Sarah Dyke MP: Climate Timeline

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Sarah Dyke's Climate-related Tweets, Speeches & Votes

We've found the following climate-related tweets, speeches & votes by Sarah Dyke

• 5 Dec 2024: Parliamentary Speech

  As Members will know, transport is a key contributor to climate change and the release of greenhouse gases. The transport sector is responsible for more than a quarter of total UK emissions and is the single most polluting domestic sector, but all public transport combined —buses, trams, shared mobility—accounts for only 9% of these emissions, with that number falling every year.

  The Government’s vision for the future of buses appears to be based around franchising and delivering London-style buses around the country. As I stated, better buses are key to achieving a modal shift, hitting net zero targets and delivering opportunity and growth. But with the local authority landscape as it is, franchising simply is not an option in rural areas. If there is not significant funding, franchising is no more than a pipe dream for rural authorities. Somerset council has only three officers to deal with public transport, which is not enough people power to run such an operation. That is not an anomaly, but a local authority standard. If the current situation does not work for rural areas, what is the vision?

  Full debate: Improving Public Transport

• 4 Dec 2024: Parliamentary Speech

  Improving our biosecurity will ensure that we can continue to prevent major infectious disease outbreaks, which are expensive and harm our international reputation, but it will create opportunities too. The two most widely discussed problems in agriculture are business viability and climate change, and what is often forgotten in these conversations is that vaccinations can play a part in supporting both. As we have heard in this debate, diseases such as bluetongue, Schmallenberg virus and avian influenza can lead to stunted growth in livestock. They fail to reproduce, they abort and they are more likely to die. I spoke to a farmer in Barton St David recently, and they told me that that just means more inputs for lower outputs, and for consumers it means more expensive food. He also said that it means more damage to the environment as well.

  Research from my alma mater, Harper Adams University, shows that controlling avian influenza reduces greenhouse gas emissions by almost 16% per kilogram of meat without the need for culling. Following several successful campaigns from industry bodies, most livestock farmers now accept the benefits of regular vaccinations and parasite control. However, our inconsistent domestic vaccine capacity is preventing them from doing so. For example, this summer, sheep farmers saw yet another shortage of enzootic abortion vaccinations and continued shortages of orf vaccinations.

  Full debate: Biosecurity

• 6 Nov 2024: Parliamentary Speech

  Somerset is one of only two counties in England where peat extraction still takes place. The Somerset levels and moors are the second largest area of lowland deep peat in England, containing 11 million tonnes of carbon. However, drained deep peat is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and, along with peat extraction, could be responsible for as much as 255,000 tonnes of CO 2 per year, according to a 2023 report published by eftec. Somerset’s peatlands are extremely rare and valuable habitats for wildlife. They are the perfect place for plants such as the sundew and the marsh violet, which in turn support invertebrates and bird populations.

  There are many fantastic examples of businesses moving towards being peat free. One such business is Kelways in Langport, in my constituency, which no longer sells compost containing peat and understands the shift that needs to take place. Moving towards being peat free would help the Government to achieve their aim of moving towards a circular economy. Peat-free compost manufacturers want to keep supply chains close to home, and some, such as Miracle-Gro, have their own on-site waste processors to produce compost. Others have partnerships with local forestry and wood processing businesses. RocketGro in Somerset processes digestate, a by-product of sustainable energy, into peat-free compost.

  Full debate: Horticultural Peat (Prohibition of Sale)

• 29 Oct 2024: Tweet

  It was great to meet @FuelPovAction in Parliament last week and hear about their #energyforall campaign. I agree everyone should have enough energy for the basics. It's time we put an end to extortionate energy bills & the big profiteers pay their way on the path to net zero. https://x.com/SarahDykeLD/status/1851335694335312102/photo/1 [Source]

• 24 Oct 2024: Tweet

  I'm delighted to have been elected onto the EFRA Select Committee. It ensures rigorous scrutiny of Defra policy & makes evidence-based recommendations. This is vital for agriculture & rural communities & as we reach critical juncture in terms of the environment & climate crisis. https://x.com/SarahDykeLD/status/1849374940610318442/photo/1 [Source]

