Join Brent Friends of the Earth on a Climate Change 'Flood and Nature Walk' through Wembley on Sunday September 26th

 

The walk from Wembley Park to Stonebridge Park

The Wealdstone Brook flows through the recent developments in Wembley Park

The River Brent at Monks Park/St Raphaels

FLOOD ZONE 1 = low probabality of flood, FLOOD ZONE 2  =  medium probability between a 1 in 100 and 1 in 1000 annual probability of flooding,  FLOOD ZONE 3 high probability having a 1 in 100 or greater annual probability of flood.

NB above are river flooding, in addition there may be surface water flooding.

Brent FoE will be leading a walk following (as far as possible) the course of the Wealdstone Brook and part of the River Brent from Wembley Park Station (meeting at 2pm) to St Raphael’s green space. on Sunday September 26th We will meet at 2pm on Olympic Square at the foot of the Wembley Park station steps.

The possibility of flooding due to extreme weather, both in terms of river flooding and the drainage system not being able to cope with torrential downpours, has become more obvious in the last few years as extreme weather events have increased, with some area of Brent hit by flooding recently.

We will look at natural life along the waterways, (you may be surprised) and consider how the built environment interacts with nature, and the possible dangers posed as climate change threatens to bring more flooding over the next few years. We will pause (at about 3pm) on the bank of the River Brent, near the Monks Park/St Raphaels open space, to launch paper boats with messages about climate change, and what we all need to do about it. Come along and make your own boat to launch! The boats will be caught in nets after their voyage so as not to pollute the river with litter,

Also bear in mind:

• Children are welcome andd should be accompanied by an adult who will be responsible for them.
• Wellies optional
• Assemble at Wembley Park at 2pm. Boats will be placed in the river/or on the nearby grassy area on the St Rapahels bank at 3pm
• We will have fishing nets to ‘capture’ any boats floated down the river.
• Participants can choose to break the walk at Stonebridge Park (station and buses)  or do the return walk at their leisure or with the guide.
• Participants should bring water, snack and any medication they may require.

 There are firm paths throughout the route except for a few metres on the river bank for the boat launch.

If you intend to come  to the start of the walk please let us know by emailing martinrfrancis@virginmedia.com with name etc. We will email back a mobile phone contact for the day.

Harlesden sends a resounding 'ACT NOW!' message to COP26 in Glasgow

 

 

The first of Brent Friends of the Earth's actions ahead of the COP26 meeting in Glasgow gathered lots of support yesterday when residents were invited to send messages about the Glasgow to Conference partipants and the government.

The messages on bunting were strung outside the Harlesden Tesco store making a vivid display showing the extent of concern amongst locals that COP26 should take immediate and effective action.

When queues of school students formed to write their individual messages it was clear that their generation are aware of the threat to their future.

The Mayor of Brent, Cllr Lia Colacicco, joined fellow councillors Janice Long and Orlene Hylton in collecting signatures alongside Friends of the Earth activists.

FoE will be running another bunting stall  Wembley  on Saturday September 25th, 11am to 1pm.

 

Look out for climate emergency activities across Brent over the next few weeks ahead of COP26

 

 A Greek woman loses her home to wildfire on the Island of Evia (Photo:Bloomberg)

 

From Brent Friends of the Earth

 

Over the next few weeks Brent Friends of the Earth will stage a series of creative events to send the message to local residents and politicians that there is no time to waste if the threat of catastrophic climate change is to be tackled successfully. 

 

We know that climate change is already causing “freak” highly destructive weather events worldwide. That includes the flooding here in Brent.  In the longer term it threatens the very existence of humanity.

 

We have a climate emergency

 

November sees the UK hosting COP26, the UN climate change meeting. It needs to be the most important “COP” ever. 

 

Simon Erskine, from Brent Friends of the Earth, said: 

“What is really worrying is that the extreme weather events we have seen so far are just the start – and with continuing carbon dioxide emissions they are going to get worse. We are also experiencing the mass extinctions of wildlife, rising sea levels and the oceans becoming dangerously acidic.

It is easy to get disheartened but it is not yet too late to change. If we stop burning fossil fuels and change our agricultural practices we can stop the deterioration in our climate before it is too late. 

Unfortunately politicians tend to opt for business as usual, avoiding any change that might rock the boat. The only way that they will take the far-reaching actions necessary is to be convinced that that is the will of the voters.”

