home.social

#greenbelt — Public Fediverse posts

Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #greenbelt, aggregated by home.social.

  1. NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Launches After Maryland Build

    The launch of NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sunday, Aug.…
    #NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Space #greenbelt #GreenbeltMD #Maryland #NASA #princegeorge'scounty #Science
    newsbeep.com/us/838243/

  2. NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Launches After Maryland Build

    The launch of NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sunday, Aug.…
    #NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Space #greenbelt #GreenbeltMD #Maryland #NASA #princegeorge'scounty #Science
    newsbeep.com/us/838243/

  3. Mayor Perry – listening to Croydon (4 September 2026)

    With September comes the start of a new school year, so I would like to send my best…
    #London #Britain #UnitedKingdom #UK #GB #England #Headlines #News #Europe #EU #Croydon #calat #GreenBelt #Mayor'smessage
    europesays.com/gbr/london/2072

  4. City Hall defends plan to build on London’s green belt because it’s ‘pragmatic’

    While talk of building on low quality ‘grey belt’ land has been happening for months, the Draft London…
    #London #Britain #UnitedKingdom #UK #GB #England #Headlines #News #Europe #EU #Enfield #environment #GreaterLondonAuthority #GreenBelt #Housing #londonassembly #SadiqKhan #Wasted
    europesays.com/gbr/london/2056

  5. City Hall defends plan to build on London’s green belt because it’s ‘pragmatic’

    While talk of building on low quality ‘grey belt’ land has been happening for months, the Draft London…
    #EuropeSays #Britain #Europe #EU #London #Enfield #Environment #GreaterLondonAuthority #GreenBelt #Housing #LondonAssembly #sadiqkhan #Wasted
    europesays.com/britain/117373/

  6. #OntarioGreenbelt is a Refuge for Species at Risk

    #Toronto, May 22, 2026 – "On World #Biodiversity Day, a new report published by #OntarioNature demonstrates the critical role that the Greenbelt plays as a safe haven for some of Ontario’s most vulnerable species.

    "The report – Species at Risk in the Greenbelt: Successes, Challenges and Opportunities – shows that since 2004, the number of species at risk living in the Greenbelt has increased by 68%, rising from 72 to 121 species. That growth far outpaces provincial trends, confirming the Greenbelt’s critical importance for biodiversity in southern Ontario.

    "The 121 at-risk species that inhabit the Greenbelt represent 42% of the total species at risk in Ontario – including rare birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and plants. Some, like the hooded warbler, are showing signs of recovery thanks to protected habitats and coordinated conservation efforts. Others, like redside dace and Jefferson salamander, are struggling as habitat fragmentation and pollution harm breeding and feeding grounds. The habitats the Greenbelt provides for the hooded warbler, redside dace, Jefferson salamander and many other species not only sustain this diversity of life but play an essential role in human health by ensuring the flow of clean water, filtering the air and providing a natural buffer against flooding.

    " 'The Greenbelt shows us what’s possible when nature is given space to breathe,' said Ontario Nature’s Acting Conservation Science and #Stewardship Director, Jenna Quinn. 'But we can’t expect it to do all the work on its own. Species at risk need action to ensure their recovery.'

    "According to Ontario Nature’s Conservation Policy and Campaigns Director, Tony Morris: 'The #Greenbelt isn’t just a buffer against #UrbanSprawl, it’s a refuge for a diversity of life. Greenbelt #forests, #wetlands and #rivers are vital strongholds for many species that have lost habitats elsewhere in southern Ontario.'

    "The Greenbelt is a cherished public policy that celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025. On this #WorldBiodiversityDay, we reflect on the importance of the variety of life on Earth and encourage actions to protect it. The Greenbelt’s role in protecting habitats and vulnerable species is more important than ever. Collectively, we must do everything we can to protect, strengthen and expand the Greenbelt to keep Ontario self-reliant, secure and ready to meet future challenges."

