Oxfam/WDM Bolton group meeting with MP David Crausby
There is something about the animals Oxfam uses to campaign that makes me smile, or in the case of the unwrapped goat - laugh! So I was looking forward to the climate change campaign event involving the polar bear. It was a good event for our local group because it was a genuine shared campaign event between Oxfam and WDM. WDM provided a large invoice for the mitigation and adaption costs caused by climate change incurred by the developing world. Oxfam provide the polar bear who wanted to save the humans (aka Margaret). The aim was as for the polar bear to present the invoice to David Crausby, a local M.P. which would raise the profile of the Climate Change campaign in the run up to Copenhagen.
The event started well. The group were in good spirits. We met some- one who hadn’t been active with us before, and we had the welcome support of two local Councilors. My first thought on seeing the polar bear was that I didn’t realize they had such big feet (not rational I know). David Crausby arrived, received the invoice and also recorded some thoughts on video. As he was speaking I thought about the support I have seen from most, if not all, MPs in the region for an ambitious climate deal at Copenhagen.
I did have a brief negative moment, as I recalled a discussion with a friend. His theory was Copenhagen would be a “cheap talk” conference, with promises and no action. But talking to other people present and learning about the breadth of campaigns planned and taking place, the negativity soon passed. I wonder what we should do next to continue to push for the international climate action that is needed - any ideas?
Tags: climatechange, northwest
