Matt, Dan, Mercy, Anna, Jack and Anisah—for all of their work. Together with constituents across the constituency, we are a campaigning team and I have been campaigning hard on the climate emergency; the housing crisis; cladding; discrimination; young carers; early years services; youth services; special educational needs; tackling crime; cleaning up our air; the NHS; saving bus routes; and dealing with sewage in rivers. We saved some allotments in Southfields from being developed on. We are campaigning for a lift for East Putney station. We are also seeking to reopen Hammersmith bridge—yes, it is still closed and I cannot believe it either! We need funding from the Government to reopen it. We are campaigning to stop the closure of ticket offices and to increase safe cycle lanes and cycle parking, so that more people who want to cycle in our wonderful constituency can do so. That is far from an exhaustive list.

I wish to finish on the climate emergency. One of the first things I did when I was elected MP for Putney was set up the Putney Environment Commission. It is a wonderful thriving group of activists and local people who want to take ownership of our local environment and tackle the climate emergency globally, nationally, locally, and in our own gardens. We held a recent meeting focused on the need to save nature, and how much of a nature-depleted country we are compared with other countries. Local people in Putney, Roehampton and Southfields see the data, they see Europe being scorched as we speak with record-breaking heat, and they see the inaction of the Government, and they are horrified. They do not want to stand by and do nothing about it.

It is not just the people of Putney who are concerned about the failure of the Conservative Government to do enough on the environment. The Climate Change Committee has highlighted 18 areas in which the Conservative Government are failing on energy and climate. Those include failure to reform the planning system to bring more home-grown power online; failure on renewables; failure on energy efficiency; failure on making new homes green; failure in comparison to other countries; failure to take global climate leadership; failure on heat pumps; failure on hydrogen for home heating; failure on the delivery of nature targets; failure to deliver on international commitments, instead going backwards; failure to grasp the opportunity to protect consumers; failure on workers and skills; failure to address the UK’s second highest-emitting sector, which is buildings; and failure on fossil fuels and stopping more coal mines from being built.

Full debate: Sir David Amess Summer Adjournment
13 Jun 2023: Parliamentary Speech

The east African wet rains and the pledging conference have both come, but the food crisis is worsening. Just three weeks ago, the Government announced a further cut in aid to the region. Local organisations need more funding than most, so will the Minister set targets to increase funding to local organisations for adapting to climate change in the region and to diversify livelihoods to support vulnerable communities?

Full debate: Oral Answers to Questions
01 Jun 2023: Tweet
NO to a Heathrow expansion. The debate last week showed the strength of opposition to the proposed expansion. The Minister failed to answer my questions on climate targets, air quality and noise. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/mp-fleur-anderson-heathrow-expansion-third-runway-parliament-b1084069.html https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1664283264574697482/photo/1 [Source]
28 May 2023: Tweet
The Heathrow debate showed the strength of opposition to expansion of Heathrow, and the Minister couldn’t answer my questions on climate targets, air quality and noise. #NoToHeathrow #Heathrow #NoPlanetB #Putney https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/mp-fleur-anderson-heathrow-expansion-third-runway-parliament-b1084069.html [Source]
24 May 2023: Parliamentary Speech

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Elliott, and to speak in this important debate. I thank colleagues for taking the time to participate and am glad to see so many present. This issue affects the day-to-day lives of constituents in Putney, and across south-west London and the whole of the country, given the climate change issues. I am sure that constituents in Putney will be watching with interest.

The plans were drawn up before the Government agreed to their climate targets. The promise of economic growth and new jobs, which I am sure the Minister will talk about, does not seem to stack up under scrutiny. Investing more in Heathrow will come at the cost of undermining regional jobs and regional growth. The cost to the quality of life of Putney residents cannot be underestimated. The noise is constant. It affects sleep, and physical and mental health. We cannot have it any more. I am here to ask the Government to rethink the plans and say a definitive no to Heathrow expansion.

So what is the case against? I will talk about climate change, air quality, noise and transport. First, on climate change, the expansion is fundamentally incompatible with the Government’s own net zero target. Heathrow is the largest single polluter in the UK. Its emissions account for half of all UK aviation emissions. Its expansion proposals of 260,000 additional flights a year, on top of the existing 480,000, will increase carbon dioxide emissions from air travel by a staggering 9 million tonnes a year. As I said, that is more than the entire carbon emissions of Luxembourg.

The Government recently published their jet zero strategy; is that the answer? No. The strategy makes no attempt to set out what share of the transport carbon budget the aviation sector should be allocated or how that would be divided between airports, and it fails to articulate circumstances in which airport expansions could be compatible with climate change targets. Heathrow is just one of many airports across the UK with ambitions to expand, yet the Government has no overarching framework to guide airport expansion plans throughout the country.

The hon. Lady is making an important speech. I also have an airport in my constituency, and it is investigating sustainable fuels. The French Government have announced that they will ban short flights when a train is an alternative; does the hon. Lady agree that such ideas should be part of the strategy we hear about from the Government? Part of the net zero strategy should be to reduce the number of ridiculously short flights in this country. I do not mean island-hopping; I mean flights between cities that are unnecessary and no one would even think about taking if we had better train routes and train services.

If we are really going to meet the net zero target, we cannot rely on the increasing long-haul flights that we are talking about at Heathrow. Can the Minister be clear about the trade-offs? If a third runway is built, does that mean that growth must be curbed at all other UK airports in order for the UK not to breach its carbon targets?

I shall end with an unequivocal message for the incoming new chief executive of Heathrow. There is no version of an expanded Heathrow that is compatible with climate targets. There is no version of an expanded Heathrow that does not reduce the quality of the lives of the 650,000 people in my constituency and beyond who live under the flightpath. There is no version of an expanded Heathrow that does not make the air that our children breathe even more polluted. I implore them to put the quality of life and the planet first, and the pockets of shareholders second. The new chief executive can expect any future plans to be met with the fiercest opposition from me and colleagues present.

I look forward to the rest of the debate and the Minister’s response. When he responds, I would like answers to the following questions. Will he commit to reviewing and amending the airport’s national policy statement, to ensure that it is compatible with the UK’s climate targets? Will he commit to publishing an overall strategy setting out how greenhouse gas emissions from aviation are to be managed and reduced over the coming decades? I urge the Minister: listen to the Government’s own climate targets, listen to the experts, listen to residents and listen to MPs. It is high time that the prospect of an expanded Heathrow took flight.

Full debate: Heathrow Airport Expansion
24 May 2023: Tweet
The debate today is an opportunity to affirm our commitment to tackling climate change and send a message to the Government and the incoming Chief Executive of Heathrow. We say NO to expansion of Heathrow airport. You can watch here from 4.30pm: https://parliamentlive.tv/home/_404?aspxerrorpath=/Event/Index/7eea1516-df82-4bfc-9df8-924fe8973e96 https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1661317547654873088/photo/1 [Source]
24 May 2023: Tweet
We thought we had finally defeated any Heathrow expansion plans in 2020, when the Court of Appeal said expansion of the airport was not compatible with the UK's commitment to combat climate change. https://twitter.com/putneyfleur/status/1232988922889854976?s=48&t=VvMo5GI7L3sKqKnMhd7pGQ [Source]
24 May 2023: Tweet
????✈️ TODAY - NO to Heathrow expansion. I'm leading a debate in Parliament to send a message to Government and the incoming Heathrow CEO. We CANNOT claim to be serious about the climate emergency and wave through a plan to increase flights from Heathrow by 280,000 per year. https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1661317534316888066/video/1 [Source]
18 May 2023: Parliamentary Speech

If we continue on the current trajectory, the OECD estimates that global plastic production will double by 2040. In the UK alone, it is estimated that 5 million tonnes of plastic is used every year, nearly half of which is packaging. We cannot detach plastic from climate change. Plastic is highly carbon-intensive to produce. According to a study published in the journal, Nature , last year, plastics are responsible for 4.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, contributing about 1.8 billion tonnes of carbon emissions annually. Tackling plastic production means saving the planet.