    Learn more:
    ontarionature.org/news-release

    #SolarPunkSunday #WildlifeCorridors
    #PreserveTheForest #ReconnectNature #Canada #Biodiversity #ProtectNature #Interconnectedness #NatureCorridors #EndangeredSpecies #HabitRestoration

  7. "The koala population
    in the Burbank bushland (south-east Queensland) ...has suffered massive losses in the past 20-30 years."

    "...Those little ones cross roads, walk into backyards with dogs or trip into swimming pools … we've had all of those types of koalas rescued..."

    Strapping tracking collars around their necks and buzzing the marsupial with thermal drones will now help monitor the sprawling urbanisation, cars and dogs?

    abc.net.au/news/2026-07-25/tra
    #koalas #wildlife #HabitatFragmentation #Burbank #SEQueensland #greenbelt #GofetchMyData #dogs #pets #roads #conservation #telemetry

  8. "The koala population
    in the Burbank bushland (south-east Queensland) ...has suffered massive losses in the past 20-30 years."

    "...Those little ones cross roads, walk into backyards with dogs or trip into swimming pools … we've had all of those types of koalas rescued..."

    Strapping tracking collars around their necks and buzzing the marsupial with thermal drones will now help monitor the sprawling urbanisation, cars and dogs?

    abc.net.au/news/2026-07-25/tra
    #koalas #wildlife #HabitatFragmentation #Burbank #SEQueensland #greenbelt #GofetchMyData #dogs #pets #roads #conservation #telemetry

  9. Who should I vote for in a climate emergency?

    It is getting increasingly difficult to sort out fact from fiction when discussing local politics. Blatant lies are sometimes told on election leaflets, and misinformation is deliberately spread on social media. How do we get to the truth, and who should we vote for to prioritise environmental action?

    Greenpeace has been on the streets encouraging people to register to vote and support politicians who prioritise tackling the climate and nature emergencies. One volunteer told me, “I talked to a group of workmen in hi-viz. They were very disillusioned with politics, 3 of the 4 said they were not going to vote because of the cost of living and suggested the Council wasn’t going to change things. Then one very unexpectedly said, “Look at this Council, if they wanted to do something about cars, they’d make public transport free!” 

    At present, Sheffield City Council has 84 Councillors. There are 36 Labour, 27 Liberal Democrats, and 14 Greens that share power in a cooperation agreement. The opposition is made up of 6 Independents and one Reform Councillor. So talk in election leaflets of one party funding this, or being responsible for that, is a bit disingenuous, as the funding comes mainly from us, the Council Tax payers and Government grants. To get anything done, there has to be agreement between at least two of the parties. One third of the Councillors are up for election this year, but due to resignations, two wards have two votes. 

    I don’t think there has ever been a broader choice of candidates in Sheffield elections. Most wards have the choice of Labour, Lib Dem, Green, Conservative, TUSC and Reform. There are also candidates from Restore UK in some wards. This is a party further to the right of Reform, but they are called  “Independent” on the ballot papers. These should not be confused with Independent candidates in some wards, standing on a pro-Palestine ticket. With such a massive choice of candidates, if the vote is evenly split, one party could win with a very small proportion of the vote. Our first past the post voting system was designed for two-party contests. The Government must bring in fair proportional voting as soon as possible.  

    This opinion poll indicates that the Labour vote has collapsed, and they could lose all their seats in this election. The poll has them hanging on to Darnall by just 2%. Greens could gain Labour strongholds Manor Castle, Walkley, Burngreave and Crookes and Crosspool and Ecclesall and Graves Park from the Lib Dems. while holding City, Hillsborough and Gleadless Valley. Reform could gain Birley, Woodhouse, Southey, Shiregreen and Brightside from Labour and Beighton from the Lib Dems. Lib Dems could gain East Ecclesfield from Labour, and hold Beauchief, Dore and Totley, Fulwood, Mosborough, Stannington and West Ecclesfield. So overall, massive gains for Greens and Reform and a massive collapse for Labour.

    But this is only a poll: the only one that counts is on May 7th. 

