Why the mass lobby matters and why politicians should listen – Inside track

This post is by Helen Meech, executive director, The Climate Coalition

On 9 July, Westminster will witness something rare: thousands of people arriving not to shout from the sidelines, but to engage directly with power. From every part of the UK, teachers, farmers, healthcare workers, parents, business leaders and community organisers will meet their MPs to speak about the future of climate, nature and the people they represent.

This is Act Now, Change Forever, a mass lobby for climate and nature, a democratic intervention on a scale we haven’t seen for years. And it’s not emerging out of nowhere. It’s building on momentum already visible in communities up and down the country.

Community action is outpacing political will
Earlier this month, during Great Big Green Week, a million people came together to celebrate the action happening in communities across the UK. From Derby to Dundee, local people got stuck in: planting trees, retrofitting community buildings, restoring wetlands, launching clean energy co-ops and hosting repair cafes. It was the biggest community led celebration of climate and nature the country has ever seen.

Polling conducted during the week revealed that a majority of the public are already taking action in their own lives and want to see more decisive leadership from government. People aren’t passive. They’re ahead of the curve and increasingly frustrated that politics isn’t keeping up.

These events weren’t run by national charities. They were organised by neighbours, youth groups, schools and town councils. The message is clear: people are doing their bit. Now they want to know if Westminster is prepared to do the same.

The lobby is democracy in action
Act Now, Change Forever is democracy in action. Constituents are asking their MPs to meet them – calmly, constructively, face to face – to discuss what’s needed to secure a safer, fairer future where people and nature can thrive. Every MP has been invited. In 2019, more than half of MPs took part in The Time Is Now mass lobby, often describing it as one of the most thoughtful engagements they’ve had in parliament.

We expect up to 10,000 people to take part, many for the first time. Some are coming by train from Aberdeen, others by coach from Cornwall. Some are travelling with their mosque, choir or climate group. All are united by a shared belief: that tackling climate change and restoring nature must be a political priority, not a side issue.

A risk and a political opportunity
This lobby comes at a pivotal moment. Politicians may be tempted to soft pedal climate ambition, but that would be a mistake. Climate concern remains strong and remarkably stable across the electorate. What’s shifted is public patience. Constituents will bring stories of local solutions already making a difference, from decarbonising housing estates to restoring nature to powering communities with renewables. They’ll also bring questions: how is national policy giving these efforts the support they need? Where is the leadership?

For parties seeking to rebuild trust, climate action offers a compelling route: it cuts bills, creates jobs, improves health and builds resilience. The voters showing up on 9 July aren’t outliers. They’re the mainstream: the nurses, parents and local leaders who want better and expect more.

Where we go from here
The Climate Coalition, a network of over 120 organisations representing 20 million people, sees this as a watershed moment. The lobby is not the end point, it’s the spark. If MPs engage, if political leaders listen, if we build on the leadership already being shown in communities, we can shift the dial.

The question for politicians now is not whether climate and nature matter. It’s whether they’re willing to meet the people already leading the way and match their ambition.

Find out more about the Act Now, Change Forever Mass Lobby at https://www.theclimatecoalition.org/act-now-change-forever or follow #ActNowChangeForever.