 

The group’s plans include running a stall in the Harlesden Plaza car park near Tesco on September 10^th from 5 to 7 pm.  They will be making bunting full of messages about the climate emergency and hope people will join in. This will be displayed locally.  

 

The group is inviting local MP Dawn Butler and Mayor Councillor Lia Colacicco to contribute triangles.

 

Other activities being planned by Brent FoE:

 

·      Campaigning for the Council to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill,

·      A Flood and Nature Walk demonstrating how vulnerable Brent is,

·      Screening of “2040” a film setting out the potential solutions to the climate emergency

·      A climate change poster competition for school children

·      Asking climate-related questions at the September 20^th Council meeting. 

Brent commits to work with Brent Friends of the Earth/Divest Brent towards divesting its Pension Fund from fossil fuels

 

 

From Divest Brent/Brent Friends of the Earth

For over 3 years campaign group Divest Brent have been working to persuade the Council to divest its Pension Fund from fossil fuels. On April 6 Councillor Matt Kelcher presented the 1,400-signature petition (including 1,200 Brent residents) to the Cabinet on behalf of Divest Brent.  

 

Coming as it did immediately before the Cabinet discussed its 10-year climate strategy Councillor Kelcher’s hard-hitting presentation carried added weight. Following campaigning by Divest Brent the draft strategy, which was agreed at the meeting, included a section on the Pension Fund’s investments.

 

Responding to the presentation, Council Leader Muhammad Butt, Deputy Leader Margaret McLennan and Environment lead, Krupa Sheth all spoke positively and in particular Councillor McLennan looked forward to working with Divest Brent and Brent Friends of the Earth to take the agenda forward.

 

In 2019 the Council declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency and specifically agreed to redirect investments to renewable, sustainable and low carbon funds. Indeed some investments have been made in this area but the majority of the Pension Fund is still invested in funds which include fossil fuels.

 

Simon Erskine, Co-ordinator of Divest Brent, said “We welcome any moves by the Pension Fund to invest sustainably and to help with the transition to renewable energy – but the fact is that whatever green investments the Fund may have, while it continues to invest in fossil fuels it is part of the problem. We therefore look forward to working with the Council to develop a road-map for divestment in the short term.”

 

The presentation of the petition comes hot on the heels of a report entitled “Divesting to protect our pensions and the planet” which gave a comprehensive breakdown of the extent that UK Councils were invested in fossil fuels. 3% of Brent’s Pension Fund is thought to be invested in fossil fuels - £26 million. Compared to the £40 million invested in 2017 this looks like an improvement – until it is realised that much of the reduction is due to a fall in value of fossil fuel investments.

 

The Council has admitted that, while much of the Stock Market has suffered from Covid 19, they have lost £8 million by failing to divest from fossil fuels before the pandemic. They are not alone in this – with UK Councils having lost £2 billion altogether over the last 4 years – but £8 million is still a serious loss compared to the Pension Fund total of £800 million.

 

With the outlook for fossil fuels never worse as the electric vehicle revolution starts to kick in and governments look to move away from gas as a means of heating our homes, Pension Fund committee members could find themselves in breach of their duties to protect the value of the Fund if they do not start to move seriously towards divestment. Said Mr Erskine, “We look forward to Brent joining Lambeth, Southwark and Islington Councils (to name just a few) in committing to divest its pension fund from fossil fuels.”

 

 

Divestment from fossil fuels - Cllr Matt Kelcher: 'We should do it NOW, when we can make the biggest impact'

 

 

The presentation and discussion of the Divest petition

Cllr Matt Kelcher today presented a petition of nearly 1,400 Brent residents calling for Brent Council to divest its pension fund from fossil fuels. In the video above you can see him outline why investing in fossil fuels is bad policy, bad economics and bad politics. He said local people feel strongly about the issue in the light of the climate emergency and Brent Council should follow the lead of 9 Labour boroughs with divestment policies,. 'Not to divest makes us part of the problem and not part of the solution...We should do it NOW, when we can make the biggest impact.' 

In her response Cllr McLennan (Deputy Leader and lead for resources) offered to  work with Divest Brent and Friends of the Earth on the issue.

Hear from local London Assembly candidates on Wednesday and ask them a question 7-9pm

 From Brent Friends of the Earth

Join the Brent Friends of the Earth and London Assembly candidates to hear how they plan to tackle the climate crisis. Wednesday 7-9pm

About this Event

An opportunity to hear from the local London Assembly candidates about how they will address the Climate Emergency and other environmental challenges. The candidates will outline their existing proposals and respond to questions from local groups as well as the wider community.