    So, which parties should interest you if you are making environmental issues your priority? Three parties,  Reform, the Conservatives and Restore, are now ideologically opposed to the concept of Net Zero carbon emissions. They oppose measures that improve life for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users in pursuit of drivers’ votes. They oppose renewable energy schemes in favour of a Trump-like “drill baby drill” attitude, hoping to exploit more oil in the North Sea, which we can’t afford to burn if we are going to avoid climate tipping points. Their disbelief or scepticism in the science of climate change is deeply worrying, but not surprising when you examine where their funds come from. These parties have deep vested interests in oil and tech companies and the millionaires associated with them.  

    I could only find local manifestos for 3 parties, Labour, Lib Dems and Greens. If you are not sure who to vote for, do examine the policies carefully.

    It’s hard to find mentions of environmental issues in most election leaflets. But it’s disappointing to see untruths being told. Some Labour leaflets and social media posts, for instance, are taking full credit for  Green Bonds, an idea brought to the Council by the Green Party.  The Bonds quickly raised £1 million pounds for solar panels on school roofs. 

    Another hot potato is the Greenbelt. Liberal Democrats and Reform are both criticising the Green Party for voting for the Local Plan, and campaigners have bombarded social media with memes, objecting to the Local Plan. The Lib Dem leaflet for Ecclesall says “The Lib Dems voted to protect our Greenbelt and nature from Labour’s building plans. The Green Party voted with Labour to pave over our greenbelt in yet another let down!” The Green Party say that a Local Plan is vital to stop developments throughout the Greenbelt and in other areas of special interest not protected by the Greenbelt. They voted to give as much protection to the Greenbelt as possible and will oppose planning applications on Greenbelt land in future. So they did not vote to “pave over the Greenbelt”, they voted to protect it. 

    Only the Green Party mentions the climate crisis in their manifesto, but one crucial detail is missing from all the election leaflets I’ve seen. How are we going to meet the Council’s commitment to reach Net Zero by 2030?

    This graph, produced by Sam Wakeling, shows that we are way off track. The Council declared a Climate Emergency in 2019, but has never taken monitoring of CO2 seriously. Extinction Rebellion was saying at the time that we need to aim for Net Zero by 2025. They were right. Today, we may already be too late to save the Coral Reefs, which are home to a quarter of the planet’s marine species. We are dangerously close to other tipping points, like the collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Ocean Circulation, without which Britain would be 5 degrees C colder, with agricultural production falling dramatically worldwide. All politicians, at every level of Government, need to be prioritising climate action and working out how we can be more resilient as a country, ready for shocks like the closure of the Straits of Hormuz or the next extreme weather event.  

    I don’t blame political parties or the electorate for their silence on AMOC and other climate tipping points. Political parties need to attract votes and appeal to the demands of their supporters. But most people are completely in the dark regarding the threats climate tipping points now pose to us. And the electorate isn’t demanding climate action because the mainstream media don’t inform them. This week George Monbiot published an excellent article on AMOC, but there has been very little on the BBC or the popular press.   Maybe this will change soon, because the BBC are being taken to a tribunal for suppressing the most important climate news. There will be more on this in future posts.

    If we are to have any chance of meeting Sheffield’s emissions target, we urgently need more Green Councillors in the Town Hall who will make the climate and nature emergencies a priority. Wherever you live in Sheffield, Vote Green Party on May 7th.

    #2026 #AMOC #BritainVotesNow #GeorgeMonbiot #GreenBonds #GreenParty #Greenbelt #LabourParty #LiberalDemocrats #LocalElection #news #politics #Reform #Restore #SheffieldCarbonEmissions #TUSC
  10. Who should I vote for in a climate emergency?

    It is getting increasingly difficult to sort out fact from fiction when discussing local politics. Blatant lies are sometimes told on election leaflets, and misinformation is deliberately spread on social media. How do we get to the truth, and who should we vote for to prioritise environmental action?

    Greenpeace has been on the streets encouraging people to register to vote and support politicians who prioritise tackling the climate and nature emergencies. One volunteer told me, “I talked to a group of workmen in hi-viz. They were very disillusioned with politics, 3 of the 4 said they were not going to vote because of the cost of living and suggested the Council wasn’t going to change things. Then one very unexpectedly said, “Look at this Council, if they wanted to do something about cars, they’d make public transport free!” 

