Parliament returned to a new session on Monday and this week sees the G8 talks to devise how the major players of the world draw up an agenda to help us tackle climate change and world poverty. Our own Ministers will play a key role in those talks and I wish them well.

Closer to home, our own environment minister David Milliband will appear before my select committee to set our his thinking on the same issue of climate change.  By the time you read this he will have appeared before our specially convened Monday Committee.

It is unlikely that what he says to us at our committee meeting will have made headline news.  Such is the way of the world these days.  Who says what on Big Brother grabs the headlines but the real issues that matter to our very future go unnoticed.  But I hope that people here who do care; who are interested will take the trouble to look up the transcript for themselves.  After all, the prospect of personal carbon accounts if it does come about will affect us all.

To remind us of what needs to be done, 5 June was United Nations World Environment Day.  I hope that constituents and groups were able to celebrate this important day.

World Environment Day is an annual event, and I think that it is an important opportunity for all of us to reflect upon the world in which we live.  It is also a chance to build upon our knowledge and awareness of environmental issues. Last year, I joined in the calls for everyone to ‘promise the earth’ by signing up to any of the ten lifestyle changes which really could make a difference. 

Across the country, it was great to see 58,000 people making almost half a million promises to change the way they lived. These ranged from turning down the thermostat to reconsidering how to get around: using more public transport and also walking and cycling where possible.

This year, the Environment Agency was spearheading a new campaign called ‘Ask yourself…’ in the run up to World Environment Day.  The campaign is asking all of us three questions:

1. What is the number one thing you are doing to help tackle climate change?
2. What one extra thing could you do to help tackle climate change?
3. What is stopping you?

 It’s worth visiting the campaign’s website at www.mendoftheworld.org There you can log your own commitments and be part of the movement.  I am encouraging everyone to sign up because

If you would like to know more, or have any questions about what you can do for the environment, then please be in touch.  I am always happy to here from constituents.