Manchester is my Planet
Press Release

Issue 11

Manchester goes global on climate change

PHOTOCALL:
2PM TUESDAY 1 NOVEMBER IN ALBERT SQUARE MANCHESTER - Climate campaigners unveil scroll of 10,000 names supporting 'Manchester is my Planet' campaign and pose with giant inflatable planet. Attendees will include politicians, business leaders and TV weatherman Fred Talbot.

As Environment Minister, Margaret Beckett, today (Tuesday, November 1st) welcomes fellow G8 environment ministers to the capital to discuss how best to tackle climate change, Manchester demonstrates mass public support for real action on global warming, and a blueprint for a city-wide 'green energy revolution'.

A large scroll of more than 10,000 names of people living and working in Greater Manchester, who have pledged to reduce their carbon emissions by 20 per cent before the year 2010, will be rolled-out in front of Manchester's town hall at 2pm, today. Campaigners will also hold-up a giant inflatable planet to represent the widely supported 'Manchester is my Planet' campaign.

The scroll, which is 50m in length, and includes the signatures of Manchester City goalkeeper, David James and former Dr Who, Christopher Eccleston, is intended to show the commitment of the people and businesses of Greater Manchester to tackling climate change.

Following the G8 Gleneagles 2005 summit in July, which saw agreement of poverty eradication yet failed to see a breakthrough on climate change, Greater Manchester decided to take real civic action on climate change, through the not-for-profit campaign, entitled 'Manchester is my Planet (MIMP).'

Launched just five weeks after the closing of the G8 summit, MIMP was initiated by a consortium of Northwest-based private and public sector organisations, entitled Manchester: Knowledge Capital and is backed by Defra, the Northwest Regional Development Agency, the ten local authorities of Greater Manchester and supported by over 60 leading organisations.

Signatures for the pledge were collected by logging onto the web site at www.manchesterismyplanet.com and via SMS. The campaign was highlighted through the local media, web links, viral emails, work place notice boards and council's newsletters.

The MIMP scroll will be rolled out by pledger, Fred 'the weather man' Talbot, who will be supported by fellow wellie and rain hat wearing pledgers that will include representatives from the ten local authorities, Greater Manchester's four universities and members of the public.

Contact

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

Notes: Known MIMP celebrity pledgers

• Manchester City FC (pledge signature photography available of David James)
• Wigan Athletic FC (pledge signature photography available of Jason Roberts)
• Salford Reds rugby league club (pledge signature photography available of team members)
• Diane Modahl, Commonwealth Games runner (pledge signature photography available)
• Christopher Eccleston, actor
• Elliott Morley, MP
• Labour Peer Lord Thomas of Macclesfield
• Home Office minister, Hazel Blears MP and Minister for Children, Young People and Families, Beverly Hughes MP

Notes: Pledge case studies available for interview

1. 10,000th pledger - Angela Bezer, Finance Manager from Ashton-under-Lyne, has changed her light bulbs in her home to low-energy and has set-up an environmental policy at work.
2. The pledge family – Rochdale's Sherratt family have made energy-saving changes since receiving their pledge pack. Peter Sherrat, has made his mother and father not drive over 70mph on the motorway to save fossil fuel reserves and told them to turn off lights, when they leave a room.
3. Driven to be green – Manchester resident, Paul D'Ambra, is splashing out £2,500 on a 6 sq solar panel for his new home. Dedicated to tackling climate change he has even stopped driving his Fiat Punto to help save the planet, although he won't sell his car in a bid to reduce the number of vehicles on the road polluting the environment.
4. Mother Earth – Manchester mum, Denise D'Ambra, is a recent recruit to energy-saving living, after being converted by her eco-warrior son, Paul.

Notes: Feature themes

1. Ex-Manchester residents, now living in London, explain why they felt compelled to take the pledge even though they live more than 200 miles away – case studies available for interview.
2. Greater Manchester residents, originally from one of the G8 countries other than Britain (America, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Russia) explain why Manchester is now their planet and their reasons for taking the pledge - case studies available for interview.
3. Greater Manchester environmentalists from across the private, public and voluntary sectors highlight the importance of MIMP campaign to raise awareness of global warming and the benefits of energy-saving.
4. Dr Simon Shackley from the Tyndall Centre North, based in Manchester, which works to develop sustainable responses to climate change through trans-disciplinary research and dialogue on both a national and international level, talks about the impact of global warming at home and afar.
5. MIMP partner and Manchester-based sustainable living consultancy, Action for Sustainable Living, provides free lifestyle audits on presenters/news readers' energy efficiency in their home and at work.
6. Greater Manchester decision makers and opinion leaders will be meeting at Manchester's town hall at 3pm, Tuesday 1st November, to discuss the next stage of MIMP. Proposals for discussion include a circle of 750km wind turbines alongside the M60 and a green badge parking system to reward electric car drivers with reduced parking fares.
7. Greater Manchester's bid to save the planet has already gathered momentum, with a number of green energy projects taking place across the borough. The borough's commitment to tackling climate change and investing in renewable energy and sustainable development include a wind turbine at the City of Manchester stadium, cladding the largest office block outside London with photovoltaic panels and public transport electric diesel hybrid buses.