    At present, Sheffield City Council has 84 Councillors. There are 36 Labour, 27 Liberal Democrats, and 14 Greens that share power in a cooperation agreement. The opposition is made up of 6 Independents and one Reform Councillor. So talk in election leaflets of one party funding this, or being responsible for that, is a bit disingenuous, as the funding comes mainly from us, the Council Tax payers and Government grants. To get anything done, there has to be agreement between at least two of the parties. One third of the Councillors are up for election this year, but due to resignations, two wards have two votes. 

    I don’t think there has ever been a broader choice of candidates in Sheffield elections. Most wards have the choice of Labour, Lib Dem, Green, Conservative, TUSC and Reform. There are also candidates from Restore UK in some wards. This is a party further to the right of Reform, but they are called  “Independent” on the ballot papers. These should not be confused with Independent candidates in some wards, standing on a pro-Palestine ticket. With such a massive choice of candidates, if the vote is evenly split, one party could win with a very small proportion of the vote. Our first past the post voting system was designed for two-party contests. The Government must bring in fair proportional voting as soon as possible.  

    This opinion poll indicates that the Labour vote has collapsed, and they could lose all their seats in this election. The poll has them hanging on to Darnall by just 2%. Greens could gain Labour strongholds Manor Castle, Walkley, Burngreave and Crookes and Crosspool and Ecclesall and Graves Park from the Lib Dems. while holding City, Hillsborough and Gleadless Valley. Reform could gain Birley, Woodhouse, Southey, Shiregreen and Brightside from Labour and Beighton from the Lib Dems. Lib Dems could gain East Ecclesfield from Labour, and hold Beauchief, Dore and Totley, Fulwood, Mosborough, Stannington and West Ecclesfield. So overall, massive gains for Greens and Reform and a massive collapse for Labour.

    But this is only a poll: the only one that counts is on May 7th. 

    So, which parties should interest you if you are making environmental issues your priority? Three parties,  Reform, the Conservatives and Restore, are now ideologically opposed to the concept of Net Zero carbon emissions. They oppose measures that improve life for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users in pursuit of drivers’ votes. They oppose renewable energy schemes in favour of a Trump-like “drill baby drill” attitude, hoping to exploit more oil in the North Sea, which we can’t afford to burn if we are going to avoid climate tipping points. Their disbelief or scepticism in the science of climate change is deeply worrying, but not surprising when you examine where their funds come from. These parties have deep vested interests in oil and tech companies and the millionaires associated with them.  

    I could only find local manifestos for 3 parties, Labour, Lib Dems and Greens. If you are not sure who to vote for, do examine the policies carefully.

    It’s hard to find mentions of environmental issues in most election leaflets. But it’s disappointing to see untruths being told. Some Labour leaflets and social media posts, for instance, are taking full credit for  Green Bonds, an idea brought to the Council by the Green Party.  The Bonds quickly raised £1 million pounds for solar panels on school roofs. 

    Another hot potato is the Greenbelt. Liberal Democrats and Reform are both criticising the Green Party for voting for the Local Plan, and campaigners have bombarded social media with memes, objecting to the Local Plan. The Lib Dem leaflet for Ecclesall says “The Lib Dems voted to protect our Greenbelt and nature from Labour’s building plans. The Green Party voted with Labour to pave over our greenbelt in yet another let down!” The Green Party say that a Local Plan is vital to stop developments throughout the Greenbelt and in other areas of special interest not protected by the Greenbelt. They voted to give as much protection to the Greenbelt as possible and will oppose planning applications on Greenbelt land in future. So they did not vote to “pave over the Greenbelt”, they voted to protect it. 

    Only the Green Party mentions the climate crisis in their manifesto, but one crucial detail is missing from all the election leaflets I’ve seen. How are we going to meet the Council’s commitment to reach Net Zero by 2030?

