One of the most gratifying moments in the advocacy world must be the point after you have sent an idea out into the world, putting yourself and your ideas out on a limb, when you find that others are having the same idea and acting of their own accord in tandem with you. So much the more so in global projects like 350.org, because to act upon the same values the idea must transcend cultural barriers that normally separate us from one another.
It was last Friday when the rumors I was hearing of a 350ppm campaign in the UK were solidified, and personified, too, with Justin Kenrick and John Riley emailing me at 350.org. Holyrood 350, a Scotland-based climate advocacy project, has launched in fine style. Kenrick announced the launch of the campaign at The Big Tent Festival, in Falkland, Fife, with a crowd of thousands and some solid BBC coverage to boot.
Some of the ideas you have heard before – in fact they’d be hard to miss since they are plastered all over our website. Like the idea that since we are at 387ppm carbon in the atmosphere, and the most recent science tells us that 350ppm is the upper bound of safety, we better get our butts in gear and advocate for scientifically-based policy. But the Holyrood 350 campaign also goes into more depth in many areas, honing in on the specific necessities for Scotland (whose government is based in Holyrood) and the UK. Their 4 point plan includes:
1. Pricing carbon out of the economy
2. Creating an energy-healthy infrastructure
3. Establishing the Green New Deal
4. Supporting localization projects
You can read more about the details on the Holyrood 350 website – https://holyrood350.org. From where we’re standing, the plan looks like one of the best around. We hope to keep following their campaign, already off to a great start, and work with them to build the movement ever larger and more inclusive around these bold targets. Stay tuned for more.
To close out this blog, a nice little snippet in the BBC article from Justin Kenrick: “…We are in the new reality. I don’t think we are alternative any more. We are mainstream, we are the people who are looking at ways of changing our society.”