A GREEN movement within a political party is seeking to ramp up awareness about environmental issues in the county by grappling like-minded activists to its cause.

Wycombe Labour for a Green New Deal has prioritised several key issues it feels should be tackled with regards to climate change, pollution, and sustainability on a local level – and is encouraging “serious” people to get behind it.

The six-month-old movement currently has 20 confirmed members in High Wycombe, as well as a cooperative of partnerships that share its “green values”, and now it has its sights set on industry and Buckinghamshire Council.

The group is keen to align itself with like-minded campaigners, “irrespective of political beliefs”, who care about the following:

  • Localism
  • Energy
  • Air pollution
  • Health and diet
  • Housing
  • Industry
  • Transport
  • Environment

“Labour has certain core concerns – equality, fair play, and transparency being some. But green issues are among our core policies,” said WLGND spokesperson, John Bajina.

“We are very interested in furthering education and training in relation to this.

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“We are also in a tanking economy and deep recession and we are going to need to generate green jobs for people and this council and this government – who seem to have the resources and budget – need to roll their sleeves up and get on with it.

“High Wycombe is well above the national average for air pollution in the UK. We have records going back to year dot.

“We need to think more about greener sourcing and supplies, about transport, and about the lack of drive towards being a greener county.

“In this time of hiatus due to coronavirus, it is time to build up people’s knowledge in High Wycombe.

“We have picked up on local concerns about air pollution and climate change, and now is the time to act, to raise awareness and let people already working on this know they aren’t alone.”

Mr Bajina added WLGND is working with a handful of partners with “green values” in High Wycombe to further its campaign, “irrespective of political beliefs”.

“We are going to publicly propose solutions for better housing, for achieving net zero carbon emissions, for health and diet, and for the environment.

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“We have in Buckinghamshire also got to look more seriously at how we dispose of waste. We recycle some waste but the majority goes to the incinerator at Greatmoor, near Calvert which is hugely expensive and produces next to nothing in term of electricity.

“Who thinks burning rubbish in 2020 is a good idea?”

On transport solutions, Mr Bajina said it was “complete fallacy” that the transference to EV infrastructure is expensive.

“It’s also an excuse,” he added. “Electric vehicles are much cheaper to run than fossil fuel.”

He endorses a wholesale shift in public and private transport happening at the same time but conceded the public sector must start a ripple effect.

“We want a serious conversation with industry, interested parties and the local authority – but they must be committed to green issues, not box ticking,” he added.

To find out more about WLGND, click here.

Image courtesy of Google Maps