ABCD Pledge: Which of our council candidates have signed up?

The South East Climate Alliance has launched a pledge asking for candidates in the May 6th elections, if elected, to press their council to take major action on climate change. So which county council candidates in Lewes have signed up?

The local elections on May 6th are a key moment in the democratic process, and a chance to ensure that climate action stays centre stage and doesn’t get sidelined by other pressing issues. Councils across the country have been hammered by Covid 19.  Many are facing severe budget stresses. It would be easy for climate change to fall off the agenda. The current crop of election candidates can play a vital role in making sure this doesn’t happen.

To this end, the South East Climate Alliance has launched its ‘ABCD Pledge’ asking candidates in the May 6th elections, if elected, to press their council to ‘Aim’ higher on emission reduction targets, ‘Build’ partnerships for climate action, ‘Communicate’ what’s being done to tackle climate change and ‘Divest’ from fossil fuels. See more in the graphic below.  

As at end-April, 47 candidates in the East Sussex County Council elections had signed up to the ABCD Pledge. All candidates are Green, Labour, LibDem or Independent. At the time of writing, no Conservative candidates in the ESCC elections had signed up. 

In central Lewes wards, four candidates have signed up: Wendy Maples (Green Party) and Peter Hambly (Labour) in Lewes Ward and Johnny Dennis (Green Party) and Danny Sweeney (Labour) in Ringmer & Lewes Bridge Ward. There are further signatories in the wider Lewes District. See the complete and latest list of signatories here. 

All candidates will be aware of this national Pledge. So if they haven’t signed up, it’s important ask why not. Or get them to take the last few days before the election to do the right thing by signing up at: https://seclimatealliance.uk/abcdpledge/.