Time for a Green New Deal, says Alliance

NI needs its own Green New Deal to tackle the climate emergency as well as the economy while moving out of Lockdown, says Alliance.
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NI needs its own Green New Deal to tackle the climate emergency as well as the economy while moving out of Lockdown says Alliance.

Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Cllr EĆ³in Tennyson was speaking after his recent selection as the partyā€™s Upper Bann spokesperson ahead of next yearā€™s Assembly election.

ā€œAs we emerge from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we will face a very difficult economic landscape, which additionally has still to face the worst impacts of Brexit.

Cllr  EĆ³in Tennyson, Alliance Party.Cllr  EĆ³in Tennyson, Alliance Party.
Cllr EĆ³in Tennyson, Alliance Party.

ā€œWe need a clear, integrated plan which addresses social and economic recovery, as well as the climate emergency. The Alliance Green New Deal is that ā€“ a vision for an urgent and radical overhaul of the policies and practices which have hindered our progress to date.

ā€œWhile everyday life has often felt at a standstill over the past year, climate change has continued to accelerate. A regionally balanced, green economy can help us make our contribution to tackling that and could create up to 50k new jobs for NI in areas such as manufacturing green technologies and the installation and upgrade of infrastructure, including electric vehicle charging points, rail network expansion, greenways and the retrofitting of homes.

ā€œThe recovery requires more than just environmental interventions. We need urgent and radical changes to the structure of our economy, based on long-term security and shared prosperity. Moves such as the roll-out of advanced broadband, working towards a universal, affordable childcare system and legislating to protect workers rights in the gig economy will go some way to ensure the recovery is both fair and inclusive.ā€

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