38 Degrees want Roseanna Cunningham to ‘bee brave’ in new role
A BOLD STRATEGY on the environment, climate change, and land reform is necessary to protect the environment and deliver social justice, according to campaigners encouraging action from Scotland’s new cabinet secretary Roseanna Cunningham.
38 Degrees, a petition-based activist network, will send Cunningham a mass-signed welcome card calling on the minister to pursue an ambitious agenda in her new role.
Cunningham’s new job relates to a range of issues which have inspired broad public campaigns, including fracking, land reform, and the protection of endangered species.
The card stunt coincides with a first debate on environmental, climate, and land issues in the Scottish Parliament today [Wednesday 1 June].
In its campaign message 38 Degrees point to CommonSpace’s coverage of Cunningham’s first ministerial speech – where she called for further land reform – as an example of a positive direction for the government to take.
In writing to the minister, members said: “As 38 Degrees members we care deeply about many of the issues in your brief. From championing bee friendly policies, to keeping Scotland frack-free and making land laws fairer, please do all you can to protect Scotland’s wildlife and beautiful scenery.”
The card, decorated with talking animals, includes a bee asking Cunningham to “bee our champion”, and a beaver that asks Cunningham to “keep beavering away to save us”. Earlier this year 38 Degrees were part of a wide coalition – including Women for Independence, Common Weal, and community activists – in calling for a stronger Land Reform Act 2016.
In parliament land reform campaigner Andy Wightman will make his first speech – also calling for radical action to protect the planet from climate change, and deliver transformational economic change to Scotland through land reform.
Scottish Labour’s amendment focuses on demands for a full ban on fracking.
The Scottish Conservatives, traditionally aligned to the interest of rich landowners, deny that concentration of land ownership is a problem in Scotland.
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Picture courtesy of 38 Degrees