Leader Debate, FoE response, Time to dig deeper

Finally.

Climate change got at least 20 minutes in the spotlight at last night's leaders' debate, thanks to an audience member asking the candidates what they do personally to be environmentally responsible.

First the positives: the leaders' answers were far wider than the question. After hearing about Gordon's solar panels and Dave's insulation, we did hear about actual policies without prompting.

But there was a downside too. While Gordon, Dave, and Nick all checked off the key policies needed to tackle climate change - renewables, energy efficiency and transport - they fell short of making the concrete promises that will deliver sufficient change on the ground.

It's high time they did - and next week's BBC debate will be their last chance to do it before we go to the polls.

Let's put the parties on the spot again next week. Submit your question for the candidates on the BBC site now:

FoE Election

To get you started, here are a few examples of questions you could put to the leaders:

How will you ensure that local councils deliver the climate change policies we need on the ground?

How will you stop the climate change emissions and deforestation caused by our over-reliance on factory farming and the need for huge amounts of imported animal feed?

How many jobs will your policies see created by implementing the solutions to climate change?
So they've started talking about the climate - late is better than never.

But we still need to hear more from them next week. Send your questions to the BBC to make sure it stays on the agenda:

http://election.foe.co.uk/AskYourQuestion

Thank you,

Martyn Williams
Friends of the Earth



Green Party Response,
Jim Jepps
Rupert Read
Richard Lawson
Vowles