    This graph, produced by Sam Wakeling, shows that we are way off track. The Council declared a Climate Emergency in 2019, but has never taken monitoring of CO2 seriously. Extinction Rebellion was saying at the time that we need to aim for Net Zero by 2025. They were right. Today, we may already be too late to save the Coral Reefs, which are home to a quarter of the planet’s marine species. We are dangerously close to other tipping points, like the collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Ocean Circulation, without which Britain would be 5 degrees C colder, with agricultural production falling dramatically worldwide. All politicians, at every level of Government, need to be prioritising climate action and working out how we can be more resilient as a country, ready for shocks like the closure of the Straits of Hormuz or the next extreme weather event.  

    I don’t blame political parties or the electorate for their silence on AMOC and other climate tipping points. Political parties need to attract votes and appeal to the demands of their supporters. But most people are completely in the dark regarding the threats climate tipping points now pose to us. And the electorate isn’t demanding climate action because the mainstream media don’t inform them. This week George Monbiot published an excellent article on AMOC, but there has been very little on the BBC or the popular press.   Maybe this will change soon, because the BBC are being taken to a tribunal for suppressing the most important climate news. There will be more on this in future posts.

    If we are to have any chance of meeting Sheffield’s emissions target, we urgently need more Green Councillors in the Town Hall who will make the climate and nature emergencies a priority. Wherever you live in Sheffield, Vote Green Party on May 7th.

    #2026 #AMOC #BritainVotesNow #GeorgeMonbiot #GreenBonds #GreenParty #Greenbelt #LabourParty #LiberalDemocrats #LocalElection #news #politics #Reform #Restore #SheffieldCarbonEmissions #TUSC
  11. Who should I vote for in a climate emergency?

    It is getting increasingly difficult to sort out fact from fiction when discussing local politics. Blatant lies are sometimes told on election leaflets, and misinformation is deliberately spread on social media. How do we get to the truth, and who should we vote for to prioritise environmental action?

    Greenpeace has been on the streets encouraging people to register to vote and support politicians who prioritise tackling the climate and nature emergencies. One volunteer told me, “I talked to a group of workmen in hi-viz. They were very disillusioned with politics, 3 of the 4 said they were not going to vote because of the cost of living and suggested the Council wasn’t going to change things. Then one very unexpectedly said, “Look at this Council, if they wanted to do something about cars, they’d make public transport free!” 

    At present, Sheffield City Council has 84 Councillors. There are 36 Labour, 27 Liberal Democrats, and 14 Greens that share power in a cooperation agreement. The opposition is made up of 6 Independents and one Reform Councillor. So talk in election leaflets of one party funding this, or being responsible for that, is a bit disingenuous, as the funding comes mainly from us, the Council Tax payers and Government grants. To get anything done, there has to be agreement between at least two of the parties. One third of the Councillors are up for election this year, but due to resignations, two wards have two votes. 

    I don’t think there has ever been a broader choice of candidates in Sheffield elections. Most wards have the choice of Labour, Lib Dem, Green, Conservative, TUSC and Reform. There are also candidates from Restore UK in some wards. This is a party further to the right of Reform, but they are called  “Independent” on the ballot papers. These should not be confused with Independent candidates in some wards, standing on a pro-Palestine ticket. With such a massive choice of candidates, if the vote is evenly split, one party could win with a very small proportion of the vote. Our first past the post voting system was designed for two-party contests. The Government must bring in fair proportional voting as soon as possible.  

    This opinion poll indicates that the Labour vote has collapsed, and they could lose all their seats in this election. The poll has them hanging on to Darnall by just 2%. Greens could gain Labour strongholds Manor Castle, Walkley, Burngreave and Crookes and Crosspool and Ecclesall and Graves Park from the Lib Dems. while holding City, Hillsborough and Gleadless Valley. Reform could gain Birley, Woodhouse, Southey, Shiregreen and Brightside from Labour and Beighton from the Lib Dems. Lib Dems could gain East Ecclesfield from Labour, and hold Beauchief, Dore and Totley, Fulwood, Mosborough, Stannington and West Ecclesfield. So overall, massive gains for Greens and Reform and a massive collapse for Labour.