Full debate: Plastic Pollution in the Ocean
12 May 2023: Tweet
Once again, I am asking the Government to step up to bolster our resilience for emergencies, including cyber threats. The National Infrastructure Commission and Climate Change Committee say they must do more to keep us safe. @LongResilience @theCCCuk @NatInfraCom https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1657022516123033600/video/1 [Source]
11 May 2023: Parliamentary Speech

The National Infra- structure Commission and the Committee on Climate Change have made it clear that there is a significant resilience gap in Britain’s key infrastructure. As we approach the summer, and water shortages loom once again in the face of intensifying climate change across the country, how many of the action points laid out in the resilience framework that the Government published in December have been achieved?

Full debate: Oral Answers to Questions
02 May 2023: Tweet
Wise words from the next generation of Londoners this #WorldAsthmaDay The @MayorofLondon decision to expand ULEZ is a step in the right direction, the climate crisis is urgent and clean air should be a human right. https://twitter.com/MayorofLondon/status/1653280973164015616 [Source]
26 Apr 2023: Tweet
I spoke about the famine in East Africa, a horrifying humanitarian crisis driven by climate breakdown. The climate crisis is real and we have a duty to tackle it with urgent environmental action, and to send aid to countries suffering. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyQshiR2PBQ&feature=youtu.be https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1651220694611492865/video/1 [Source]
25 Apr 2023: Parliamentary Speech

This is the worst humanitarian crisis in 40 years. More than 50 million people have been pushed to acute food insecurity, and a person dies every six seconds in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya—it is hard to get our heads around these figures, and the desperation. This is a perfect storm of climate change, with five successive rainy season failures and a likely sixth one, right now; conflict; disease outbreaks; the cost of living crisis; a reduction in aid; and countries saddled with unpayable levels of debt. Undoubtedly, it is political decisions that have led to this crisis.

To conclude, I ask the Minister to urgently commit to release already-pledged funding, to invest in and support communities and primary healthcare, to cut the debt, to transform the UK’s agriculture portfolio towards local, diverse food systems, to fund water and sanitation projects as an emergency response, and to introduce clear targets to increase funds reaching local organisations, rather than just through multilateral organisations. The climate emergency is very real. I hope that both the media and Ministers are listening to this debate today, and that urgent action will be taken to save lives.

Full debate: Hunger: East Africa and the Horn of Africa
08 Feb 2023: Tweet
Today many Environment Agency workers are on strike. There are vacancies across the organisation and the department is understaffed. We cannot take action on climate change without the Environment Agency! https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1623267595385184256/photo/1 [Source]
23 Jan 2023: Tweet
I'm really proud of the holistic approach Labour takes to tackling the climate crisis. ✅ Make the UK energy secure ✅ Hundreds of thousands of Green Jobs ✅ 19m homes to be insulated ✅ Environment prioritised across all policy areas @Ed_Miliband @AngelaRayner @jreynoldsMP https://twitter.com/ChamberVoice/status/1617484977611882496 [Source]
02 Jan 2023: Tweet
4/5 Save our green spaces - Save Wimbledon Park Please sign the petition - and if you live in Merton or Wandsworth, email your councillors. Find their emails here: https://www.gov.uk/find-your-local-councillors Both Councils have declared a Climate Emergency. @CllrSimonHogg @RossGarrod [Source]
02 Jan 2023: Tweet
Local residents are very opposed - but not just local people. This is a fight for London’s green spaces in a climate emergency. I am grateful to all the Londoners who have saved our green spaces from development in the past, giving us our parks and Commons for use now. 2/5 https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1609855048984543234/video/1 [Source]
14 Nov 2022: Tweet
Great start to the week, talking at the @AllSaintsSW15 Primary School assembly for #ParliamentWeek, and extra time with year six. We talked about climate change (and wet wipes), air pollution and cycling, the cost of living crisis and best things about #Putney and being an MP. https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1592108211234295811/photo/1 [Source]
07 Nov 2022: Tweet
Ahead of #COP27, I visited Number 10 to hand in a petition signed by over 25,000 @WaterAidUK supporters. We are calling on the Govnmnt to invest 1/3 of its international climate budget in locally led projects to deliver clean, safe water, to help people adapt to climate change. https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1589659133795762176/photo/1 [Source]
02 Nov 2022: Tweet
The Prime Minister has been shamed into going to #COP27. Glad to see this #Uturn. It should be a reminder that climate leadership is essential. @Ed_Miliband @AngelaRayner https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1587749354147823617 [Source]
02 Nov 2022: Tweet
A big #NationalEngineeringDay shout out to the 8 million engineers and 750,000 engineering businesses in the UK - especially the 16% of engineers who are women! Great to start the day at the Parliamentary meeting on sustainable energy. @ThisIsEng #STEMeducation [Source]
29 Oct 2022: Tweet
The Prime Minister should go to #COP27 - you have to be in the room to get #climate action. Biden going is a very big deal and our PM not going is also a very big deal. For our planet, our jobs, our health, our global reputation he should be there. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/10/07/biden-will-attend-cop27-uns-climate-change-summit-egypt/ [Source]
19 Oct 2022: Tweet
There is a climate emergency. The vote on fracking is now and just to be clear: https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1582795090262573058/photo/1 [Source]
17 Oct 2022: Parliamentary Speech

“The chaos engulfing the UK government is unprecedented. Over 40 ministers resigned leaving departments without leadership during cost of living, energy and climate crises. War rages in Ukraine; the Northern Ireland Protocol has further damaged our relationship with Europe; recession looms; the UK itself may cease to exist as Scotland seeks independence. This is the greatest set of challenges we have seen in our lifetimes. Let the people decide who leads us through this turmoil.”

If there is a general election and the people choose Labour’s plan for growth over the Conservative anti-growth coalition, we will invest in people, skills and our public services. We will rebalance the books based on fairness and tackling the climate emergency, not on the backs of working people and not by rewarding bankers. No wonder the people who signed this petition want that vision of stability over the current chaos, even if that means calling for a general election. For the good of the nation, we need a general election. Labour is election ready. We are ready for Government. Only Labour offers the leadership and ideas that Britain needs to secure the economy and get us out of this Tory-created mess.

Full debate: Early General Election
06 Sep 2022: Tweet
I’m here to do interviews as Boris Johnson is about to resign. It’s a badge of shame for the Tories that they have their 4th leader, and 12 years have left us with high taxes, low wages and NHS crime and climate crisis. People are worried and we need to end this Tory chaos. https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1567038604484005891/photo/1 [Source]
02 Sep 2022: Tweet
Time is critical, with conditions expected to get worse as the rains continue. The DEC has urged people to give whatever they can. The effects of climate change are being felt now. We must act. https://twitter.com/decappeal/status/1565221168721936387 [Source]
30 Aug 2022: Tweet
Over 1000 deaths. 33 million people displaced. 1/3 of the country submerged. This is a climate emergency. The international community must provide Pakistan with urgent support and we need to tackle the climate emergency now. ???????? https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1564542003190419456/photo/1 [Source]
22 Aug 2022: Tweet
Exactly the kind of climate crisis planning we need… ???? Protects households and the most vulnerable, including pensioners, from rising costs. ???? Lays out a clear, ambitious road ahead. ???? Supports workers with high quality jobs. ????Puts our planet first. @UKLabour https://twitter.com/Ed_Miliband/status/1561628603556806656 [Source]
17 Aug 2022: Tweet
16/ We know how we would secure the future of our country. With a long-term plan to tackle the climate crisis that is costed, ambitious and will protect all households in Britain. [Source]
17 Aug 2022: Tweet
12/ As I have said time and again: We need a Government that will take serious action on the climate crisis, to adapt our infrastructure and prepare a joined-up emergency response to keep people safe against the threats of a warming world. [Source]
17 Aug 2022: Tweet
11/ We cannot trust a Conservative government to rise to the huge challenges our country faces. They do not have a grip on our economy. They do not have a grip on emergency planning. They do not have a grip on the climate crisis. [Source]
16 Aug 2022: Tweet
Flooding has been predicted this week as the dry ground from the heatwave cannot absorb water. This is the result of the climate crisis. It provides more evidence of why we need climate action urgently. https://twitter.com/UniofReading/status/1557350976725581824 [Source]
05 Aug 2022: Tweet
????I attended this hugely important briefing on climate change with Sir Patrick Vallance (@uksciencechief) last month. ????Please do watch it here???? https://policyconnect.org.uk/news/sir-patrick-vallance-briefs-parliamentarians-climate-change https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1555500241624891393/photo/1 [Source]
6 Jul 2022: Parliamentary Speech

