I have been campaigning in support of an international ban on cluster weapons for several years, so am delighted that MEPs have today voted to do just that. 98% of cluster munitions’ victims are civilians and many are children. Like landmines, the effects of cluster weapons are felt for many years after a conflict has ended. So, Greens in the European Parliament brought forward a resolution to ban the production, transfer and use of cluster weapons.The EU now has a responsibility to ensure that all member states present a united front and become signatories to the global Convention on Cluster Munitions.

…not my words!

I took part in a lively debate for BBC World Service’s One Planet programme last week alongside psychologist Oliver James and US economist Peter Morici, in which we discussed capitalism and the environment. There were some smashing exchanges, with poor Peter Morici being sorely outnumbered - his defences of capitalism and conventional economic growth unsurprisingly held little sway with either myself or Selfish Capitalist author Oliver James! The programme aired yesterday, but you can listen again on BBC iPlayer.

Last night, I spoke at the high spirited demo Climate Rush, organised by anti-airport expansion campaigner Tamsin Omond. Hundreds of activists descended on Parliament to demand urgent action to protect our environment for future generations. The protest was timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Suffragettes’ rush on Parliament to demand the right to vote, and marked what I hope will be the start of a creative campaign of direct action to urge the Government to take its responsibilities on climate change seriously.

Only the disproportionate level of policing at the event threatened to overshadow proceedings, with the authorities clearly judging the protesters - many of whom were dressed in full Victorian garb and handed out homemade fairy cakes - to be such a threat as to justify an uncompromisingly aggressive and intimidating stance.

Amidst the chaos in Brussels today ahead of a key vote tomorrow on climate change legislation (more on this as it happens!), I wrote to the Commission to question the recent proposal to grant Morocco "advanced status" in its relations with the EU community.

Morocco has occupied the major part of Western Sahara since 1975, with Saharawi citizens who oppose the occupation being forced to live in intimidation and fear. There is extensive evidence of torture, rape, false imprisonment and unfair trials of Saharawi citizens, documented by organisations such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and also by a report of the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights at the UN.

It is worrying that the EU is considering deepening its relationship and could give the impression of legitimising this occupation by granting Morocco ‘advanced status’. I would hope that the EU will not only question its motivations here, but also look to uphold its fundamental principles of human rights by launching a full investigation into abuses by the Moroccan authorities.

As the deal to secure a 700 billion dollar bail out of the US banks collapsed in disarray, I am pleased to finally see the mainstream UK media giving some coverage to commentators with new and radical ideas about the economy. One of the Green New Deal report’s co-authors, Ann Pettifor, has a particulary good blog which is being picked up by some of the British press. Read it direct here - www.debtonation.org

The end of another plenary week, held once again in Brussels because the structural damage to the Parliament building in Strasbourg is still not fixed. The vast majority of MEPs are opposed to the two seat system and Greens have regularly exposed what a waste of resources it is. So, I think support for a new written declaration calling for an end to the monthly Strasbourg circus will be very popular with my colleagues. I signed it today.

Following on from my contribution to a piece in yesterday’s Guardian newspaper about the end of capitalism, I have been responding to numerous emails about Green alternatives. Listening to the daily news reports on the financial crisis brings the need for a radical rethink into ever sharper focus. It’s critical that the Green way of thinking is put at the forefront of debate, at a time when the other political parties are failing to provide solutions.

Download the Green New Deal report.

In Brussels yesterday, I caught up with a campaign that’s just been launched by Climate Action Network, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and WWF called ‘Time to Lead’. The aim is to hold your EU politicians to account on climate change. It has been widely recognised that we need to keep global temperature rises below 2C if we are to avoid the worst effects of devastating climate change, and now MEPs need to really show their worth and commit to strict targets for reducing carbon emissions. I want to prove that there are people in the Parliament ready to answer your call on climate change - see below!

You can see more about the campaign and track the progress of your MEPs at Time To Lead.

It’s been an incredibly busy week since my last blog, what with the Green Party conference in London and various bits and pieces keeping me occupied in Brussels. For those who don’t really follow Green news, Party members voted to elect me as the first ever Green leader at conference on Friday. Naturally, I am delighted and can promise that I will strive to live up to expectations! Anyone who would like to know more about this would do well to visit the Party website at www.greenparty.org.uk.

One more thing that I must mention today is the landmark decision in the courts to acquit six Greenpeace activists charged with ‘criminal damage’ at the Kingsnorth power plant. They were involved in the Climate Camp demonstration at the coal-fired power station last month and were blamed for some minor damage done to the facility, However, in this astonishing case which saw a top NASA climate scientist and a member of the Inuit community give evidence, the jury decided to side with the green campaigners and agreed that shutting down the coal plant was justified in the context of the damage to property caused around the world by CO2 emissions. Let’s hope that this groundbreaking decision is a sign of things to come…

With the new parliamentary term in Brussels already in full swing, I was joined yesterday by Swedish Green MEP Carl Schlyter for an action organised by the Campaign for Parliamentary Reform. I have always believed that the ‘two seat’ rule - where MEPs and our teams have to travel between two separate Parliaments in Brussels and Strasbourg every month, at the expense of the taxpayer and the environment - is completely ridiculous. Thankfully, this month we won’t have to make the Strasbourg trip, as the Parliament’s roof caved in during summer recess!

As you can see, we’ll be wearing our hard hats if we’re forced back there prematurely. And in the meantime, the campaign continues for a more sustainable ’one seat’ system…