Events
In November the Manchester Climate Alliance, hosted an online event to bring climate campaigners and activists together to discuss how we can increase the impact of our work.
Here are the key takeaway points to increase the impact of your green campaigns by working with local and central government representatives. (in whatever area you focus on)
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS Take time to get to know your local councillors and MPs and meet and talk to them repeatedly over time, to build trust and for all of us to see each other as human beings with shared endeavours. It’s not us and them.
FIND COMMON GROUND. This may mean reframing your own concerns to speak to the concerns of others. For example, Climate concerns can be reframes as promoting clean air (and hence public health or children’s health), or improving youth access to public transport, or reducing river pollution, or increasing biodiversity or increasing woodland or park development. The solutions to all these issues are also climate friendly.
SPREAD YOUR CONTACTS to include as many councillors and MPs as you can, and the specific committees they work on. FIND ALLIES IN OTHER GROUPS IN THE CLIMATE ALLIANCE NETWORK
SHARE YOUR SUCCESSES AND SHOW YOUR IMPACT. Whenever you have an event, create a stir or work with local people (especially children) invite your councillors or MP to attend and get photographed with you…share this on social media. They will do the same spreading your message. Ask them to mention your work in other forums they contribute to in government. Ask if you can visit MPs at parliament too.
START WITH SMALL GAINS and SHOUT OUT ABOUT YOUR SUCCESS. This will slowly build profile and impact and helps you to stay angry and not get despondent.
GO FOR THE SMART ASK. This means thinking about intermediate steps or common ground. So instead of asking for a “complete fossil fuel advertising ban” we could ask for “the date by when such advertising will be banned” or ask for such advertising to be restricted in certain places eg the Metro
QUESTIONS FOR YOUR MP TO ASK IN PARLIAMENT. MPs are very busy people, do some of the work for them ahead of time by framing questions for specific debates or sessions.
ABOVE ALL REMEMBER YOUR FRUSTRATION AND ANGER ARE JUSTIFIED AND GIVE YOU ENERGY. GO FOR THE COURAGE OF YOUR CONVICTIONS. THE WHOLE MANCHESTER CLIMATE ALLIANCE IS WITH YOU
Summary document from the workshop
The Manchester Climate Alliance is a network of groups and individuals from around the city. The purpose of the group is to connect campaigners together to support and learn from each other, publicize events and to foster a more collaborative approach to the fight against climate change.
By joining the group, you will be added to a mailing list of fellow travellers from around Manchester. Contact Simon at simonferris4234@gmail.com to be added in.