    But this is only a poll: the only one that counts is on May 7th. 

    So, which parties should interest you if you are making environmental issues your priority? Three parties,  Reform, the Conservatives and Restore, are now ideologically opposed to the concept of Net Zero carbon emissions. They oppose measures that improve life for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users in pursuit of drivers’ votes. They oppose renewable energy schemes in favour of a Trump-like “drill baby drill” attitude, hoping to exploit more oil in the North Sea, which we can’t afford to burn if we are going to avoid climate tipping points. Their disbelief or scepticism in the science of climate change is deeply worrying, but not surprising when you examine where their funds come from. These parties have deep vested interests in oil and tech companies and the millionaires associated with them.  

    I could only find local manifestos for 3 parties, Labour, Lib Dems and Greens. If you are not sure who to vote for, do examine the policies carefully.

    It’s hard to find mentions of environmental issues in most election leaflets. But it’s disappointing to see untruths being told. Some Labour leaflets and social media posts, for instance, are taking full credit for  Green Bonds, an idea brought to the Council by the Green Party.  The Bonds quickly raised £1 million pounds for solar panels on school roofs. 

    Another hot potato is the Greenbelt. Liberal Democrats and Reform are both criticising the Green Party for voting for the Local Plan, and campaigners have bombarded social media with memes, objecting to the Local Plan. The Lib Dem leaflet for Ecclesall says “The Lib Dems voted to protect our Greenbelt and nature from Labour’s building plans. The Green Party voted with Labour to pave over our greenbelt in yet another let down!” The Green Party say that a Local Plan is vital to stop developments throughout the Greenbelt and in other areas of special interest not protected by the Greenbelt. They voted to give as much protection to the Greenbelt as possible and will oppose planning applications on Greenbelt land in future. So they did not vote to “pave over the Greenbelt”, they voted to protect it. 

    Only the Green Party mentions the climate crisis in their manifesto, but one crucial detail is missing from all the election leaflets I’ve seen. How are we going to meet the Council’s commitment to reach Net Zero by 2030?

    This graph, produced by Sam Wakeling, shows that we are way off track. The Council declared a Climate Emergency in 2019, but has never taken monitoring of CO2 seriously. Extinction Rebellion was saying at the time that we need to aim for Net Zero by 2025. They were right. Today, we may already be too late to save the Coral Reefs, which are home to a quarter of the planet’s marine species. We are dangerously close to other tipping points, like the collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Ocean Circulation, without which Britain would be 5 degrees C colder, with agricultural production falling dramatically worldwide. All politicians, at every level of Government, need to be prioritising climate action and working out how we can be more resilient as a country, ready for shocks like the closure of the Straits of Hormuz or the next extreme weather event.  

    I don’t blame political parties or the electorate for their silence on AMOC and other climate tipping points. Political parties need to attract votes and appeal to the demands of their supporters. But most people are completely in the dark regarding the threats climate tipping points now pose to us. And the electorate isn’t demanding climate action because the mainstream media don’t inform them. This week George Monbiot published an excellent article on AMOC, but there has been very little on the BBC or the popular press.   Maybe this will change soon, because the BBC are being taken to a tribunal for suppressing the most important climate news. There will be more on this in future posts.

    If we are to have any chance of meeting Sheffield’s emissions target, we urgently need more Green Councillors in the Town Hall who will make the climate and nature emergencies a priority. Wherever you live in Sheffield, Vote Green Party on May 7th.

    #2026 #AMOC #BritainVotesNow #GeorgeMonbiot #GreenBonds #GreenParty #Greenbelt #LabourParty #LiberalDemocrats #LocalElection #news #politics #Reform #Restore #SheffieldCarbonEmissions #TUSC
  12. Who should I vote for in a climate emergency?

    It is getting increasingly difficult to sort out fact from fiction when discussing local politics. Blatant lies are sometimes told on election leaflets, and misinformation is deliberately spread on social media. How do we get to the truth, and who should we vote for to prioritise environmental action?

