Mark McGeever has backed ambitious Liberal Democrat plans for environmental action. He said a Liberal Democrat government determined to tackle the climate emergency would have real benefits for people in Blantyre, Cambuslang, Hamilton and Rutherglen.

The party’s local candidate in the general election argues the UK should lead the world in tackling the environmental crisis.

Mark McGeever backed plans to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions over the next 25 years, end the use of non-recyclable plastics within three years, and immediately ban fracking.

He said: “There is no longer any doubt the climate emergency is causing devastating and irreversible damage to the natural environment.

“Our communities will not be immune to the consequences. That’s why we need a government fully committed to taking decisive action that will mean Britain plays a leading role.”

Mark McGeever is standing to be the next Member of Parliament for the Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency. He is a serving local councillor for the area, representing Hamilton West and Earnock.

“We have ambitious plans for the UK to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the next 25 years, with emissions halved over the next 10 years”, he added.

“To succeed in that and deliver a brighter future a Liberal Democrat government would plant more than 60 million trees every year, giving us more than a million extra hectares of forest cover by 2045.

“In a decade we also want to have fully 80 per cent of electricity supplied by renewables and all new cars being electric.

“Along with these steps, we would create a new Green Investment Bank and a UK-wide citizens assembly on environmental issues – things that would encourage new initiatives that will make a real difference in towns and cities across the country.

“Action can and should be taken immediately. That’s why we want to replace non-recyclable single-use plastics in the next three years, which would be a great first step to ending the ‘throwaway society’ culture.

“Ours is a radical plan to make a real impact in the fight against climate change. We are determined to build a brighter future for our planet, our country and our communities.”