CLIMATE campaigners in Newton Abbot have called on their MP to push the government to bring in a new law to tackle the climate and nature crisis.

This was the top demand of three made at a climate and nature focused gathering in Newton Abbot attended by Newton Abbot MP Martin Wrigley, who said he would push all three demands.

He said it was helpful to hear what his constituents want to happen and urged everyone to write to their MP on the topic.

Mr Wrigley told the Climate and Nature Assembly that the environmental crisis was his prime motivation for standing as an MP.

He said: ‘If you look at the projections you see that by 2035 Newton Abbot, Teignmouth and Dawlish will be flooded frequently.

‘We face an existential risk if we don’t do more to try to prevent that.’

The demands came out of discussions among the people who attended the assembly, which was organised by the Newton Abbot Climate and Nature Bill Support Group.

The second most popular demand out of 12 put forward via the discussions was to switch to a “polluter pays” taxation system, so that those who cause harm, via pollution for example, pay for the damage they do. The third was to use the media to inform the public of the climate crisis, along the same lines as during the Covid pandemic.

Mr Wrigley said the chances of getting any of the three onto the government’s agenda were slim but he would do what he could.

He also undertook to work with other Liberal Democrat politicians in Devon to lobby the government on these topics.

Attendees were asked to discuss two questions, one about their concerns regarding climate change and nature loss, and the second about what demands they wanted to make of their MP.

There was then a vote for the top three demands.

Seb Earl, from Newton Abbot, said: ‘The two questions were sufficiently focused to generate a relevant and realistic discussion.

’I felt the work was effective in equipping our MP with some valid and pertinent actions to take forward.’

Annette Giroux, also from Newton Abbot, said: ‘Like most people I’m extremely worried about climate change but quite often feel powerless about it.

‘I was really pleased our local MP took the time to listen to all our contributions and left feeling hopeful, energised and positive that as a community we really can make a difference.’

Jane Camp found the assembly ‘a motivating and engaging event that left me feeling both hopeful and encouraged and wanting to be more involved’.

And Mandy Cole said she was ‘inspired by the breadth of ideas and diversity of views expressed at the assembly’.

Organisers are now taking a touring exhibition called Letters From The Global South to various locations in May and June.

The aim is to encourage conversation in response to the words and pictures by young people living on the frontline of climate.change.

Visit it at Dawlish Strand Centre May until May 31, and Teignmouth Heritage Museum from June 2 to 27.