I campaigned, along with hundreds of thousands of people across the country, for the move to 0.7%. Many are in this Chamber now, but they are also in towns, villages and cities across the country. That decision had cross-party support and was one we could all be proud of—proud to be British, and proud to achieve 0.7% of GDP on development spending. The fact that it was cut is deeply disappointing to me, to Opposition Members and to people across the country, including many of my constituents who write to me. It is very disappointing that the 0.7% target has not been reinstated in these estimates. Achieving 0.7% was the right thing to do. It was the wrong thing to do—it is a false economy—to cut it to 0.5%. That diminishes our position in the world and has damaged many successful poverty-reducing, conflict-cutting and climate change-tackling programmes. There is a £4.6 billion black hole and 1,000 programmes have been or will be cut. It would be welcome if the Minister could confirm whether that is correct.

Anyone who has followed any of my speeches will not be surprised by the two areas on which I will focus today, but I have not plucked them out of thin air. I have worked in development around the world for 25 years. I have worked for Christian Aid, Oxfam, CAFOD—the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development—and Water Aid. I did a round of the development agencies, which meant that I had the privilege of visiting many countries and seeing programmes that are funded by the British public around the world. Two key areas that can achieve poverty eradication are: tackling conflict, focusing especially on genocide prevention; and tackling climate change, focusing especially on water sanitation and hygiene.

The international development strategy should have poverty reduction as a target, but it does not. Instead, it talks about people being “more prosperous”. It could be said that that is just semantics—putting a positive spin on poverty by talking about prosperity instead. However, I am very concerned, as other hon. Members clearly are, that it shows a move away from poverty reduction, tackling inequality, support for the most marginalised and inclusive growth, with a focus instead on macroeconomic prosperity and the hope that it will trickle down. We know that that will not work and that it risks fuelling inequality and instability. It is a move away from achieving the sustainable development goals on the interconnected issues of poverty, inequality, climate change, inclusive societies, access to health and education, and water and sanitation.

Water Aid is one of the most popular and well-supported aid agencies in this country. I am not just saying that because I used to work for it; I chose to work for it because I know the importance of water and sanitation. Its popularity demonstrates how obvious it is to British people and to anyone who has travelled to any of the countries we are talking about that without clean water, sanitation and hygiene, we just cannot get the other benefits to progress for girls, for trade, for autonomy and for villages and towns. WASH is a no-regrets solution: it is really good value for money, and it fast-forwards progress in gender equality, global health, climate change and so many other areas.

The final item is climate finance. On 20 June, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said that the BEIS was surrendering climate finance underspend to the Ukraine aid budget. Climate finance underspend is climate finance which has been budgeted for, for which there are plans, which has not been spent yet, but which will be spent on very important climate projects. I do not begrudge any aid going to Ukraine, but I do want to know where the money is coming from. If we are just robbing Peter to pay Paul, what is the point of this strategy? It is not very strategic at all.

Full debate: Strategy for International Development
29 Jun 2022: Parliamentary Speech

I am glad to hear about those regular meetings. During COP26 in Glasgow, both the UK and the Scottish Governments rightly spoke of the importance of doing everything we can at home to reduce our emissions. Yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon re-announced her plans for an independence referendum, so action on the environment, the cost of living crisis, kickstarting the economy and upgrading the health service have taken a back seat to greater constitutional division. Has the Department estimated what impact a divisive referendum would have on investment in carbon capture and storage in Scotland?

Full debate: Oral Answers to Questions
17 May 2022: Parliamentary Speech

The Queen’s Speech had two challenges. One was to tackle the cost of living crisis and the other was to tackle the climate crisis, but I feel, on behalf of my constituents in Putney, Roehampton and Southfields, that it does neither. The number of people in energy poverty across the UK has gone up from 4 million last September to more than 6 million today, and it will continue to rise. Pensioners are at the sharp end of the Tory squeeze on finances. They are paying twice as much for energy and facing the biggest real-terms cuts to the state pension in 50 years. On the other hand, energy companies have recorded record profits of £12.4 billion in the first three months of this year alone and petrol retailers are profiting from the cut in petrol and diesel duty, keeping about 2p of the 5p that should be passed on. The Government have not got a grip of these issues. We need a windfall tax on oil and gas producers’ profits to bring down bills, and an emergency Budget.

We also need to see the green homes grant return in the energy Bill. We need to see a retrofit revolution really tackling the climate emergency—one that covers all homes and that will be there for 10 years or more. The current boiler upgrade scheme is the absolute least we can do. We should do so much more. On behalf of my constituents, I demand more action on the climate emergency, more action on employment rights and more action to tackle the cost of living crisis. I hope that all MPs will vote for the windfall tax tonight.

Full debate: Tackling Short-term and Long-term Cost of Living Increases
17 Mar 2022: Tweet
I am a proud supporter of @FairtradeUK ???????? The climate crisis is the biggest threat to millions of small-scale farmers worldwide At COP26, Britain made promises to low-income countries regarding climate and trade. It's time to turn those promises into effective and fair action https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1504503065512222720/photo/1 [Source]
2 Feb 2022: Parliamentary Speech

It is absolutely unacceptable that the Government say they will take into account expert panels, set up an expert panel, have the panel met in good time—at the same time as we are hosting COP26 and passing the Environment Act, which has the precautionary impact built in—and then disregard it straightaway.

Full debate: Bees: Neonicotinoids
13 Dec 2021: Vote
Subsidy Control Bill — Schedule 1 - The subsidy control principles - Pro-climate vote: Aye - Their vote: Aye
12 Nov 2021: Tweet
I am pleased to co-sign this letter with over 100+ colleagues, calling on the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund to divest from the fossil fuel industry. We must take all the steps we can to avoid #climate disaster. #COP26 https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1459087449787977730/photo/1 [Source]
03 Nov 2021: Tweet
#WaterResilience is top of the agenda for many of the countries that are most affected by climate change. It's the week of #COP26 and the Prime Minister is yet to mention it, so I thought I'd remind him. @wateraid @PreetKGillMP @oxfamgb @christian_aid @YasminQureshiMP @SRWatSan https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1455941077081395208/video/1 [Source]
2 Nov 2021: Parliamentary Speech

I welcome the Government’s amendment to the Environment Bill to introduce additional charges on single-use plastics, but that just will not wash—pardon the pun. Hygienic wipes are a single-use plastic, but subjecting them to additional charges will only hit the pockets of families, instead of making the profit-making polluters pay. I welcome the Secretary of State’s promise this morning of a consultation on whether to restrict the materials used in wet wipes, but I hope that the consultation does not kick the issue into the long grass. As Her Majesty the Queen said about COP26, we need actions, not words, and this is an example of such action.

To be clear, I am not talking about banning wet wipes; I am talking about banning the use of plastic in wet wipes. I have spoken to so many MPs who have picked up wet wipes from their rivers and coastlines. They have seen the scale of the problem at first hand and want more action. In this week of COP26, we are looking at the big picture of climate change and biodiversity, yet that picture is made up of many individual, bold actions. If our global house is on fire, we will need many buckets of water to put it out, and here is one of them. I will outline the scale of the problem; what the problem is with plastic; whether a ban is possible; and what else needs to be done.