REGISTER HERE

Note - due to a glitch you cannot register if you leave the question box blank. If you do not wish to ask a question just type 'No question' in the box and you will be able to register. 

1,400 petitioners will call on Brent Council to divest from fossil fuels at tomorrow's Cabinet Meeting

 The start of the long-running patient campaign to persuade Brent Council to divest its pension fund from fossil fuels

 

From Divest Brent

For over 3 years campaign group Divest Brent have been working to persuade the Council to divest its Pension Fund from fossil fuels. In 2019 the Council declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency and specifically agreed to redirect investments to renewal, sustainable and low carbon funds. Indeed some investments have been made in this area but the majority of the Pension Fund is still invested in funds which include fossil fuels. 

 

Extract from the Climate Emergency Strategy

 

Simon Erskine, Co-ordinator of Divest Brent, said:

 

We welcome any moves by the Pension Fund to invest sustainably and to help with the transition to renewable energy – but the fact is that whatever green investments the Fund may have, while it continues to invest in fossil fuels it is part of the problem.

 

Having achieved nearly 1,400 signatures Divest Brent is now ready to submit its petition to the Council. On April 6 Councillor Matt Kelcher will present the petition to the Brent Cabinet on behalf of Divest Brent. Mr Erskine said:

 

We were originally going to present the petition to the full Council meeting in July but the Cabinet will be discussing the Council’s draft Climate Emergency Strategy. Following campaigning by Divest Brent the draft Strategy now includes a section on the Pension Fund’s investments – and we decided that this was the best time to submit the petition, when the Cabinet was anyway looking at the issues involved.

 

Divest Brent has written a joint letter to Councillor Krupa Sheth, Council Environment lead, with Brent Friends of the Earth, calling on the Council to divest the Pension Fund as part of the Climate Emergency Strategy.

 

The presentation of the petition comes hot on the heels of a report entitled “Divesting to protect our pensions and the planet” which gave a comprehensive breakdown of the extent that UK Councils were invested in fossil fuels. 3% of Brent’s Pension Fund is thought to be invested in fossil fuels - £26 million. Compared to the £40 million invested in 2017 this looks like an improvement – until it is realised that much of the reduction is due to a fall in value of fossil fuel investments. 

 

The Council has admitted that, while much of the Stock Market has suffered from Covid 19, they have lost £8 million by failing to divest from fossil fuels before the pandemic. They are not alone in this – with UK Councils having lost £2 billion altogether over the last 4 years – but £8 million is still a serious loss compared to the Pension Fund total of £800 million.

 

With the outlook for fossil fuels never worse as the electric vehicle revolution starts to kick in and governments look to move away from gas as a means of heating our homes, Pension Fund committee members could find themselves in breach of their duties to protect the value of the Fund if they do not start to move seriously towards divestment.

 

Watch the Cabinet meeting and hear the Council's response live at 10am tomorrow LINK

Brent Friends of the Earth: GLA Hustings on the Environment - 7pm April 7th

 

 From Brent Friends of the Earth

On 6 May 2021, we'll vote for the next Mayor of London and future London Assembly Members – including our representative for Brent and Harrow.

The London Assembly holds the Mayor to account on decisions that directly impact our everyday lives, from tackling air pollution to improving public transport and creating more green space.

The people we elect will have the power to push for a clean, green and fair future – locally in Brent and Harrow and at a national level too. So, we need to make sure that our constituency’s candidates have the climate and environmental emergencies on their agenda.

Brent Friends of the Earth is hosting an online hustings with the London Assembly candidates at 7 pm on Wednesday 7 April. Join us remotely via Zoom to find out where candidates stand on important issues and ask them questions of your own ahead of the election.

I'D LIKE TO ATTEND

Brent Friends of the Earth's views on Healthy Neighbourhoods ahead of Friday's Full Council

Brent Friends of the Earth were unlucky in not getting a place to speak to Full Council on Friday when they debate Healthy Neighbourhoods but this is the position that they generally support on what are more widely known as Low Traffic Neighbourhoods:

Bullet points on Low Traffic Neighbourhood schemes:

• Roads have previously been made for cars, not people. We need to change this relationship and give space to people, cyclists and walkers so that we can all travel healthily and in a low carbon way where possible. 
  