    Greenpeace has been on the streets encouraging people to register to vote and support politicians who prioritise tackling the climate and nature emergencies. One volunteer told me, “I talked to a group of workmen in hi-viz. They were very disillusioned with politics, 3 of the 4 said they were not going to vote because of the cost of living and suggested the Council wasn’t going to change things. Then one very unexpectedly said, “Look at this Council, if they wanted to do something about cars, they’d make public transport free!” 

    At present, Sheffield City Council has 84 Councillors. There are 36 Labour, 27 Liberal Democrats, and 14 Greens that share power in a cooperation agreement. The opposition is made up of 6 Independents and one Reform Councillor. So talk in election leaflets of one party funding this, or being responsible for that, is a bit disingenuous, as the funding comes mainly from us, the Council Tax payers and Government grants. To get anything done, there has to be agreement between at least two of the parties. One third of the Councillors are up for election this year, but due to resignations, two wards have two votes. 

    I don’t think there has ever been a broader choice of candidates in Sheffield elections. Most wards have the choice of Labour, Lib Dem, Green, Conservative, TUSC and Reform. There are also candidates from Restore UK in some wards. This is a party further to the right of Reform, but they are called  “Independent” on the ballot papers. These should not be confused with Independent candidates in some wards, standing on a pro-Palestine ticket. With such a massive choice of candidates, if the vote is evenly split, one party could win with a very small proportion of the vote. Our first past the post voting system was designed for two-party contests. The Government must bring in fair proportional voting as soon as possible.  

    This opinion poll indicates that the Labour vote has collapsed, and they could lose all their seats in this election. The poll has them hanging on to Darnall by just 2%. Greens could gain Labour strongholds Manor Castle, Walkley, Burngreave and Crookes and Crosspool and Ecclesall and Graves Park from the Lib Dems. while holding City, Hillsborough and Gleadless Valley. Reform could gain Birley, Woodhouse, Southey, Shiregreen and Brightside from Labour and Beighton from the Lib Dems. Lib Dems could gain East Ecclesfield from Labour, and hold Beauchief, Dore and Totley, Fulwood, Mosborough, Stannington and West Ecclesfield. So overall, massive gains for Greens and Reform and a massive collapse for Labour.

    But this is only a poll: the only one that counts is on May 7th. 

    So, which parties should interest you if you are making environmental issues your priority? Three parties,  Reform, the Conservatives and Restore, are now ideologically opposed to the concept of Net Zero carbon emissions. They oppose measures that improve life for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users in pursuit of drivers’ votes. They oppose renewable energy schemes in favour of a Trump-like “drill baby drill” attitude, hoping to exploit more oil in the North Sea, which we can’t afford to burn if we are going to avoid climate tipping points. Their disbelief or scepticism in the science of climate change is deeply worrying, but not surprising when you examine where their funds come from. These parties have deep vested interests in oil and tech companies and the millionaires associated with them.  

    I could only find local manifestos for 3 parties, Labour, Lib Dems and Greens. If you are not sure who to vote for, do examine the policies carefully.

    It’s hard to find mentions of environmental issues in most election leaflets. But it’s disappointing to see untruths being told. Some Labour leaflets and social media posts, for instance, are taking full credit for  Green Bonds, an idea brought to the Council by the Green Party.  The Bonds quickly raised £1 million pounds for solar panels on school roofs. 

    Another hot potato is the Greenbelt. Liberal Democrats and Reform are both criticising the Green Party for voting for the Local Plan, and campaigners have bombarded social media with memes, objecting to the Local Plan. The Lib Dem leaflet for Ecclesall says “The Lib Dems voted to protect our Greenbelt and nature from Labour’s building plans. The Green Party voted with Labour to pave over our greenbelt in yet another let down!” The Green Party say that a Local Plan is vital to stop developments throughout the Greenbelt and in other areas of special interest not protected by the Greenbelt. They voted to give as much protection to the Greenbelt as possible and will oppose planning applications on Greenbelt land in future. So they did not vote to “pave over the Greenbelt”, they voted to protect it. 

    Only the Green Party mentions the climate crisis in their manifesto, but one crucial detail is missing from all the election leaflets I’ve seen. How are we going to meet the Council’s commitment to reach Net Zero by 2030?