Full debate: Plastics (Wet Wipes)
31 Oct 2021: Tweet
I met with the Prime Minister for Nepal in London en route to #COP26. #Nepal is one of the countries most affected by climate change and I saw this when I was working for WaterAid. We talked about the impact of the melting glaciers and strong connection between our countries. https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1454840066795315203/photo/1 [Source]
20 Oct 2021: Tweet
The #EnvironmentBill is back for consideration of Lords Amendments The biggest problem is that it delivers an Office for Environmental Protection with no teeth and a reduced remit We cannot have Ministers marking their own homework if we're serious about tackling climate change https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1450809036090269705/video/1 [Source]
28 Sep 2021: Tweet
Lively debate at the @UoM green economy event today. I’ve been taking about the Green Homes Grant at every opportunity at #Lab21 - it was scrapped by the Tories but could cut carbon emissions, make homes warm, cut heating bills and create new jobs. #GreenNewDeal #NetZero https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1442847314662596614/photo/1 [Source]
27 Sep 2021: Tweet
Getting down to making the Green New Deal a reality: @NewStatesman discussion of how to decarbonise homes and how the Green Homes Grant can be reformed, financed, promoted and matched with the skills and jobs needed. #InsulateBritain #NetZero https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1442512360904744962/photo/1 [Source]
27 Sep 2021: Tweet
It has been great to speak on two excellent panels with @ChrLeft, @WorldVision and @SAT7UK today ❤️ First at the prayer breakfast where we discussed the impact of Covid, climate change and conflict on the most vulnerable, and then at the Free to Believe debate this afternoon ???? https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1442494286709329921/photo/1 [Source]
21 Sep 2021: Parliamentary Speech

That could be the carrot with the stick to present to airports. We could say, “You can expand but only if you can show that you can be sustainable along the way.” I look for more leadership on that. I look forward to the Minister returning to his desk with the loud, clear message that we do not want to see an expansion of Heathrow. Its expansion would undermine all the other extra work that is going on towards jet zero. I understand that he is not able to comment now, but I look forward to a new comment being made before COP26 that firmly rules out the expansion of Heathrow.

That this House has considered decarbonising aviation.

Full debate: Decarbonising Aviation
21 Sep 2021: Tweet
It's really simple. You can either expand #Heathrow or you can decarbonise aviation - you cannot do both ✈️ Thank you to everyone who contributed to a great debate in Westminster Hall today. @johnmcdonnellMP @RuthCadbury @KerryMP @StephenCowan @NoR3Coalition @foeeurope https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1440361743541157899/video/1 [Source]
21 Sep 2021: Tweet
Looking forward to the debate that I have called for on Decarbonising Aviation this afternoon. Spoiler alert: I welcome progress but we can’t decarbonise jet fuel fast enough and must scrap the Heathrow expansion plans. https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1440271381996851216/photo/1 [Source]
17 Sep 2021: Tweet
I love buying second hand clothes - saving money and the planet at the same time! Thanks to @oxfamgb for photos to promote awareness of #SecondHandSeptember Demand for fast fashion and the textile industry accounts for ~10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1438761465041850368/photo/1 [Source]
07 Sep 2021: Tweet
If we are serious about tackling climate change and decarbonising aviation then we must stop the expansion of Heathrow. Pleased to join with colleagues to show solidarity and support for @StopHeathrowExp today. #JetZeroExpansion https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1435269720534654976/photo/1 [Source]
11 Aug 2021: Tweet
I wrote to the President of COP26 and to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy following the deeply concerning IPCC report. We are the hosts of COP26 and we should be leading the way. If we don’t, the results will be catastrophic. https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1425444978382233612/photo/1 [Source]
04 Aug 2021: Tweet
Britain should be taking the lead in tackling the climate crisis but Boris is missing in action. We need urgent, ambitious action. Labour’s bold green recovery plan shows what could be done. @Keir_Starmer in today’s Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/aug/03/britain-climate-crisis-where-ambition-cop26-tories-labour-green-recovery-plan [Source]
15 Jun 2021: Tweet
The @putneysociety #CleanAir meeting last night had plenty of important news about clean air in Putney and London campaigns from @MelissaCEdwards of @MumsForLungs and Simon Birkett @CleanAirLondon #CleanAirDay #COP26 #NetZero #ULEZ #Putney #Southfields #Roehampton #Wandsworth https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1404741420917923841/photo/1 [Source]
07 Jun 2021: Vote
Advanced Research and Invention Agency Bill — New Clause 1 - Human Rights Abuses - Pro-climate vote: Aye - Their vote: Aye
27 May 2021: Parliamentary Speech

In total, 40% of UK carbon emissions come from UK households, with over half coming from heating and electricity. As the Committee on Climate Change has made clear, those emissions need to be reduced by 44% by 2030 if we are to meet the UK’s fifth carbon budget. As was said earlier, that is a huge challenge.

If we look at the 15,500 successful applicants to the scheme in the six months that it was running, and if we look at the 10 million owner-occupied homes that need to be retrofitted and brought up to environmental standards, we can see that at that rate it will take us 323 years to deliver the change we need. In a climate emergency, we simply do not have that time.

It is absolutely critical that we act fast. Whatever comes next, we must, as a minimum, include the following. First, as has been said, the scheme must last a minimum of 10 years, to allow industry to develop the necessary skills, provide investor confidence and meet objectives over a sustained period. Those skills could be built up and delivered by local colleges such as mine, which would love to be part of the green jobs revolution that this could bring about. If the Government committed to a 10-year grant programme of home insulation and renewable energy improvements, suppliers could expand to meet that demand, knowing that there was time to invest.

Finally, it is vital that the Government work with the building industry right from the start of the scheme’s creation. They did not do that last time. It has been suggested that they could easily work with the industry through the Construction Leadership Council. They must also work with financial services, including mortgage companies, to ensure that the system is deliverable. This must include providing financial incentives to homeowners, for without the grant, decarbonising a home is very expensive. Some of my constituents in Putney received quotes, as required by the scheme, of up to £20,000 to properly decarbonise their home. Financial support needs to be made available to deliver that, and more financial support needs to be made available to people on low incomes. That could involve grants or personal tax relief, although that would not incentivise all households. We need to invest in public engagement to raise consumer awareness of the additional benefit of reducing heating bills.

I would like the Minister’s assurance that he will listen to the voices of the building industry, environmental groups and potential consumers—householders, lease- holders, landlords and local authorities—when designing whatever scheme comes next. We were all desperate for the green homes grant scheme to succeed and were desperately disappointed at its closure. We simply will not achieve net zero without green homes. COP26 will provide the perfect opportunity to announce a viable, long-term approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from homes. The Government must not miss this opportunity.

Full debate: Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme
26 May 2021: Parliamentary Speech

Hon. Members will be pleased to know that the children of Our Lady of Victories Primary School in Putney have been writing to me about the issue under debate this afternoon. Thirty members of year 6 wrote to me with lovely pictures all about the environment, and most of them said that the most important issue to them was the environment and tackling climate change, so I know the eyes of those children and children across the country are on us this afternoon as we debate this.

I will focus today particularly on trees. It is welcome that the Government have announced, in the past week, the England trees action plan, but we now need strong wording and a much more ambitious plan in this legislation that will drive the action that is needed across Government, the economy and society. In Putney, Roehampton and Southfields, we love our trees and our green spaces and we know that, across the country, trees are essential for climate reduction, meeting that net zero target, biodiversity and our mental health. However, the UK has one of the lowest areas of tree coverage of any country in Europe. At current rates of planting, it will reach its own target only by 2091, as was pointed out earlier by the shadow Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport (Luke Pollard). That is 40 years off the target of 2050 and it is an example of where we can have a lot of warm words and keep talking things up, but if we do not have enforceable action by the Office for Environmental Protection, as there should be, we will be coming back here in one year, in five years or in 10 years’ time and we will not see the amount of tree planting that we need.

Nature is in decline; this is an issue globally. Despite the protections being put in place in the Bill, there is a stark decline in the UK too, as my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) set out in relation to hedgehogs. I campaigned with colleagues in the Conservative Environment Network to set a target in the Bill to halt species decline, as it matters to my constituents and my family. The Secretary of State listened, and the Bill will now include a legally binding target for species abundance by 2013. This is a genuinely world-leading measure that shows real commitment to our future generations, as it puts nature firmly as a priority across Government. It could be the net zero equivalent for nature, and we need that. As I know from knocking on thousands of doors over the years that even in places such as Gloucestershire there is still a lot to do to get people to understand what is needed to help the environment. Families are busy and stretched, and sometimes do not think there is anything they can do to make change in their daily lives. I therefore applaud the fact that in such a wide-reaching Bill there is a determination to include a local effort.