• Research shows that LTN doesn’t cause more traffic on other roads: 
• Research shows that low-traffic neighbourhoods do not simply shift traffic from one place to another,  but lead to an overall reduction in the numbers of motor vehicles on roads. There was a 11% reduction in number of vehicles across the whole area where road space for traffic was reduced, including the main roads in a study of 70 areas across 11 Countries.  
• Just one year after the implementation of schemes in Outer London, including Waltham Forest, residents were walking 32 minutes and cycling on average 9 minutes more per week. 
• Points taken from this article, and more information there too.  
• Main roads need changes too, such as 2-way roads becoming 1-way and 20mph zones to reduce air pollution.  
• If there is an adverse increase of traffic on main roads, then road Boulevards can be a solution. These provide wider pavements, space for buses, reduced right turns, more trees and parking restrictions to reduce air pollution from these roads.  
• It’s vital that Councils conduct proper consultation with a wide variety of residents about Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, and issues must be looked at holistically across the area. This can help ensure that residents share their knowledge about where traffic is an issue and what knock-on effects this might have. No community should be disproportionally negatively affected in terms of air pollution.   
• The aim is to reduce the need for cars for short journeys. This can only be achieved with changes to public transport, cycling and walking routes. There is inevitably going to be some teething problems in making these changes, but with affordable public transport and safe cycling and walking routes, this will lead to healthier and safer neighbourhoods. 
• Evaporating traffic? Impact of low-traffic neighbourhoods on main roads - Stats show that LTN doesn’t cause more traffic on others roads, and calls for Boulevards as a solution to main roads 
• Low Traffic Neighbourhoods measures should be introduced as trials then effects can be monitored and changed if necessary  
• Modal shift may take some time to materialise but by reallocating space from cars to walking and cycling it will lead to some traffic evaporation.  
• We need alternatives – eg safe cycling infrastructure on main roads, 2 way becoming 1 way – so everybody gains somehow. There should be measures on main roads too – these will depend on local circumstances but could include protected cycle lanes, one-way systems, safe crossings (20 mph zones? CAZ?) – can we say any more about what this mitigation for residents on main roads already suffering high air pollution could look like?
• Ultimately need more reallocation of roadspace on side roads and main roads to reduce traffic and reduce air pollution. 
• We don’t want to entrench poor air pollution in disproportionately affected communities – should be more in a balance of neighbourhoods 

A greener, fairer Greater Brent? Join Brent Friends of the Earth week of action

 

From Brent Friends of the Earth

Brent FoE Green and Fair Recovery action

This is the week of action - we want to hear your views in our campaign for a green and fair recovery from COVID-19.

What could this look like in Brent? Please comment with your ideas

Also, join our online discussion on Sunday 11th October 10:30-12, around how to achieve a green and fair recovery, and influence government ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

To join the Zoom Meeting, email info@brentfoe.com for the link, or join our mailing list via www.brentfoe.com.

We will also be hosting a virtual lobby with Brent MPs Tulip Siddiq and Dawn Butler. Details to be confirmed soon!

Brent environmental groups launch petition: We Need Brent to Build Back Better Now!

Brent associations campaigning for active travel and environmental health have launched a petition outlining how the Council Leader and his Cabinet can ensure Brent Builds Back Better as lockdown eases:

We Need Brent to Build Back Better Now

Having declared a Climate Emergency last July, we have to move with a greater sense of urgency to promote active travel, a healthy environment and clean air in our Borough. We have the largest number of Covid-19 cases in London, reflecting health inequalities across income, ethnicity and race directly related to air pollution and passive travel, as well as poor employment conditions and overcrowded housing. Government-enforced austerity and legacies of racial and economic injustice are largely responsible for this situation, but Brent Council has the opportunity Build Back Better by:

·         Immediately implementing the Borough’s Cycle and Walking Strategies via pop-up cycle lanes and cycle-friendly modal filters.

·         Accelerating the implementation of the ‘Healthy Streets’ initiative between Wembley and Willesden Junction, and pro-actively implement low-traffic neighbourhoods.

·          A faster roll-out of more School Streets across the Borough to improve air quality around schools, make them safer and encourage cycling and walking to and from schools as these re-open.

·          Developing a plan to decarbonise the Borough by creating new, well-paid, secure, unionised jobs; divesting the Council’s pension fund from fossil fuel companies; creating a policy of public procurement; enforcing a rapid transition of the Council’s own fleet of vehicles to electric; and requiring Council deliveries to be by electric vehicles or cycles, including cargo-bikes.

·         Putting in place Clean Air Zones, charging where necessary.

