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Manchester is my Planet
Press Release
 

Issue 13
Images
Contact
Notes

Blair makes Manchester his planet on climate change tour of the city

Prime Minister, Rt Hon Tony Blair MP, today (3 November) joined more than 10,000 people living and working in Greater Manchester in backing a civic campaign to show the world that there is mass public support for individual action on global warming.

On a visit (today) to see the work taking place to clad the city's CIS tower - the tallest building in the country outside London - in photovoltaic panels, Blair gave his support to the 'Manchester is my Planet' (MIMP) climate change pledge.

Blair's backing coincides with the city's celebrations on reaching over 10,000 signatures to MIMP, an achievement, which was marked this Tuesday, with the roll-out of a giant scroll of all the names with the aid of local celebrities, politicians, business leaders and environmentalists.

Supported by more than 50 organisations, including the ten local authorities of Greater Manchester, the Northwest Regional Development Agency and Defra, MIMP aims to make the city region of Manchester the cleanest, greenest and coolest place on the planet by reducing the city's carbon emissions by 20% before the year 2010.

In the first stage of the campaign, organisers have asked people living or working in Greater Manchester to take the pledge to reduce their individual energy consumption by making small changes to their lifestyle.

MIMP's suggestions to make Mancunians more energy efficient include not leaving electrical equipment on standby and asking people to think twice about making a car journey when they could walk, cycle or use public transport.

Campaign organisers have estimated the amount of carbon dioxide saved by the Prime Minister as well as more than 10,000 other pledgers so far equals around 22,400 tonnes per year - enough CO2 to fill more than 20,000 hot air balloons or 15 billions empty wine bottles.

Led by not-for-profit agency, Manchester: Knowledge Capital and with the increasing support of the businesses and people of the city, the partnership this week launched a set of future carbon-cutting project ideas.

Amongst the ideas discussed by the partnership include a 'green badge' scheme to promote electric or hybrid vehicles and a 'circle of wind' made-up of wind turbines installed alongside the M60 orbital motorway.
 

Images


Click on image to download hi-res version.
  Tuesday 1 November 2005. Manchester is my Planet campaigners unfurl a 50 metre scroll featuring the names of more than 10,000 people from across Greater Manchester who have taken a pledge to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Pictured is campaign supporter, ITV Granada's Fred Talbot. Photograph by Karen Wright.

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  Tuesday 1 November 2005. Manchester is my Planet campaigners unfurl a 50 metre scroll featuring the names of more than 10,000 people from across Greater Manchester who have taken a pledge to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Pictured to the front, left to right, are Sustainability Northwest's Chief Executive Erik Bichard, Manchester: Knowledge Capital's Director of Innovation Keith Boxer, and campaign supporter, ITV Granada's Fred Talbot. Photograph by Karen Wright.

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  Tuesday 1 November 2005. Manchester is my Planet campaigners unfurl a 50 metre scroll featuring the names of more than 10,000 people from across Greater Manchester who have taken a pledge to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Pictured to the front, left to right, are Sustainability Northwest's Chief Executive Erik Bichard, Manchester: Knowledge Capital's Director of Innovation Keith Boxer, and campaign supporter, ITV Granada's Fred Talbot. Photograph by Karen Wright.

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  Tuesday 1 November 2005. Manchester is my Planet campaigners unfurl a 50 metre scroll featuring the names of more than 10,000 people from across Greater Manchester who have taken a pledge to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Pictured to the front, left to right, are Sustainability Northwest's Chief Executive Erik Bichard and Manchester: Knowledge Capital's Director of Innovation Keith Boxer. To the centre, campaign supporter, ITV Granada's Fred Talbot, finds his own name on the scroll. Photograph by Karen Wright.

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  Tuesday 1 November 2005. Manchester is my Planet campaigners parade a giant, inflatable Planet Earth through Manchester's Albert Square, celebrating the fact that 10,000 people from across Greater Manchester have taken a pledge to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Pictured are campaigners Melina Budden and Stephanie Allen. Photograph by Karen Wright.

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  Tuesday 1 November 2005. Manchester is my Planet campaigners parade a giant, inflatable Planet Earth through Manchester's Albert Square, celebrating the fact that 10,000 people from across Greater Manchester have taken a pledge to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Pictured is campaigner Melina Budden. Photograph by Karen Wright.

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  Tuesday 1 November 2005. Manchester is my Planet campaigners parade a giant, inflatable Planet Earth through Manchester's Albert Square, celebrating the fact that 10,000 people from across Greater Manchester have taken a pledge to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Pictured is campaigner Stephanie Allen. Photograph by Karen Wright.

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Contact

Press Contact: Call Steve Connor or Claire Rajah at Creative Concern on 0161 236 0600 or 0797 117 1228 (out of hours).
 

Notes

  1. Manchester is my Planet is being supported by more than 50 organisations including Bolton MBC, Bury MBC, Co-operative Bank, Smile and CIS, Cornerhouse, Emerge Recycling, Environment Agency, Environment Network for Manchester, ENWORKS, Friends of the Earth Manchester, George House Trust, GMPTE, Groundwork Northwest, ITV Granada, MANCAT, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester City Council, Manchester City Football Club, Manchester City Galleries, Manchester Enterprises, Manchester Museum, Manchester Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester: Knowledge Capital, Mersey Basin Campaign, MIDAS, Moonfish, Nornir, Northwest Business Leadership Team, Northwest Regional Assembly, Northwest Regional Development Agency, Northwest Trades Union Council, Oldham MBC, Red Rose Forest, Rochdale MBC, RWE Solutions, Stockport MBC, Sustainability Northwest, Tameside MBC, Trafford MBC, United Utilities, University of Manchester, University of Bolton and University of Salford.
  2. Every person taking the pledge gets a free pledge pack with advice, suggestions on how to get more people signed up, and a colourful campaign lollipop challenging the pledger 'to help lick climate change'. As individuals take their pledge, a record of their postcode will add their pledge to the website 'pledge-o-meter', which will show how well the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester are doing in tackling climate change.
  3. MIMP pledgers are asked to make small changes to their lifestyle such as not leaving electrical appliances on standby, turning down the thermostat by one degree, and thinking twice about making a car journey when they could walk, cycle or use public transport.
  4. The Manchester is my Planet climate change pledge is part of a wider programme of green energy improvements and developments across the Manchester city region, which includes new transport improvements, green building schemes, tackling energy use in office and potentially a circle of wind turbines alongside the M60.
  5. The Manchester is my Planet pledge campaign is being organised by Manchester-based sustainable development communications agency, Creative Concern.