• 23 Oct 2024: Tweet

  Food security is critical to national security so we must secure the future of British farming. Farmers lead on supporting green energy infrastructure - hosting 70% of our renewable capacity. They must be supported to diversify without sacrificing valuable land/food capacity. https://x.com/SarahDykeLD/status/1849084273900339268/video/1 [Source]

• 22 Oct 2024: Parliamentary Speech

  Farmers across the country are leading the UK’s renewable energy charge, and already host about 70% of the UK’s total solar generation capacity. Hosting renewable energy infrastructure can help British farmers at a time when they desperately need it, so the ability to diversify their business has been welcome for those who can do so. However, food security is paramount to national security. Energy security and food security go hand in hand, so we must secure the future of British farming.

  Rural communities such as Glastonbury and Somerton are leading the solar energy movement. My constituency is in the top 50 English parliamentary constituencies for domestic solar generation capacity. The Government should be looking to improve on the success of rural communities by enabling more solar panels on agricultural buildings, with affordable access to rural electricity grid connections. To ensure we are food secure, we must ensure that the future of British farming is safe. We must therefore give our farmers the support they need to feed the nation and protect our environment. To reach net zero by 2045, we must support the roll-out of renewables. Supporting farmers to host renewable infrastructure is common sense, but it must not be on our best, most versatile and most productive land. I look forward to hearing the Minister’s comments—

  Full debate: Large-scale Energy Projects and Food Security

• 16 Oct 2024: Tweet

  Yesterday in Parliament, I asked the government to commit to community benefits for hosting solar power arrays. This infrastructure is critical to our path to net zero, and rural communities must benefit when they bear the visual brunt of supporting it. https://x.com/SarahDykeLD/status/1846513924356927555/video/1 [Source]

• 15 Oct 2024: Parliamentary Speech

  I commend the new Government’s aspiration to increase our renewable energy infrastructure. The previous Conservative Government’s failure to invest in renewable energy and insulate our homes led directly to the energy crisis, pushing up energy bills for everyone and squeezing personal finances. In Somerset we are investing in and expanding our renewable energy infrastructure. Under the net zero pathway, the equivalent of 45% of Somerset’s future expected electricity demand will be met by local renewable energy generation by 2050.

  However, I believe that when communities host renewable energy infrastructure such as solar farms, they should benefit from it. When I asked the Secretary of State about this recently, he agreed—he was clear that when communities take on the responsibility of hosting clean energy infrastructure, they should benefit from it—yet when I wrote to the Minister for Energy, the response stated blankly that the Government have no formal role in ensuring community benefits in solar. That is not the case with onshore wind power, which the Government are taking action to ensure is covered. That leaves communities in Somerset that host solar infrastructure totally reliant on developers to offer tangible benefits. Developments are also ineligible for community infrastructure levy obligations in the way that new housing is. The lack of obligations on developers means that communities are unlikely to benefit from hosting installations, leading to ongoing tensions within communities.

  That begs further questions about the Government’s development of Great British Energy, to which I hope the Minister might respond today. If GB Energy is going to invest in new ground-mounted solar farms, will it ensure that local communities benefit from hosting the infrastructure, as the Government have claimed is their aim? I look forward to hearing the Minister’s comments. I hope that we can continue to move forward and increase clean, green energy production.

  Full debate: Renewable Energy Projects: Community Benefits

• 08 Oct 2024: Tweet

  Just a reminder the Oct 18 deadline for £100k funding from @BritishGas is fast approaching. If you have a project that could help your community in the south-west reach net zero APPLY HERE: https://www.centrica.com/sustainability/energy-for-tomorrow/ https://x.com/SarahDykeLD/status/1843750715946111393/photo/1 [Source]

• 07 Oct 2024: Tweet

  The fantastic @LandAliveSW conference is coming up next month at @BathandWest A brilliant chance to learn about how regenerative agriculture is the way forward in securing our futures, mitigating climate change and restoring our nature and farmland. https://www.landalive.co.uk/ https://x.com/SarahDykeLD/status/1843380616689266811/photo/1 [Source]

• 05 Sep 2024: Tweet

  Climate change is the existential threat impacting our energy, food & social security. We must believe in the value of the future by investing in renewable energy, supporting our farmers to produce great quality food for our tables & help them to protect our environment &… 2/3 [Source]