·         Multiplying the provision of cycle hoops and bike hangers, at the same pace, if not faster, as on-street electric charging points.

·         Reallocating parking space to people, particularly around commercial streets, since cyclist and pedestrians have been shown to spend more on local High Streets.

Many of these measures can be delivered immediately and most rapidly if the Leader and Cabinet show the political will, and match best practice across London.

We need to Build Back Better now.

Brent Cycling Campaign, Brent Friends of the Earth, Divest Brent, Willesden Green Residents' Association, Brent XR

SIGN HERE

Brent Friends of the Earth urge Brent Council to expedite bid for TfL greener transport funding

Fearful that Brent Council and its residents will miss out on potential funding for green travel plans (bids have to be in by Thursday), Brent Friends of the Earth have written to Brent's CEO, Carolyn Downs, leading councillors and officers with recommendations for such a bid:

Dear Ms. Downs,

The government is calling for a “step-change” in the roll-out of Active Travel measures, and that these should be taken “as swiftly as possible, and in any event within weeks”. Moreover TfL and The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, have launched the ‘London Streetspace’ programme to help residents switch to more sustainable forms of transport, reducing the pressure on other parts of our transport network. Immediate action is essential in reducing public transport to 20% to enable social distancing whilst travelling. As you know there is funding available from TfL and we are keen that Brent secures as much funding as possible to enable the changes that are needed. We hope there is time to consider the recommendations below on green travel as a necessary and timely response to the Climate Emergency declared by Brent council last July.

1. Put in place Clean Air Zones, with charging if needed.

2. Reduce car use through measures such as promoting car-sharing and the need to own and use a car through managing developments in the local plan. The Housing Minister has revoked the sign - off for Local Plans so we ask Brent to run counter to this and find alternatives to removing Green Space / Green Corridors within Brent.

3. Deliver a rapid transition of the council’s own fleet of vehicles to electric.

4. Require deliveries to the council to be by electric vehicles or bike (e.g. through setting-up a distribution centre for onward deliveries by clean vehicles).

5. Extended time limit on pedestrian green phase at every signalised junction for disabled pedestrians; these should run without needing to push the button.

6. Connected cycle lanes through major thoroughfares and parks, clearly painted with their segregation significantly improved through the use of wands, cones, armadillos, and planters and pop-up cycle parking should be encouraged, especially in areas of high pedestrian traffic. Major thoroughfares in turn should allow cycles in bus lanes, but no other (private) vehicles, with stiff fines for infractions; they should use 'swept path analysis' software to ensure cycling safety and viability; see LINK

7. The provision of cycle hoops and bike hangers to be accelerated on given residential streets, as long as two or more households are in favour, and in the parking lots of all schools.

8. For the safety of cyclists in Brent speed limits should be lowered, especially in residential areas and near schools, with increased enforcement and speed camera infrastructure significantly expanded; wherever possible, at intersections without traffic lights and the Council should consider banning turns to remove hooking danger, among the leading causes of injury and death among cyclists.

9. The Council should commit to converting existing parking to green spaces/ tree and hedge planting wherever possible, thereby simultaneously reducing car usage and improving air quality, and adopting weekly car free days and making all school streets car-free within 500 metres of schools with exemptions for people with blue badges/disability driving badges.

10. On top of air pollution, noise pollution is a public health issue pertaining to traffic. Brent Council should more aggressively devise and implement noise impact assessments and increase enforcement including fines for all vehicles with noise levels above 10 dBA and increasing fines for modified vehicle exhaust systems that make the vehicle in question noisier after it has been ‘type approved’.

11. The North Circular Rd/A406 should be a top priority for traffic reduction, as it contributes to dangerous particulate levels and noise pollution for all adjacent communities, bisects the borough in ways that make crossing exceedingly difficult, and is extremely un-user friendly to pedestrians and cyclists. Optimally, a trolley line should be placed in lanes for both directions, although this would need coordination with TfL and adjacent boroughs. More immediately, existing plans to sequester lanes in both directions for cycle and pedestrian use, with planters/shrubbery/green verges segregating these from traffic, should be implemented; and over/underpasses for cyclists and pedestrians greatly increased.

We urge you, therefore, to consider the above and prioritise green travel plans as quickly as possible. Where appropriate, funding should be sought from TfL – and where the changes are not the responsibility of the Council we urge you to lobby TfL for these changes. We look forward to hearing from you regarding the recommendations outlined in this letter. We appreciate regular updates and feedback on the subsequent Developments of your efforts.