13 October 2008 - "Economic collapse is painful, but environmental collapse is utterly unbearable", Green MEP for the South East Dr Caroline Lucas will tell a high profile rally at Parliament Square this evening.

Dr Caroline Lucas MEP, who is also Leader of the Green Party, is taking part in the Climate Rush 2008 at which female activists including Sam Roddick and Tamsin Omond will gather together outside the Houses of Parliament to urge the Government to take urgent action on climate change.

She will say: "Our Government’s carbon addiction is destroying the environment and, subsequently, people’s lives. Plans to expand airports and build a fleet of new coal-fired power stations in the UK are nothing short of crimes against humanity. We must make a major transition away from fossil fuels now.

"By gathering outside Parliament this evening, we will remember the courage of the Suffragettes who came here exactly 100 years ago today. They rushed on Parliament then to demand the right to vote. We have come to Parliament today to demand urgent action to protect our environment for future generations."

Dr Lucas will ask: "Why is it that politicians can find the political will and £500bn to bail out the banks in the financial crisis, but can’t find either the will or resources to tackle the climate crisis?

"It’s almost unbelievable that – in spite of all their green rhetoric - we have a Government under whom greenhouse gas emissions have actually risen. It prides itself on taking global leadership on climate change, and yet it is diluting and delaying key legislation on reducing climate emissions in the European Parliament.

"By promoting measures to address climate change, we can address the financial crisis at the same time. A massive programme of energy efficiency and renewable energies, for example, would help those in fuel poverty, provide thousands of good quality, green collar jobs, kickstart the economy, and protect the environment.

"The House of Commons belongs to us, the people. It is accountable to the people and we have a right to demand to be heard. A hundred years ago, Emmeline Pankhurst said, to be able to be militant is a privilege. She was right, and now is the time to speak out to prevent our government from sleepwalking into climate catastrophe."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

The Climate Rush action group are an all woman action group who believe they can instigate social change. The Climate Rush is being held to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Suffragette Rush, 13 October 1908. Like the Suffragettes, the Climate Rushers plan to hold a legal mass rally outside Parliament before a number of them will rush the Houses.