In Gloucestershire our Local Nature Partnership is already well advanced. I give credit to the board led by Doug and Matt. The LNP has developed a national exemplar approach to nature capital mapping, which will enable us locally to measure performance in future and identify opportunities for environmental investment locally. We have discovered that Stroud has a tree coverage of 11% and we want to get to a target of 20%. This is all alongside an LNP commitment to create scale-led woodland and to extensive tree planting to sequester carbon while providing many other benefits for wildlife and our wellbeing. I also give credit to groups such as Transition Stroud and our fantastic climate action nature groups throughout the district. I have spoken to the Minister before about these community groups, who are dedicated to action on climate change. These local teams will soon have legislation that is as ambitious for the planet as they are.

I cannot be on my feet without talking about my expert conservation friends at Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. I am supporting them in their proposals to create 100,000 hectares of wetland to address the climate, nature and wellbeing crisis. A blue recovery would achieve habitat creation to assist the Government’s goals in this Bill and also in the 25-year environment plan. Of course, 2020 was a tough year, but in the WWT we still saw some species bred for the first time on-site, including kingfishers and a number of butterflies such as the brown hairstreak. WWT received £1.6 million from the Government’s green recovery challenge fund to help safeguard the south-west Somerset coast against the effects of climate change, and we are restoring 130 hectares of habitat for wildlife. I should also mention that the skilled Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust received £250,000 to rebuild landscapes for nature’s recovery in our beautiful county.

Even though this Bill is primarily English and Welsh, we will be supporting it, and there are two good reasons for that. First, it is a global issue that this Bill and indeed other aspects of policy are seeking to address. Climate change and the actions that are damaging our biodiversity everywhere across the planet transcend all national borders and all national boundaries. It may be tragic and sadly ironic that many who have contributed the least will suffer the worst, but the fact is that all of us will be harmed and all of us are required to act. Secondly, there are issues that Scotland can learn from. Although a legislative consent motion has been given by the Scottish Government to move on some matters, there are issues that the Scottish Government themselves could do with picking up on, and I will refer to those if I have time.

Full debate: Environment Bill

Almost two years ago to the day, Parliament declared a climate emergency. Two years ago! The last four years were the hottest on record, one in seven native British species are now at risk of extinction and tree planting targets are missed by 50%. Some 60% of people in England are now breathing illegally poor air, and 44% of species have been in decline over the last 10 years. We could all go on; we all know what the situation is. Is this Bill up to it? I do not think it is, and I am disappointed by that.

People in Putney, Southfields and Roehampton are very interested in the environment and in making a difference. They have joined an environment commission that I have set up, and they are taking action in local communities and also globally. I also think of the other communities around the world that are affected by the decisions we are making today, including the community in Bangladesh that I visited when I worked for WaterAid. We had to get there by plane—there were no roads to get there—and I sat around with a group of women whose whole area had been completely decimated and become saline. They could not grow any crops and they had to walk miles and miles to get fresh water. They were stuck there, having been really decimated by climate change, and we face that here. We have a responsibility to that community as well as to all our communities across the country.

So here we are, 482 days after the Bill was first introduced to Parliament, with a Bill that still fails adequately to address this climate emergency. It fails to guarantee no regression from the environmental measures that were in place when we were members of the European Union. I was so disappointed that the Government could not agree to that when we were in Committee. We could have drawn a line and said, “That’s our baseline; we’re going to get better from there.” Instead, the Government did not agree even to measure that.

The Bill fails on trees and bees—we all love bees; I know the shadow Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport (Luke Pollard), loves the bees, as do many of my constituents. There is no detailed plan to meet net zero carbon emissions targets. The starting point should have been how we work to get up to there.

We are living in an imminent and real climate and environmental crisis. We will only solve it by working together, by listening to all voices and by all agreeing that we need the prize of climate change. We can only do that together, but my experience on the Environment Bill Committee confirmed to me that the Government have no interest in that. Amendment after amendment was put forward, all of which would have hugely strengthened the Bill, and the Government did not want to know. Any headlines today about changes of mind the Government may have had on amendments would have been immediately forgotten, because another event was going on this morning that has taken all the headlines, but it could have been done. We now have to hope that the other place will take up the mantle and agree to many of the excellent amendments and changes that we have proposed to the Bill.

The Government’s intransigence will cost future generations dear, but what are the next steps? It must be a global Bill. We must have joined-up Government. It cannot just be this small pot of legislation. For example, the G7 negotiations over vaccines must work to ensure that developing countries come to COP26 and that the whole process works. It has to join up through the year. We have to stop the cuts to international climate aid to countries around the world which undermine efforts we might take here to reduce our carbon emissions, and this must not be undermined by the upcoming planning legislation.

To summarise, this Bill will go down as a historic missed opportunity. I welcome the concessions that have been made, but they have taken too long and are piecemeal measures compared with the enormity of what is required to tackle the climate emergency. My constituents and I hope to be proved wrong. I hope that the Office for Environmental Protection gets some teeth from somewhere and does make a change, and that we see targets that are really achieved, but at the moment I am feeling, along with my constituents, very disappointed.

Full debate: Environment Bill
26 May 2021: Vote
Environment Bill — New Clause 24 - Prohibition on burning of peat in upland areas - Pro-climate vote: Aye - Their vote: Aye
27 Apr 2021: Parliamentary Speech

Thirdly, do not give up on the green homes grant. I hope we will hear from the Minister about the replacement for that grant, which was scrapped only a few weeks ago. There needs to be an easy incentive for homeowners to insulate and switch to green energy, developed in conjunction with mortgage providers, because there needs to be financing for this; with the building industry, so that builders can deliver it; and with education providers, so that they can train people to perform green jobs. We need that not only for social housing; I would like to hear from the Minister how the green homes grant will be replicated for private homeowners and commercial buildings.

The Mayor has committed to 80% of all journeys by 2041 being walked, cycled or made via public transport, while also putting in place a zero-emission bus fleet by 2037. He has also committed to making London a zero- carbon city by 2030—faster than any comparable city. Thanks to this bold work, toxic air in central London has reduced by 44%, and 94% fewer Londoners are living in areas that exceed the legal limit for nitrogen dioxide.

Full debate: Air Pollution: London
19 Apr 2021: Parliamentary Speech

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the role of his Department in meeting the national target of net zero emissions by 2050. ( 914298 )

Full debate: Net Zero Emissions: National Target
19 Apr 2021: Tweet
What #ClimateEmergency? Today I asked about the Green Homes Grant that was set up badly, failed and was scrapped this month. The Labour Government set out ambitious plans for zero carbon homes by 2016. But this Government sets up schemes that don’t deliver. @ThangamMP https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1384178720663953415/video/1 [Source]
19 Apr 2021: Tweet
Meetings today: ???? reusable nappies with @NappyAlliance ✅ impact of COVID on charities with @NCVO ???? funeral poverty campaign with @InstituteCCM ???? July closure of #Putney @sandtander branch ???? asking Housing Dept oral qu about net zero and the green homes grant [Source]
15 Apr 2021: Parliamentary Speech

Lifelong learning is essential for skilling up, for enabling people to develop their potential and achieve things, and for tackling inequalities in all our communities, which have grown ever wider under covid. It is essential for mental health and wellbeing, and for tackling isolation. It is also vital for our economic growth as a country, and for keeping our workforce skilled, adaptable and able to respond to climate change and to changing circumstances in the labour market. That is why this report asks for no less than a revolution in lifelong learning.

Full debate: Adult Skills and Lifelong Learning
14 Apr 2021: Parliamentary Speech

What steps the Government are taking to promote climate action and a green recovery from the covid-19 pandemic ahead of COP26. ( 914039 )

Full debate: Covid-19: Green Recovery

The UK’s credibility as COP President rests on demonstrable climate action at home. The Government have set legally binding net zero targets but they are currently off track to meet their fourth and fifth carbon budgets, which are calibrated for previous, more lenient targets. Scrapping the green homes grant two weeks ago puts us into reverse. How will the right hon. Gentleman seek to progress local, national and international progress on energy efficiency and specifically on green homes in the run-up to and during COP26?