• 4 Sep 2024: Parliamentary Speech

  I have spoken before in this place about how many farmers are leaving the industry because they do not have the confidence to continue and about the impact that that is having on their mental health. Ninety-two percent of farmers under the age of 40 say that poor mental health is the biggest hidden problem that farmers face today, and those pressures will likely be compounded further by yesterday’s report that the Government are going to slash the nature-friendly farming budget. Not only would that seriously threaten many farmers’ livelihoods, but it would result in at least 239,000 fewer hectares of nature-friendly farmland, according to research by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. The National Trust, the RSPB, and the Wildlife Trust warned before the election that the nature-friendly farming budget had to increase if the UK is to meet its legally binding nature and climate targets. Cutting it would be tantamount to ignoring our legal targets.

  Full debate: Sheep Farming

• 24 Aug 2024: Tweet

  I was delighted to attend the Climate Adaption Plan launch in Glastonbury today. The plan will help the town prepare for the impacts of climate change. Somerset is so often at the forefront of climate change & I will always support action for a more sustainable, resilient future. https://twitter.com/SarahDykeLD/status/1827470108043964878/photo/1 [Source]

• 18 Jul 2024: Tweet

  Earlier today, during the Ministerial Statement on clean energy, I took the opportunity to speak about the need for mandatory Community Benefit Funds for communities that host solar farms. The reply from the Secretary of State is promising. #RenewableEnergy #Solar #Community https://twitter.com/SarahDykeLD/status/1813995856586305880/video/1 [Source]

• 12 Jul 2024: Tweet

  I've written to the Secretary of State for Energy Security & Net Zero to suggest that local communities should benefit from hosting large, ground-mounted solar farms. It's only fair that a share of the benefits should go directly to them. https://twitter.com/SarahDykeLD/status/1811694413845868704/photo/1 [Source]

• 28 Jun 2024: Tweet

  RT @LibDems: Tackling the climate crisis doesn't have to just be a cost. We can build the green jobs of the future, upgrade homes and bri… [Source]

• 13 Jun 2024: Tweet

  Topics from the audience included the state of the NHS, council funding and the climate emergency. I'm looking forward to this evening's hustings, at St Mary's Church in #Bruton. 2/2 [Source]

• 02 Jun 2024: Tweet

  I've been passionate about protecting the natural environment for as long as I can remember. I was Portfolio Holder for the Environment on South Somerset District Council and Lead Member for the Environment and Climate Change at Somerset Council. 1/3 https://friendsoftheearth.uk/system-change/green-policies-and-general-election-who-leads-pack [Source]

• 23 May 2024: Tweet

  While I was Lead Member for Environment and Climate Change at South Somerset District Council, I introduced e-scooter trials in rural areas. In yesterday's parliamentary debate about e-scooters, I outlined the benefits the scheme had brought to residents. https://twitter.com/SarahDykeLD/status/1793613117198651612/video/1 [Source]

• 20 May 2024: Tweet

  I've written to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities about the difficulties local authorities are experiencing in being able to meet their 2050 net zero targets. https://twitter.com/SarahDykeLD/status/1792566962653921760/photo/1 [Source]

• 15 May 2024: Parliamentary Speech

  I am proud to come from Somerset. The county is well known for its stunning nature and diverse range of landscapes, from the Mendip hills to the Somerset levels and moors. Somerset is also proud to be home to many farming communities, but we are really susceptible to the effects of climate change because of the county’s low-lying moorland. We have witnessed heavy flooding over recent years. It is all having a devastating impact on our communities and our wildlife.

  Communities are taking action. I am looking forward to the inaugural LandAlive sustainable food and farming conference at the Bath and West showground in November. I have met many farmers across my constituency who have demonstrated to me the benefits that biodiversity brings to their farms, such as the protection of the shrill carder bee, which was once widespread in the south of England but is now limited to just five areas in my constituency around Somerton and Castle Cary. Recorded numbers highlight their decline: just seven were recorded in 2022. Bee numbers are affected by climate change, flooding, loss of genetic diversity and pesticide usage.

