The North Yorkshire candidates we elect to Parliament in just a few weeks’ time will have to address many environmental, social and economic challenges on our behalf. The interlinked crises of climate change and biodiversity loss are among the most severe risks the world has to contend with, so we will need leaders who understand the issues and are genuinely committed to tackling them.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be adding any information we come across to help you decide which of the candidates looks most likely to provide that urgently needed climate and nature leadership. 

Governments around the world, including our own, have been far too slow to respond to these clear and growing threats. Reports of extreme flooding, drought, heatwaves and wildfires are increasingly common. Just a few days ago, a report by Leeds University climate scientists concluded that ‘Global temperatures are still heading in the wrong direction and faster than ever before’. Those impacts are being felt not just in remote corners of the world but right here in North Yorkshire, too, where prolonged wet weather has devastated agricultural yields – jeopardising farmers' livelihoods and our food security, making us more reliant on imports and pushing up prices. And that’s after a blistering hot summer last year when temperatures nudged close to 40 degrees. Which of the candidates in your constituency looks most likely to tackle this major global crisis if elected as your MP?

As for biodiversity loss, plummeting insect populations, polluted rivers and “forever chemicals” in every corner of our environment tell a story of gross neglect of the natural world we depend on. Check out Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s new report, State of Yorkshire's Nature, for an insight into the scale of the restoration efforts needed across Yorkshire as a whole after years of damage, e.g. “Less than 20% of both protected sites and rivers are in a healthy state.” Which candidates do you think have the commitment to drive forward that restoration work by using their influence in Parliament if elected?

The good news is that we already have the solutions, including windpower, solar, electric vehicles, heat pumps, energy-efficient homes, agroecological farming methods and, of course, tougher regulation. Even better – these clean, fossil-free solutions and technologies come with the prospect of good jobs, clean air, warmer homes and lower bills.

So we know what we need to do, and opinion polls consistently tell us that a large majority of people are in favour of strong government action, but – crucially – we need to elect politicians who will make those things happen.

That’s where you come in! 

By voting for candidates with strong and credible manifesto commitments to tackle the climate and nature emergencies. According to a recent national opinion poll by Survation, climate and environmental issues are a top-three issue for 29% of voters. ‘Environment and Climate Change’ was the fourth most important issue that respondents said would influence how they vote. By the way, did you know you can check out your current MP’s voting record on climate and environmental motions in Parliament at https://voteclimate.uk/ or https://www.theyworkforyou.com/

But how do you know where the candidates in your constituency stand on climate and environmental issues? 

That’s where we come in!

In the run-up to the election, to ensure that voters have the information they need, we'll be asking candidates for a statement explaining where they stand on on both local and wider environmental issues (e.g. net zero policies, energy efficiency, renewables, agriculture, rooftop solar, river and marine water quality, restoring nature, ‘green economy' skills, public transport, active travel and, importantly, how we adapt to the climate impacts that are already locked in).