In order to get Climate Income (the new name for Carbon Fee & Dividend) at the forefront of the climate debate we need to ask questions at our local hustings.

Never been? Don’t worry – anyone can go if you are in that constituency – it’s your democratic right!
We’ve compiled some tips and suggested questions, feel free to use these or some of your own, however please take note of the CCL approach -ask positively framed questions and expect positive answers!

Let us know how you get on, especially any candidates who are knowledgeable about the policy.

Advice from people who have long experience of Hustings suggest that the following are useful points to remember:
Question raised at hustings needs to be very specific.

• Questions can be quite long, they should begin with the subject of concern, and should name the policy we’re promoting. Then there must be a clear question.
• Do take your time to say your question – speak clearly and slowly but concisely and to the point.
• Remember:  the question is meant to educate the public as much as the candidates, so feel confident to give your question an explanatory preamble if required.
• Once you know which candidates will be appearing at a particular venue, you may be able to email the question to the candidate beforehand.
• If possible, look to see what the party’s manifesto is saying about climate change and specifically carbon fee and dividend (Climate Income) if there is anything you can link your question to then do so (however as far as we know no party has climate income/CF&D in its manifesto)
• We’ve tried to frame each question in a positive way-it’s the CCL style. If you want to use your own question try and use this style rather than a negative or confrontational approach which makes the candidates defensive.

Suggested Questions

• Not long ago, the largest group of economists in history – including 27 Nobel prize winners – signed up to promote a climate policy (called Carbon Fee & Dividend, or Climate Income) that puts a rising fee on fossil fuels, and returns the revenue in equal shares to all citizens. It would go a long way towards funding all the climate action we need without the government spending billions. Its voter appeal is so strong that two thirds of Canadians have just voted to keep it, despite historic lobbying from fossil fuel companies. Can we adopt a similar policy?
• We know that the UK is a small fry greenhouse gas emitter compared to China and the US, but the UK has a lot of influence on the rest of the world. What do they consider effective leadership by the UK to the rest of the world in climate change tackling initiatives?
• What do you think about a climate income in which fossil fuels are taxed at source but the proceeds given equally back to the people, protecting low and middle income households while the UK transitions away from fossil fuels and drastically cuts greenhouse gas emissions?
• In this campaign, we’ve heard talk of billions and trillions of government spending on climate action. A Climate Income would reward green choices, incentivise green business, and protect those on low amd middle incomes simply by placing a rising fee on fossil fuels with the revenue returned to citizens in equal shares. It’s been promoted by the largest group of economists in history, and it has already worked so well in Canada that two thirds of voters have just voted to keep it.  Can we have it here?
• Given recent events within parliament, how will the candidates bring respect and kindness to parliament and contribute to cross-party cooperation to ensure the UK reaches net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050? A climate income would put a rising fee on fossil fuels at source then give the proceeds back to the people. This would encourage the UK to make the shift to clean energy while protecting those with vulnerable finances and it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent in ten years. Is a climate income an emissions-busting initiative all the parties could get behind?