Full debate: Covid-19: Green Recovery
29 Mar 2021: Tweet
The Green Homes Grant grant has failed and was scrapped yesterday. Always low on ambitious, just about insulation, didn’t involve the building industry in designing, complicated, over-subscribed and inept. So much for action on the Climate Emergency. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56552484 [Source]
18 Mar 2021: Parliamentary Speech

This debate will be warmly welcomed by constituents across the UK who support water projects so generously through organisations such as WaterAid and CAFOD. They get it. They get that we cannot eradicate poverty, we cannot have gender equality and education for all, we cannot tackle climate change, and we cannot achieve peace and security around the world if we do not fund water, sanitation and hygiene. Investment in national public services and water systems is both a high value for money investment and highly valued by the British public.

I urge the Government to commit, as a minimum, to returning to the 0.7% aid target as soon as possible. I would like to hear more than warm words from the Minister today. Those words must be backed up by a step change in our funding for water and sanitation, using the role as the chair of the G7 to bring together global donors to fund this and using our role as host of COP26 to bring WASH funding to the fore. It is time for the UK to return to being a world leader in delivering water and sanitation programmes, and the UK public will cheer us on.

Full debate: World Water Day
21 Jan 2021: Tweet
Fantastic. We have to work together to tackle climate change. #ClimateEmergency #Biden https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1352072818847068163 [Source]
13 Jan 2021: Vote
Financial Services Bill — Schedule 2 - Prudential regulation of FCA investment firms - Pro-climate vote: Aye - Their vote: Aye
26 Nov 2020: Tweet
On this day in 2008, the Labour Government introduced the Climate Change Act. But the Conservatives are failing to meet the Act’s targets, threatening progress on tackling the climate emergency. They need to take action now – for all our futures. https://twitter.com/UKLabour/status/1331969242275717122/video/1 [Source]
24 Nov 2020: Parliamentary Speech

If we are to put our money with our mouth is, the new clause should be added to the Bill, especially because it would match our ambition as we host COP26 next year. It would be a meaningful legal commitment to non-regression, and in turn a powerful endorsement of the Government’s stated ambitions to be world leaders on environmental matters. It would create an authoritative platform from which the UK could seek to improve global green governance. There is nothing to lose by adopting the new clause and everything to gain.

Full debate: Environment Bill (Twentieth sitting)
19 Nov 2020: Parliamentary Speech

I thought the 10-point plan was brilliant. It put a massive focus on decarbonising and the renewable energy sector, which I know the hon. Member for Southampton, Test is particularly interested in. It was addressing other elements of the whole green recovery. We were really pleased that we got the tree mentioned in there.

Full debate: Environment Bill (Eighteenth sitting)
19 Nov 2020: Tweet
???? Good morning @DominicRaab - happy #WorldToiletDay! ???? 4.2 billion people don’t have safe toilet and this means results in diseases and death. ???? Climate change means that sewage systems flood more. Hope this report is on your reading list: https://washmatters.wateraid.org/publications/fragile-world-impact-climate-change-sanitation-crisis https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1329347369138343942/photo/1 [Source]
19 Nov 2020: Tweet
On #WorldToiletDay here is an important report on the impact of climate change on the sanitation crisis. 4.2 billion people don’t have access to a safe toilet. #WorldToiletDay2020 #Toilets4All @wateraid https://twitter.com/wateraid/status/1329024496112705537 [Source]
16 Nov 2020: Tweet
Proud to have supported Labour’s green pension amendment today. We need to think differently and use pension funds to protect the planet and hit net zero. Very disappointed that the Government voted it down. #LabourGreenPensions #ClimateEmergencyNow https://twitter.com/UKLabour/status/1328453862756409344 [Source]
16 Nov 2020: Vote
Pension Schemes Bill [Lords] — Clause 124 - Climate change risk - Pro-climate vote: Aye - Their vote: Aye
11 Nov 2020: Tweet
We need a Green Economic Recovery to: ✅ Create 400,000 new, clean jobs ✅ Tack the climate emergency and the jobs crisis ✅ Put Britain back on the map as world leader in technologies of the future https://labour.org.uk/page/green-recovery-report/ [Source]
12 Oct 2020: Vote
Agriculture Bill — After Clause 42 - Contribution of agriculture and associated land use to climate change targets - Pro-climate vote: No - Their vote: No
29 Sep 2020: Vote
United Kingdom Internal Market Bill — New Clause 6 - Economic development: climate and nature emergency impact statement - Pro-climate vote: Aye - Their vote: Aye
06 Sep 2020: Tweet
Spot on @KayBurley. Tony Abbott is not only a misogynist and homophobe but also a climate change denier. He’s not a credible negotiator. The Tories have told us to trust that they will include environmental standards in new trade deals - then they make this appointment. ???? https://twitter.com/KayBurley/status/1301406437458038784 [Source]
02 Sep 2020: Tweet
With the background sounds of climate emergency protesters in Parliament Square today, the Climate and Ecological Emegency Bill was presented to Parliament by @CarolineLucas Here is my statement of support: https://www.fleuranderson.co.uk/2020/09/02/statement-from-fleur-the-climate-and-ecological-emergency-bill/ [Source]
9 Jul 2020: Parliamentary Speech

The Government are engaging in organisational navel-gazing instead of taking and shaping our place in the world at this important time. We have COP 26 and the G7 presidency coming up. We should be concerned about these huge issues, not about transforming and merging Departments, which will take two to three years to bed in. We should learn from Norway; at the same time as doing its merger, it increased its aid budget. That contributed to the merger’s success, but also it was not a full merger; it was a light-touch merger. Given the timing of these changes, I think that is what we need.

Full debate: Official Development Assistance
29 Jun 2020: Tweet
I’m looking forward to the #Putney environment and climate change virtual lobby meeting tomorrow at 11am as part of @TheCCoalition #TimeIsNow All #Putney #Southfields and #Roehampton constituents are welcome. To join please email fleur.anderson.mp@parliament.uk https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1277651889035923458/photo/1 [Source]
4 Mar 2020: Parliamentary Speech

5. What recent assessment her Department has made of the effect of water projects in tackling climate change. ( 901095 )

Full debate: Oral Answers to Questions

Some 800 million people across the world still do not have access to clean water, and clean water is the first line of defence in coping with climate change. We are currently seeing a need for handwashing, for which people need clean water, but the most climate-vulnerable countries across the world have some of the lowest levels of clean water. Only 5% of global climate finance is spent on helping countries adapt to climate change. Will the Minister increase funding for water, sanitation and hygiene projects to tackle the impact of climate change and adapt—

Full debate: Oral Answers to Questions
04 Mar 2020: Tweet
I asked the @DFID_UK Minister for more funding for water projects to tackle the impact of climate change for people in the world’s poorest countries. We are all seeing how important hand washing and clean water is for health. #cleanwater #WASH @WaterAidUK #WorldWaterDay https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1235262019131109377/video/1 [Source]
26 Feb 2020: Parliamentary Speech

After years of Government inaction on the environment and of facing an increasing climate emergency, the eyes of the nation—not only young people, but especially young people—are on this debate and on us today, asking: is this going to go far enough, is this going to go fast enough, and is this what Brexit was really all about? I do not think the Bill does any of those things, and I will outline a few of the areas I think my constituents in Putney are very concerned about, but which are also of real impact for people not only across the country but the world.

Heathrow expansion will worsen air pollution levels in Putney. The Government have accepted that it would have a “significant negative” effect on air quality, and they have provided no evidence to show how Heathrow can both expand and comply with legal limits at the same time. It will also result in jobs being drawn away from other regions by 2031. According to analysis by the New Economics Foundation of the Department for Transport’s own data, jobs would be drawn away from regions—for example, 2,360 jobs would be drawn away from Bristol, 1,600 from Solihull, and 1,300 from Manchester. This is not just a London issue and problem. Heathrow expansion will result in an additional 260,000 flights per year, which is not compatible with the climate crisis we face. I therefore implore the Minister to intervene and reverse the Government’s decision to allow the expansion to proceed, and to use the Bill to legislate against all airport expansions that cannot clearly demonstrate that environmental targets will be met.

