Monday, 18 September 2023

Steve Gray addresses climate rally in Edinburgh and calls for action on climate change

Photo by Neil Hanna, Friends of the Earth
ATUC Exec member and Aberdeenshire UNISON Green Champion, Steve Gray joined climate campaigners who marched through Edinburgh on Saturday 16 Sept to demand the UK and Scottish Governments develop a plan for a fair and fast transition away from fossil fuels. 

Here is the text of the speech he made at the event:

"Thank you for the opportunity to march with you in solidarity for a Just Transition for the Fossil Workers and their communities.

Since its founding in 1868 the ATUC has organised and participated in many social justice and workplace campaigns at local, national and international levels.

The Scottish Government are conducting another consultation and its on the North East Scotland Transition Fund. The people of the North East Scotland need in person visits and meetings from the Scottish and UK Governments not online consultations which most people are not even aware. These meetings need be with a range of communities from Elgin to Fraserburgh to Aberdeen to Dundee.

The people of Scotland need deeds not words. The cost of living crisis cuts deeply here and failing to fairly fund Local Government is making the crisis worse.

When Local Government workers go on strike in the coming weeks they are fighting not just to pay their bills and feed their families but to save the services we all rely on. Please support these workers!

They say cut back we say fight back.!

The increasingly climate induced Severe Storms are causing tragic deaths and disruptions demonstrating that there is a clear need to make our communities Climate Emergency resilient.– it’s up to all of us to make this happen…

System Change Not Climate Change!

The key word is Invest!

When Banks and Fossil Fuel Companies spend money its described as Investment.

When the public sector funds retrofitting, community renewables, buses, parks healthcare and schools its always described as Spending never Investing!

 The Scottish and UK Governments need to describe funding our public services as Investments not Spending.

The ATUC, and its allies in the STUC support investing in a climate resilient just transition for the Fossil Fuel workers and their home communities.

System Change Not Climate Change.

Thank you for your support."