  I echo the calls for a national invertebrate strategy. Habitat destruction is one of the greatest threats that insects face—for instance, 97% of all flower-rich grassland has been lost in the past 50 years—but local action can be taken to restore diverse habitats. One such measure is the creation of a new 460-acre nature reserve near Bruton called Heal Somerset, which aims to tackle the nature and climate crises while creating new jobs for local people and businesses, alongside designing and delivering projects with the local community. This rewilding project will increase insect numbers and encourage the growth of more plants, including new saplings, while bringing a greater abundance and diversity of species.

  The Liberal Democrats want to support such initiatives by introducing a nature Act that would restore the land’s natural environment by setting legally binding near and long-term targets for improving water, air and soil biodiversity. Protecting biodiversity requires action that protects and proliferates best practice among all who use the land. A rapid transition that supports British farmers, builds strong, long-term food security, restores biodiversity and ensures we all reach our net zero targets is crucial.

  Full debate: Biodiversity Loss

• 13 May 2024: Parliamentary Speech

  However, as the House will know, one of the major risks to national food security will be the loss of British farmers and agricultural businesses. There has been a long-term downward trend in the number of farms in the UK, with a staggering 110,000 closing their gates for the last time since 1990. Climate change continues to be strongly felt by British farmers—and nowhere more than in Somerset, a county that is so often at the forefront of it. The last 18 months have been the wettest since records began, and that, alongside squeezed margins and the reduction of support, has left many farmers on a cliff edge. The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and the Soil Association have recently warned that many farmers are on the brink of quitting because of the enormous financial and mental strain.

  Full debate: Agriculture

• 25 Apr 2024: Parliamentary Speech

  The project uncovered that the UK throws away 1.7 billion pieces of plastic every year, but only 17% of that is recycled. The vast majority—58% of it—is burned in UK incinerators, which are often located in deprived neighbourhoods, producing toxic air pollution and often more greenhouse gases per tonne burned than coal. That is a shocking statistic, and a large part of why the plastics industry is contributing such a huge amount to climate change. The industry now produces more greenhouse gases than the entire aviation industry.

  However, yet again the Government are looking to move too slowly: the scheme is not expected to come into operation until 2027, although international best practice has shown that 18 months should be sufficient to establish such a system. It could potentially save about £11 billion, given the social cost of litter and given higher recycling rates, as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 0.46 million tonnes a year by 2032. In the light of those benefits, it is vital for the Government to move fast in delivering this long-awaited scheme. I am also disappointed that they have failed to honour their 2019 manifesto commitment to include glass bottles in such a scheme, but I guess that that promise was made five DEFRA Secretaries of State ago.

  The scale of the plastic problem that we face is huge, but I believe we have the tools at our disposal to tackle it. The Government have made the right noises, but now is the time to act, both on the international stage and at home. We know of the devastating impact that climate change and plastic pollution have on our environment, so we must address it as a matter of urgency. The Government have been slow to act in the past, and I hope they will now recognise the urgency that is needed. The UK must take its place as one of the leaders in the global movement to reduce our reliance on single- use plastics, and I hope that through the successful implementation of the measures I have discussed today, we will take important steps forward.

  Full debate: Single-use Plastics

• 16 Apr 2024: Parliamentary Speech

  The food system is not working. People in this country struggle with food security and are living in food poverty. Much of our food waste ends up in landfill, thus contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. The Food Foundation has found that the poorest 20% in society would need to spend half their disposable income to afford the healthy diet recommended by the NHS. Food waste is a significant issue with vast environmental, social and economic implications. We need to redesign the food system to meet everyone’s needs.

  Full debate: Food Waste and Food Distribution

• 29 Jan 2024: Parliamentary Speech

  I am concerned about the negative impact that this Bill has on modern innovative and sustainable agribusiness. I am concerned about the worsening of the UK’s environmental impact, and the fading net zero commitments that this Government are shying away from. I am concerned about the human rights implications that my constituents, as consumers, may be made to stomach. I have many constituents working in the agrifood industry who feel they have been misled by this Tory Administration. One farmer told me last week that

  “violence and extortion add to the ravages of climate change”.

  Full debate: Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill [Lords]