Communities in Putney experience some of the most acute environmental problems facing the UK. They suffer from some of the highest levels of air pollution in the country, and they will be some of the biggest losers following an expanded Heathrow. They cannot afford to have environmental standards go any lower. For that reason, I believe that the Bill fails them, and I implore the Secretary of State to do better. This long-awaited Bill is just not good enough—it is not good enough to say that it is okay. It will not tackle the climate emergency. It must include targets and more resourcing for local councils, and it must go further and faster on air pollution and carbon reduction. Only then will it be worthy of the label “world leading” on environmental action.

Full debate: Environment Bill
26 Feb 2020: Tweet
Powerful arguments for a climate action education plan from @nadiawhittome and Scarlet Westbrook at the #teachthefuture campaign event #COP26 #climateaction https://twitter.com/PutneyFleur/status/1232708573517484033/photo/1 [Source]
5 Feb 2020: Parliamentary Speech

First, on Heathrow airport expansion, a third runway will stop us being able to reach our carbon emissions reduction target. It will be a disaster for my constituents in Putney and, as other hon. Members have said, across south-west London. Their quality of life and health will be blighted: some 260,000 extra flights a year deliberately routed over our green spaces, dumping carbon and particulates on important habitats such as Putney Heath as well as on residents; an increase in carbon dioxide emissions from air travel by 9 million tonnes a year; and 2.2 million people impacted by increases in aircraft noise.

For my constituents in Putney, those effects will be acutely felt. They will not have any daytime respite at all from aircraft noise on half of all days when planes are operating in a westerly direction. We will have planes flying overhead almost continually for approximately three days out of four. This will put an unbearable strain on the sleeping patterns and the health and wellbeing of my constituents. That is not to mention the inevitable increase in air pollution that a third runway and expansion will bring. Putney already suffers from some of the worst air toxicity levels in London. This is the last thing we need. In the light of our legally binding climate change targets and the declaration of a climate emergency, I request that the Minister reviews the national policy statement and cancels the expansion plans.

Full debate: Transport
05 Feb 2020: Vote
Transport - Pro-climate vote: Aye - Their vote: Aye
30 Jan 2020: Parliamentary Speech

On current evidence, the Government’s approach to trade does not take seriously our global responsibility to tackle the imminent threat of climate change, to defend human rights and to ensure trade democracy and transparency. Removing child refugee rights from the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill was not a good start, and I think doing so sent the wrong signals to the world. We have yet to see what will come up in the immigration Bill. I know that the Government say that that subject will be dealt with in the Bill, and I want to be optimistic. It is in that vein, and following that thread, that I will make my following comments.

We should also increase our environmental commitments to achieve a net zero future. Our now independent membership of the World Trade Organisation and our hosting of COP26 later this year provide a massive opportunity—I want to be as optimistic as I can about leaving the EU—to take global leadership of environmental trade policy and to outdo the EU in the implementation of environmental standards. However, that has to begin with getting our own ship in order. We need to take a more joined-up departmental approach to trade and climate change, and end the culture of siloism. We need to undertake environmental, gender and climate impact assessments before entering trade negotiations, which is why we as a House need to know what is going on in those negotiations. All too often, free trade can have a significant, detrimental impact on women in particular, which is why I mentioned gender impact assessments. We should ensure that all stipulations in future trade agreements are designed to meet our own climate and environmental targets, and we should seek legally binding climate commitments in trade deals, rather than too often ineffective environmental chapters.

To conclude, Brexit, tackling global poverty, achieving the sustainable development goals and taking urgent action on the climate crisis all bring huge challenges, but we must meet them with a very British commitment to fairness, by protecting rights and promoting peace, justice, equality, sustainability and prosperity in all that we do on the global stage.

Full debate: Global Britain
30 Jan 2020: Tweet
WaterAid’s March Summit will put the spotlight on water and sanitation ahead of the Glasgow COP 26 international climate meeting in November. #COP26 https://twitter.com/WaterAidUK/status/1222244762008391685 [Source]
9 Jan 2020: Parliamentary Speech

Before I turn to the subject of the debate—I know that we are talking about Brexit; I will get there—I want briefly to highlight some important issues for Putney and the country. The first is the environment. This must be the climate Parliament. I have worked with aid agencies around the world, and in Bangladesh I have sat down with communities of women whose jobs, livelihoods and ways of life have been devastated by rising sea water as a result of climate change. It is already happening. I have also met parents, like me, who know that our London children have permanently damaged lungs because of our air pollution. In both situations, it is always the poorest who are most affected. We need urgent action on climate change. We cannot wait five years.

