News

It may seem like a storm in a London-centric teacup, but the ULEZ debacle is not only hugely politically significant, with parties divided within as well between themselves over its expansion, but it also connects all the strands of Global Action Plan’s work.  

First, in a climate emergency, we have to argue for a just transition: the prioritisation of young, older, more disadvantaged, lower income and more racially and culturally diverse people's health over the individual rights of those who hold privilege as polluters. We also have to argue for equity in policy - in this case, the costs of switching away from pollution. This is at the heart of our work on clean air and the ULEZ brings this to the fore.  The Mayor of London is investing extra money into a widened scrappage scheme for non-ULEZ compliant vehicles, showing that he’s listened to people’s concerns. 

Second, as motoring and fossil fuel vested interests and political parties spot opportunities to divide and misinform, they're pumping (perhaps) £millions into social media promotion and the micro-targeting of voters. Our work on ending surveillance advertising and reigning in Big Tech's power would hugely impede the ability of mendacious interests to target voters or groups of people such as outer London motorists. 

With the PM donning his culture warrior outfit, the medium will be the message as we approach the next election, and our systemic analysis of social media and campaigning will be hugely relevant. 

Third, the solutions we want to foreground require investment in public infrastructure - the issue that lies at the heart of our Luxury For All work aiming for a wellbeing economy. Buses, bike lanes, better broadband, preventative and more proximate healthcare and caring networks, retail supply chains and energy networks are all part of how we create a good quality of life within planetary boundaries.  

Finally, so much of what's problematic at the heart of public policy in Westminster, large cities and local authorities (exceptions being some parts of national policy in Wales and Scotland) is because it is orientated towards older, wealthier, more powerful, white, able bodied and ostensibly male voters. England needs a Wellbeing of Future Generations Act to safeguard the interests of the young people of today and tomorrow and the planet.  We’re playing our part through our Generation Action movement, pushing for changes to our education system to support the changemakers of the future. 

The ULEZ expansion will take place at the end of August and it's likely that much of the opposition will dissolve, as people who've been whipped up by misinformation realise they're unaffected or can change easily - as we know, it's hardly the most ambitious of policies. But the lessons the malign interests who've fought it will draw are about to be applied to a public health, key services, education, environment and climate debate in a neighbourhood, town or city near you soon.