On this page, we outline ways you can make sure that your voice is heard by those in power, by using your vote wisely and by contacting your MP and local councillors to express your concerns about climate change.

Use your vote wisely

A prosperous and less carbon-intensive future for the United Kingdom depends on national and local government decisions about the environment, green spaces, roads, cycling infrastructure, food and farming, waste and recycling, air quality, energy generation, and energy efficient homes. Ultimately, steps to reduce carbon emissions should have a positive impact on other local issues, like improving air quality and public health, creating jobs and reducing inequality.
 
Greening Chiddingly is a non-party-political group. However, we urge everyone to inform themselves about the position of the main political parties on climate change before they vote. It isn’t always easy to find this information – the following links provide a starting point for the five main parties normally standing for election in the Sussex Weald constituency.

Conservative Party – the latest Policy Renewal Programme outlines Conservative plans for energy, which includes maximising oil and gas extraction from the North Sea to improve energy security and repealing the Climate Change Act. Safeguarding food security is also mentioned through the repeal of  the Family Farm Tax.

Green Party – the Green Party website contains limited new policy detail aside from their 2024 General Election Manifesto with its extensive promises around greener homes, greener energy, more sustainable food and farming, and a generally greener economy. The manifesto also includes pledges around nature conservation and restoration.

Labour Party – the Labour website focuses on progress against pledges made in the 2024 General Election manifesto and lays out their plans for clean power, cleaner water and energy reduction in homes. Their proposals for the natural environment include strengthening environmental regulation of water companies, establishing new National Forests, and improving regulations around animal welfare.

Liberal Democrat Party – the Liberal Democrat website sets out the party's position on climate change, energy, transport, food and farming, and the natural environment, which is largely unchanged from their 2024 General Election manifesto. It also focusses on campaigning victories, including the requirement for solar panels on all new-build homes.

Reform UK – the position of Reform UK on climate change is summarised in the Policies area on their website. This lays out their plans to remove the UK's commitment to Net Zero targets, to scrap subsidies on renewable energy, and to invest further in the North Sea oil and gas sector. They also seek to outlaw the use of potentially productive agricultural land for solar farms and rewilding.

Contact your MP and local councillors

 In any constituency, pressure from the electorate can influence decision-making:

• Contact your MP – the MP for Sussex Weald is Ms Nusrat Ghani, who can be reached at her Westminster address. If you are reading this from outside the constituency, you can find details of your local MP here.
• Contact Wealden District Council – contact information and a guide to what Wealden Council is doing to tackle the climate emergency is available here.
• Contact Chiddingly Parish Council – contact information for the Clerk to Chiddingly Parish Council is available here.