A greener West Cornwall & Scilly

I am committed to taking action to cut harmful emissions and enhance nature. This is not only essential for the future of our planet but also improves our health and wellbeing.

My work for the environment has three main elements:

Parliamentary

I belong to the Conservative Environmental Network’s parliamentary caucus, a group that drives the green conservative agenda in parliament. Click here to read our manifesto for conservation and decarbonisation.

I have been a member of the influential Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee since the general election, a cross-party committee of MPs who scrutinise the work of the government in safeguarding the natural environment.

Community Engagement

I have been co-hosting a series of Climate Focus events with the WI's Climate Ambassador.  The events enable local residents to learn about climate change and the action taken locally to address the impacts of climate change. They have included presentations from the Environment Secretary, George Eustice, as well as groups including Cornwall Wildlife Trust, the RSPB, Sustainable Pendeen and the Helston Climate Action Group. If you want to join us, please email derek.thomas.mp@parliament.uk

Practical Action

I am involved in local community projects to increase biodiversity in West Cornwall. Most recently I beat my own Woodland Recovery 2020 challenge of planting 20,000 trees to help Cornwall achieve its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

 

News

MP's Column

Led by Truro and Falmouth MP, Cherilyn Mackrory, Cornwall’s MPs worked with Cornwall’s Council Cabinet to secure the opportunity to host this year’s Armed Forces Week. The effort seems like an age ago, but it is finally here!

Derek elected co-chair of Ocean Conservation group

Derek Thomas MP has been elected co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Ocean Conservation, along with fellow Cornish MP Cherilyn Mackrory (Truro and Falmouth).  MPs from all the major parties – including the Greens – voted for Derek and Cherilyn to lead the cross-party group’s campaig

MP's column

This past weekend my ‘drop-ins’ took me across the constituency and served as a reminder that you can’t really capture the exact concerns and ideas people have for their immediate area and further afield in any better way.

Derek praises Cornwall's example on climate education

Derek Thomas MP made a speech in Westminster Hall about the importance of educating our children about climate change.  He showed that Cornwall’s schools are leading the way in preparing children for the impact of climate change and how it can be mitigated.

MP's column

I was shocked, sickened and angry when I learned of the murder of my colleague Sir David Amess. He had been an MP for a long time but he did not treat us newer intakes with anything but respect, humour and friendship. He certainly had little interest in point-scoring or self-promotion.

A30 Action

Since first elected in 2015 I have been leading a small eclectic mix of local residents who are determined that improvements are made to the A30 west of Camborne and in particular from St Erth through to Newtown Roundabout.

Nature-based Solutions to the Climate Crisis

“Think global, act local” has been the advice to environmentalists for fifty years.  Derek’s latest Climate Focus meeting covered the whole range, from thinking about the climate crisis globally to hints on how to increase biodiversity very locally, in our own gardens.

MP's Column

Amongst all the positive measures the Chancellor set out to support the UK’s covid response and economic recovery the announcement to cut the International Aid Budget did not sit at all well with me.

MP's Column

The G7 Summit has been a part of my world for a long time now. From the outset the agenda has been to grapple with how the world recovers and rebuilds following the pandemic and how this can be done, not just to revert to what was before but to build a fairer more equal green resilient future.