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Meeting with Southampton's Satvir Kaur MP July 25

What are Southampton politicians doing to address climate and nature? This was the question we have been keen to ask our local MPs. Satvir Kaur MP met a group of constituents from Southampton Test in July 25. A couple of Southampton Itchen constituents met Darren Paffey MP in March 2025, where they discussed a number of issues which have also been raised with Satvir.

Southampton Test constituents meet Satvir Kaur July 25

On 4 July 2025, Southampton Greenpeace organised a meeting to bring constituents of Southampton Test together with Satvir Kaur MP, to discuss climate, nature and sustainability. Southampton Climate Action Network was part of this meeting, represented by Rebecca Kinge and Lyn Brayshaw, among others. You can read Satvir's Linked in article about this here. 

National and international issues

We followed up on some the issues raised when we met Satvir previously in November 2024, as well as more recent legislative issues:
•    New housing - This was an area that we were keen to discuss, knowing that housing has been a key area of interest to Satvir. New housing which is designed without climate and nature in mind, could stop the UK meeting its climate and nature commitments, and there has been considerable concern amongst environmental groups recently about the new Planning and Infrastructure Bill and some of the rhetoric from the Labour Government about nature interests being a "blocker" to new housing. Satvir mentioned the vital need for more houses, but also expressed the need to balance this with climate and nature concerns. In term of new home design, Satvir says she is working with the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government towards new homes having solar panels and better insulation. She also talked about promoting swift bricks in new houses.
•    River issues - Satvir reported that she is working with local groups and is raising importance of chalk streams and this will be followed up too with local politicians. Since the meeting with Satvir, Southampton City Council has supported a motion to recognise the Rights of the River.
•    New oil licences - This remains a concern with environmental groups. Satvir reported that she has raised concerns about new oil licenses in parliament.
•    Climate and Nature Bill - Satvir is not aware when this will go back to Parliament and has committed to supporting it when it does.
•    Plastics and Ocean Treaty – Satvir committed to pushing for this to be ratified.
•    Right to Protest - As constituents, many of us in environmental groups have expressed our deep concern about the Government cracking down on the right to protest, and the approach taking to proscribe Palestine Action. Environmental activists are worried that this sets the precedent of them being classed as terrorists too.
•    Environmental impacts of AI and datacentres is causing constituents concerns. Satvir agreed to find out more about and on 22 July she asked about this: Artificial Intelligence: Data Centres: 22 Jul 2025: Hansard Written Answers - TheyWorkForYou
•    Greenpeace and Climate Action Networks (including Hampshire CAN and Southampton’s SoCAN) have been asking for a statutory duty of Climate and Nature to be included in Mayoral authorities responsibilities. Satvir mentioned the need for local people to choose the issues that mattered to them. (Since this meeting with Satvir, we note that Local Government Association members have polled overwhelmingly in favour of a statutory local authority duty and funding to lead on climate and nature.)

Southampton residents meet Satvir Kaur MP about climate issues

The hour-long meeting was a whistle-stop tour of issues that residents care about including: the wish for MPs to support the Climate and Nature Bill; concerns about slow action on reducing climate emissions; worries about sea level rise and that Southampton could suffer from catastrophic flooding like Valencia; limited progress on building insulation, community energy and renewable generation at a domestic/neighbourhood level; worries about bus fares going up when we need to encourage people to chose sustainable transport; the impact of pollution from Southampton’s port; and the need to improve water quality in Southampton’s treasured rivers and coast.
 

SoCAN referred Kaur to our community responses to local issues, that we draw together through collaborative action and covered a series of wishes:
 

A planning system that enables green choices and renewable energy generation
 

Kaur is interested in planning reform, having led on housing issues when she was a Councillor with Southampton City Council. As SoCAN, we pointed to the key issues we raised as part of the recent National Planning Policy Framework consultation. In summary, planning reform must address carbon emissions so new builds are fully insulated and have adequate energy generation infrastructure such as solar panels that can help meet long-term energy demands. We need to ensure that development includes the appropriate environmental infrastructure to guard against inequalities and fuel poverty, enabling people to make green choices in their day-to-day lives. More details on our NPPF response can be found here.
 

Making sure communities and climate change are represented in decision-making forums
 

Kaur talked about Southampton’s “Renaissance Board” which brings people together around big strategic issues. SoCAN questioned how the local community’s voice is represented on this board and how climate issues are being prioritised? Our observations are that many boards like these are dominated by big businesses and anchor institutions, whilst community voices aren’t adequately represented. This means the positive action and knowledge embedded in communities can easily be overlooked, and residents’ real-life issues can be ignored. Kaur committed to finding out more for us about the role of Southampton’s Renaissance Board and the connections with climate action.
 

The need for an economy that is green and clean, not business as usual
 

SoCAN pointed to the work that we have been doing around Doughnut Economics and encouraged Kaur and anyone else who wants to get behind an economy that is good for people and planet to watch our Local is the New Global film. This was a collaboration between SoCAN, Hampshire City Council and Southampton City Councillor Sarah Bogle. It demonstrates how cross-sector work, including the voice and expertise of communities, can help us move faster to a sustainable economy.
 

Building consensus and making sure residents feel part of the solutions
 

We talked about the role of Climate Assemblies, which can help delve into issues in an evidence-based way, rather than feed on division and culture wars that can so often dominate climate discussions. SoCAN is advocating for the Southampton Citizens’ Climate Assembly 2023/2024 recommendations on transport to be kept alive. We would like to know how organisations are taking the findings forward. Kaur agreed to get an update on this and report back.
 

Similarly, the recommendations from large public engagement activities such as the River Itchen Scrutiny Inquiry, need to be embedded in the city’s future actions and the work of MPs such as Satvir Kaur. SoCAN looks forward to seeing these recommendations championed in parliament, including ensuring that water quality initiatives are progressed with water companies so that high ecological status can be achieved for the river, and working with others to ensure that all the Inquiry's recommendations are embedded in Southampton’s local policies.

Stopping the lobbying by fossil fuel companies and rethinking Carbon Capture and Storage
 

The issues of fossil fuel lobbying and greenwashing was raised. SoCAN pointed to the concerns about Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), and the work of Solent Cluster, which has been funded by Exxon Mobil. These concerns are summarised in Southampton Climate Commission’s position statement on Solent Cluster. We also refer to the more recent concerns expressed by climate scientists in their  September 2024 collaborative letter about the carbon capture.

Being proud of what Southampton is achieving

There is so much climate action that Southampton can be proud of. We can talk about recycling, which often gets a lot of focus. But reducing, reusing and repairing need to be prioritised rather than thinking we can recycle our way out of environmental degradation. Southampton has four Repair cafes, which is a great example of community action that supports people to be greener whilst also saving money. More ways to be green can be found on the Southampton Sustainability Directory. Southampton Food Partnership is growing too, which will develop initiatves around access to healthy, sustainable food.

Keeping the conversation going
 

Kaur expressed a wish to keep in touch with this group and support more community engagement around climate action. SoCAN and the groups that form part of this network, welcome a more regular meet up with our MPs, so we can keep those people who represent us in parliament in touch with residents’ concerns and ensure that community-based solutions are not overlooked.
 

For those reading this who are constituents of Southampton’s Darren Paffey MP or Caroline Nokes MP, residents had asked for similar meetings like this one with Kaur. Sadly, this was not able to happen  alongside the 8 November meeting, but it is hoped that there will be some progress for Southampton Itchen and Romsey and Southampton North constituents in the near future. Thank you to Greenpeace for all their hard work in trying to bring people together.

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