Putting the Environment on the Map

Resolution to the Council on Legislation 2016 relating to Sustainable Environmental Issues

No longer can we possibly ignore the effects of Climate Change when we look at the floods that took place earlier this year particularly in the South West of England and even in our Thames Valley. These have been caused by a change to the jet stream bringing drought to some areas and violent winds, rain and snow in others.  I feel strongly that Rotary MUST and SHOULD be taking a leading role in trying to do something about it, in the way we live and work, but more importantly by the way Governments can influence wider concepts such as carbon emissions and sustainability.

Therefore I put together a resolution which my Club. Loddon Vale, has proposed to our District Council. This resolution was adopted at the March 2014 Council meeting and has now been submitted to RI Headquarters in Evanston, USA for inclusion in the 2016 Council of Legislation.

The Rotary GB&I Environmental and Sustainability Group is encouraging other groups in Rotary GB&I through their Districts to endorse our resolution and several are doing this.  A copy is on the Rotary GB&I website under environment.
Perhaps the Purpose and Effect provision at the end of the resolution sums up what is proposed.  It reads as follows :

This resolution requests the RI Board to consider raising awareness of key sustainable environmental issues and encouraging Rotarians to incorporate this awareness in both their humanitarian and community programmes and also their personal lives.  It also requests the RI Board to consider including Preserve Planet Earth as one of the RI’s Structured programmes.  Currently Clubs can conduct international service projects on environmental issues under Preserve Planet Earth but it is considered this subject is of much greater importance to the Rotary world and should become one of RI’s structured programmes.

In my view, it is important that we as Rotarians are seen to take what is happening to our environment seriously and this resolution to the Board if acted upon will be a step in the right direction.

Rodney P Huggins, Loddon Vale
Member at Large at The 2013 Council of Legislation