Our Climate Change campaign still will be the centre of focus over the next few weeks. Of importance is the need to ensure that annual climate gases reduction targets are included in the Government's 'Climate change Bill'. To this end we are currently seeking the support of all our local MPs. At the time of writing some very positive statements were coming from 10 Downing Street. What is important is to ensure that such statements are fixed in 'tablets of stone'!

Climate Change is not the only pressing issue facing the environment and for South Gloucestershire Friends of the Earth there are many other important issues. These include:

• the environmental impact of the Severn barrage for power generation;
• the continuing pressure on our farming community to introduce GM crops;

othe pressure to extend activities at Bristol Airport ;

• The ever increasing pressure for nuclear rebuild at existing nuclear generating sites to meet our future energy demands and
• the never ending demand for new housing in this area and the potential pressure on Greenbelt land.

So it is most important that we maintain a leading-edge profile to keep these issues at the forefront of public discussion and awareness!

At the recent AGM it was decided to extend the social meetings in order to encourage as many members as possible to engage in the group's activities. To this end we are aiming that the first Wednesday in the month (starting from February 2008) will be a social evening at a public venue with the other meeting that month (ie the third Wednesday) being devoted to routine matters.

The social evenings will be an opportunity for members to explore issues in a less formal environment and will also offer us the opportunity to periodically invite guest speakers. If you have any ideas for a location for such social gatherings, topics or suggested speakers please do come forward and let us know! We are trying to be inclusive so wheelchair access to the social events is important.

Any ideas you have are most welcome!

We have been particularly active in engaging in school activities over the past year and have found these to be most rewarding. We would like to continue this approach and engage in a wider spectrum of local primary and secondary schools. Maybe you are a Governor at a local school or have other links. Please do let us know if there is some useful activity that we could become involved in.

One thing that is most apparent is that the number of 'burning' environmental issues is increasing rapidly and that we have to 'keep on our toes' to be abreast of them. One way to do this is to have meetings where everyone feels comfortable to express their views and to engage. I hope that we can create an environment for this to occur!

Stuart

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