    This graph, produced by Sam Wakeling, shows that we are way off track. The Council declared a Climate Emergency in 2019, but has never taken monitoring of CO2 seriously. Extinction Rebellion was saying at the time that we need to aim for Net Zero by 2025. They were right. Today, we may already be too late to save the Coral Reefs, which are home to a quarter of the planet’s marine species. We are dangerously close to other tipping points, like the collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Ocean Circulation, without which Britain would be 5 degrees C colder, with agricultural production falling dramatically worldwide. All politicians, at every level of Government, need to be prioritising climate action and working out how we can be more resilient as a country, ready for shocks like the closure of the Straits of Hormuz or the next extreme weather event.  

    I don’t blame political parties or the electorate for their silence on AMOC and other climate tipping points. Political parties need to attract votes and appeal to the demands of their supporters. But most people are completely in the dark regarding the threats climate tipping points now pose to us. And the electorate isn’t demanding climate action because the mainstream media don’t inform them. This week George Monbiot published an excellent article on AMOC, but there has been very little on the BBC or the popular press.   Maybe this will change soon, because the BBC are being taken to a tribunal for suppressing the most important climate news. There will be more on this in future posts.

    If we are to have any chance of meeting Sheffield’s emissions target, we urgently need more Green Councillors in the Town Hall who will make the climate and nature emergencies a priority. Wherever you live in Sheffield, Vote Green Party on May 7th.

    #2026 #AMOC #BritainVotesNow #GeorgeMonbiot #GreenBonds #GreenParty #Greenbelt #LabourParty #LiberalDemocrats #LocalElection #news #politics #Reform #Restore #SheffieldCarbonEmissions #TUSC
  13. #Greenbelt #Humane #Senior #Disability #CivicPride
    I just learned about Operation Silver Shovel. Greenbelt, MD, like many other places,, has received a nasty dusting of snow; nasty, at least, for our tender experience. Now I learned that if you live in a townhouse or single,, are 70 or older or disabled, the city will clear your driveway/sidewalk if you can't. Dang. We're not talking about their doing it and fining you: just doing it to help, so there's access in case of an emergency.
    (Now i the snowplow driver will only go home, so I can clear the bottom of our driveway so it stays clear.) That aside is serious, but at the same time I applaud them. They've been doing a great job of keeping the roads clear. Not just the main drag: all the roads.

  14. Enjoyed several hours, walking nature trails at #protected #ConservationArea with #kindred #NatureLoving #friends 🌲🥾 I also made a new friend during the nature walk. I'm organizing next month's visit, bringing everyone together, to hike other trails on 42 acres property & enjoy lakeside picnic 😊

    #W̱MÍYEŦEN #Wsanec #Nature #Sanctuary #Millstream #Watershed #GowllandRange #conservation #vanisle #PNW #VictoriaBC #yyj #greenbelt #lekwungen #VancouverIsland #PacificNorthwest

    marylakeconnections.ca

  15. Enjoyed several hours, walking nature trails at #protected #ConservationArea with #kindred #NatureLoving #friends 🌲🥾 I also made a new friend during the nature walk. I'm organizing next month's visit, bringing everyone together, to hike other trails on 42 acres property & enjoy lakeside picnic 😊

    #W̱MÍYEŦEN #Wsanec #Nature #Sanctuary #Millstream #Watershed #GowllandRange #conservation #vanisle #PNW #VictoriaBC #yyj #greenbelt #lekwungen #VancouverIsland #PacificNorthwest

    marylakeconnections.ca

  16. The #Wimbledon #community Forum meets 19.15 on 30 November at Wimbledon Library. The future of #WimbledonPark on is on the agenda. The Forum is convened on behalf of #Merton Council to engage local people in local issues. #AELTC were invited to discuss their planning application to build a massive industrial tennis comp’ex on this #MetropolitanOpenLand (ie #GreenBelt) but turned down the invitation. We’ll still be discussing it anyway #SaveWimbledonPark savewimbledonpark.org