Email Bulletin 3 out now

In the weeks between MCFlys, we publish an email bulletin.

We've started posting it on the website too. Here's a link to the latest bulletin.

And here it is as a blog post-

Dear all,

welcome to the third “in-between” email bulletin of Manchester Climate Fortnightly. These will be sent out on the weeks in-between issues of Manchester Climate Fortnightly. The next MCFly, issue 17, will be published Sunday February 10.

Last chance to win £30 for your 600 words on climate change!
You have until Friday 6^th February to enter the “Climate Change: What Do We Do Now?” short essay competition, on the question “What are the current problems/future opportunities for climate campaigners in Greater Manchester”
http://www.manchesterclimateforum.org.uk/whatdowedonow.html

LOCAL NEWS

1) On Tuesday 3^rd February Manchester City Council's Oversight and Scrutiny Committee for Neighbourhood Services meets on Tuesday afternoon, for one of its scheduled meetings.
The committee is made up of Labour and Lib Dem councillors whose job it is to, erm, have oversight and do scrutiny on what the Executive is up to. (Roughly comparable to Select Committees in the Westminster System)
Why are we telling you this? Well, it's an opportunity for the “Call to Action” report that has featured in the last two MCFlys to be examined in more depth. We will blog about it!

2) The third bulletin of the Manchester Climate Change Agency, which will open its doors late summer, has been published. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be up on their website yet, http://www.manchester-enterprises.com/news/ManCCAB2.html
So you'll have to make do with a MCFly gloss
http://manchesterclimatefortnightly.blogspot.com/2009/01/manchester-climate-change-agency-news.html
The MCCA has awarded a £25,000 tender to a consultancy to investigate potential governance structures, with the work to be completed by mid March. MCFly will tell you more as soon as we get info.

3) Manchester Climate Fortnightly is blogging on each of the City Council's proposed “Catalytic Actions”, and encourages you to add your comments. Think of it as a DIY consultation, since the Council seems very very resistant to the idea of keeping its promise to consult with the people of Manchester about its Climate plans.

Action 1- World-leading neighbourhood regeneration
http://manchesterclimatefortnightly.blogspot.com/2009/01/catalytic-action-1-world-class.html

Action 2- Retrofitting Manchester's Civic Heritage
http://manchesterclimatefortnightly.blogspot.com/2009/01/catalytic-action-2-retrofitting.html

Action 3- Business Alliance for Climate Change
http://manchesterclimatefortnightly.blogspot.com/2009/01/catalytic-action-3-business-alliance.html

Action 4- Low Carbon Energy
http://manchesterclimatefortnightly.blogspot.com/2009/01/catalytic-action-4-low-carbon-energy.html

Action 5- Low Carbon Communities
http://manchesterclimatefortnightly.blogspot.com/2009/02/catalytic-action-5-low-carbon.html

4) Manchester Climate Fortnightly has learnt that the Call to Action cost at least 650 a page.

Beyond Belief Monday 26 Jan blog posting.
“MCFly can exclusively reveal that Manchester City Council paid the London-based consultancy 'Beyond Green' a whopping ₤28,000 plus VAT and expenses for the 50-page Call to Action report, published last week. With VAT, this brings the total to ₤32,900 and we have no idea how much this 'eco-consultancy' has claimed for expenses- the Council's information did not include these figures. All in all this means that the council has paid- hopefully not from the ₤1 million Carbon Reduction Innovation and Investment Fund- over ₤650 per page....”
http://manchesterclimatefortnightly.blogspot.com/2009/01/beyond-belief.html

UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS

Tues Feb 3 8pm Manchester Climate Action social, at Sandbar, Grosvenor St www.manchesterclimateaction.org.uk

Thurs Feb 5 7pm Rubbish Revamped –workshop to turn junk into attractive items. rubbishrevamped.wordpress.com

Tues Feb 10 from 7.30pm

Cllr Richard Cowell, Executive Member for the Environment and Dr Victoria Johnson of the New Economics Foundation will be discussing the City Council's "Call to Action" and the recent climate negotiations in Poland.
Friends Meeting House, 6 Mount St
www.manchesterclimateforum.org.uk