Full debate: European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill
11 Dec 2019: Tweet
????Vote Labour tomorrow. Let’s grasp this opportunity for a better future for our community and country. ✅ Let’s stop Brexit. ????????‍⚕️Let’s save our NHS. ????Let’s take urgent action on climate change. ????‍♀️Let’s give our children the best start in life - Sure Start and better schools. https://twitter.com/BestForBritain/status/1204547948169834503 [Source]
01 Dec 2019: Tweet
@clarkystwit @SueWixLD @WillWandsworth To stop Brexit and have a 2nd referendum, to save our NHS from more privatisation and cuts, for urgent action on climate change and a Green New Deal across Putney, to stop Heathrow expansion, build council homes and stop ‘no fault’ evictions, fund our schools, be on your side. [Source]
24 Nov 2019: Tweet
I've taken @friends_earth's #ClimateActionPledge. If elected I'll put the climate first when I vote in parliament. We're in a #ClimateEmergency and must rapidly cut greenhouse gas emissions for a greener and fairer society. #ClimateElection #Nobrainer #GreenNewDeal https://twitter.com/CllrFleur/status/1198683185778958345/photo/1 [Source]
21 Nov 2019: Tweet
Labour manifesto promises 1m green jobs to tackle climate crisis | Labour | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/21/labour-manifesto-promises-1m-green-jobs-to-tackle-climate-crisis [Source]
18 Nov 2019: Tweet
@LincolnJopp @WillWandsworth @SueWixLD @EnteeFergal Hi Lincoln, 1. To stop Brexit and have a People’s Vote 2. To save our NHS and mental health services 3. For urgent action on the climate emergency and Putney High St 4. For more social and affordable housing 5. To reverse the school cuts and invest in a National Education service https://twitter.com/CllrFleur/status/1196479072521588739/photo/1 [Source]
14 Nov 2019: Tweet
I’m standing to be the Labour MP for Putney, Southfields and Roehampton. I run a community centre and I’m an active local Councillor. I’ll stand up for Remain, to save our NHS, and on climate change and housing. #FleurforPutney #VoteLabour #RealChange https://twitter.com/CllrFleur/status/1195065425605877761/video/1 [Source]
03 Nov 2019: Tweet
???? Labour to roll-out Warm Homes For All scheme. ???? Making homes energy efficient, tackling the climate emergency, reducing energy bills. ❄️ Preventing 1,500 winter deaths. ???? Creating 450k jobs fitting loft insulation, solar panels, double glazing. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/jeremy-corbyn-pledges-make-27-20797568.amp?__twitter_impression=true [Source]
02 Nov 2019: Tweet
Thanks to @putneysw15 for sharing my priorities for #Putney and campaign launch news - we can have #realchange on Brexit, NHS, climate change and housing with a new Labour MP http://www.putneysw15.com/default.asp?section=info&page=conlabourselection003.htm [Source]
31 Oct 2019: Tweet
At last! We can vote for change in #Putney If you care about # stopping Brexit # saving the NHS # taking urgent action on climate change Then #VoteLabour2019 #VoteFleur https://twitter.com/CllrFleur/status/1189805713314463744/photo/1 [Source]
09 Oct 2019: Tweet
@PutneyPolitics @LabGND ..... and more: ???? Make climate change the #no1 priority of the Dept of Transport and big shift to cycling https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2019/jul/09/this-government-is-neglecting-cycling-labour-would-change-that-climate ???? Invest in wind farms https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/09/labour-pledges-to-create-70000-more-jobs-in-offshore-windfarms-corbyn ???? Electric car revolution: https://labour.org.uk/press/electric-car-revolution- [Source]
20 Sep 2019: Tweet
Universities have a big part to play in tackling the #climate emergency. Pleased to support the @RoehamptonUCU #ClimateStrike today, and meet with @VC_Roehampton about the new environment strategy and divestment. https://twitter.com/CllrFleur/status/1174996792364191744/photo/1 [Source]
19 Sep 2019: Tweet
It's #EarthStrike tomorrow but how do you think Wandsworth should tackle the climate emergency? Please let us know your priorities and share as widely as you can. @13suemckinney @JeremyAmbache @WestHillCllr @_ClaireGilbert @angelamireland @WandswrthLabour https://wandsworthlabour.org/2019/09/17/tell-us-your-environmental-priorities-help-solve-the-climate-emergency/ [Source]
13 Sep 2019: Tweet
@RoehamptonUCU Great to see your support for the climate change protests on September 20th. [Source]
10 Sep 2019: Tweet
Climate emergency meeting with lots of councillors and residents, and plenty of good ideas for the Climate Action Plan. Thanks to Glyn and @The_10000 for organising. #trees #cleanair #sustainablehousing #cycling https://twitter.com/CllrFleur/status/1171526174637297664/photo/1 [Source]
10 Sep 2019: Tweet
Tonight! Big Chat 2. Wandsworth Council has declared a climate emergency, but now what? Looking forward to hearing ideas and making plans this evening. @The_10000 https://twitter.com/wandscycling/status/1170781273465511941 [Source]
04 Sep 2019: Tweet
The Heathrow Airport expansion consultation ends on Friday 13th September. 260,000 extra flights per year. 46,000 extra parking spaces. Here is my speech in the Wandsworth climate emergency debate earlier this year. Oppose and sign my petition today: https://www.fleuranderson.co.uk/ https://twitter.com/CllrFleur/status/1169154758277586947/video/1 [Source]
24 Jul 2019: Tweet
#Wandsworth must lead the way in opposing Heathrow expansion: climate emergency debate @NoR3Coalition #ClimateAction #CleanAir https://twitter.com/CllrFleur/status/1153930258653073408/video/1 [Source]
17 Jul 2019: Tweet
Wandsworth councillors declaring a climate emergency. #climateaction #crossparty #zerocarbon https://twitter.com/CllrFleur/status/1151608858424619011/photo/1 [Source]
17 Jul 2019: Tweet
Today! Join us to support declaring a climate emergency at #Wandsworth Town Hall from 6.30pm. I’m looking forward to speaking in the debate. Thanks to everyone who is planning to come - see you later. #ClimateAction @The_10000 @XRWandsworth https://twitter.com/PaulaLabour/status/1151284737014665220 [Source]
14 Jul 2019: Tweet
Watch this! Wandsworth Council will vote on declaring a climate emergency on Wednesday. Please watch this video and come to the Town Hall to support us. @PaulaLabour ????????????#ClimateAction https://twitter.com/PaulaLabour/status/1150385214868377600 [Source]
27 Jun 2019: Tweet
@PaulaLabour @VoraNina @CllrSimonHogg @DrRosena @MarshadeCordova @cllrandygibbons @hectordenfield @SadiqKhan @The_10000 @LoveBattersea1 @roryobroin It’s time to declare a climate emergency and take action. Thanks to everyone who signed the petition of over 10,000 people in support of a climate emergency motion. Join us to climate action support at the Council meeting at the Town Hall from 6.30 Weds July 17th. @The_10000 [Source]
26 Jun 2019: Tweet
Increasing demands for urgent action on #climatechange shown by huge turn out of people from across UK in Parliament today #TheTimeisNow @christianaid⁩ ⁦@CAFOD⁩ Thousands of climate change demonstrators to march on parliament to demand action | https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/time-is-now-climate-change-protest-london-parliament-a8974801.html [Source]
20 Jun 2019: Tweet
If you live in Furrzedown then you can vote today! Graham Loveland is a great candidate - if I wanted something done by the council I know he’d get it done! ✅Local community volunteer ✅campaign on climate change ✅Pro-remain ???? Vote Labour ???? Polls are Open from now to 10pm https://twitter.com/CllrFleur/status/1141595177833914369/photo/1 [Source]
12 Jun 2019: Tweet
12,000 people signed the climate change petition – now it’s time for action – read our open letter from #Wandsworth Labour’s Leader. Come to the Council on 17th July. @The_10000 ⁦@XRWandsworth⁩ #zeroLDN #climateemergency https://wandsworthlabour.org/2019/06/12/12000-people-signed-the-climate-change-petition-now-its-time-for-action/ [Source]
01 Jun 2019: Tweet
Challenging session on #climatechange at #WandsworthTransformed ‘do you believe there is a climate emergency?’ (lots of hands) ‘are you living as if there is an emergency?’ (very few) - that’s the challenge. @XRWandsworth https://twitter.com/CllrFleur/status/1134815002253246464/photo/1 [Source]
21 May 2019: Tweet
Wandsworth #Labour councillors working on climate change policy with a vegan meal thanks to @judigasser. Grateful for all the expertise and environmental campaigning experience in our group #ClimateEmergency #CleanAir https://twitter.com/CllrFleur/status/1130726251931607040/photo/1 [Source]
18 May 2019: Tweet
Plenty of support for #Labour’s MEP candidates in #Putney today. For action against climate change, austerity and FOR jobs and social change here and across the EU #VoteLabour23May @ParkerCiccone @SebDance @PutneyLabour @sheilaboswell @Hardeep216 https://twitter.com/CllrFleur/status/1129756652931100676/photo/1 [Source]
07 May 2019: Tweet
Congratulations to everyone who signed the petition and to @artglyn for organising - we need Wandsworth Council to declare a climate emergency and follow through with urgent action. #ClimateEmergency https://twitter.com/johndphoto/status/1125777041977163777 [Source]
22 Apr 2019: Tweet
@LexiHambro @FacadeSandy @XRWandsworth @ExtinctionR There was full access to the museum for everyone and - as you can see - very low police presence. Instead there is long over due attention to the devastating effects of climate change to life on our planet and to communities. #winwin #ClimateEmergency [Source]
22 Apr 2019: Tweet
View from the Natural History Museum, where I am joining with hundreds of peaceful protesters against the climate emergency. Come and join us! #ExtinctionRebellion @XRWandsworth @ExtinctionR #ClimateEmergency https://twitter.com/CllrFleur/status/1120312694773620736/video/1 [Source]
05 Apr 2019: Tweet
Sounds good. We need a government that will end child poverty, take action on climate change and housing, and invest in public services instead of selling them off. The Tories have failed. Bring it on. #GTTO @UKLabour https://twitter.com/ashcowburn/status/1113714529521864704 [Source]
16 Mar 2019: Tweet
So impressed and inspired by all the young people leading the climate strike demos around the world. All have conviction, courage, determination, and feel let down by MPs. Climate change IS an emergency and we need bold, radical action. #ClimateChangeStrike #YouthStrike4Climate https://twitter.com/CllrFleur/status/1106920116690792453/photo/1 [Source]
01 Jan 2019: Tweet
Happy New Year!! Wishing you the very best for 2019. It’s a time to be hopeful. I’m hoping for action on climate change, pollution, the housing crisis, Universal Credit reform, safe haven for refugees & against knife crime and hate crime - & a People’s Vote. #Labour #2019goals [Source]
05 Jun 2017: Tweet
Issues at #Tooting hustings have been benefits, Community policing, Brexit, housing, CO2, Syria - strong answers from @DrRosena #onourside https://twitter.com/tootingprss/status/871789355240652801 [Source]

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Fleur Anderson MP: Climate Timeline

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Fleur Anderson's Climate-related Tweets, Speeches & Votes

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