Our six top tips for lobbying your local council to endorse the Fossil Fuel Treaty

By: Mike Barile
Date: 23 January 2025
Campaigns: Climate
2025 got off to a flying start in Dundee, with an early campaign success for our group.
On 6 January, Dundee became the third city in Scotland, after Edinburgh and Glasgow, to endorse the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The Fossil Fuel Treaty motion was unanimously agreed by all parties in the council, including the Conservatives and the Lib Dems.
Our group worked closely with SNP Councillor, and Convenor of the Climate, Environment and Biodiversity Committee, Heather Anderson to write and put forward the motion. We gave a deputation to the committee on the day of the vote. Four of us spoke to the motion, and then answered questions from the council.
We also got an article in the local paper and local radio station Tay FM covered the story. Green MSP Maggie Chapman even put down a motion at the Scottish parliament thanking us for our work, and congratulating Dundee council for endorsing the treaty.
Here are our top six tips for successfully securing a motion at your local council:
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Finding the right Councillor to take the motion forward is key
The best person is someone with some influence in the council, who is enthusiastic about environmental issues and tackling climate change. It doesn’t have to be your own local Councillor. For us, this meant finding SNP Councillor Heather Anderson, Convenor of the Environment Committee. But in other places where there is Green representation, talking to Green Councillors has been a good place to start.
In any case, actually meeting a Councillor you think might be suitable, and beginning the conversation is a good start. Councillors are usually friendly and will advise who else you might get in touch with.
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Use Global Justice Now resources to take to your meetings with councillors, and ask advice of Global Justice Now staff if you get stuck
We used all the Global Justice Now Scotland resources on the Fossil Fuel Treaty, and on how to contact your council. There’s a useful index here. In particular the Councillor briefing, the draft motion, the draft press release, and the Tricky Questions Answered briefing were useful.
When you go along to your first meeting, it’s nice to bring others from your group, or other local supporters of the issue with you for moral support
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When speaking to your local Councillor, pass on information about other councils, political parties and unions who have already backed the treaty
That might persuade your Councillor, or help them persuade others from different parties.
For example, tell Labour Councillors that the trade union UNISON has endorsed the treaty and that SERA – the Labour environment group – has likewise done so. We told our SNP Councillor that the motion passed by North Ayrshire Council had been tabled there by an SNP Councillor. And now that all parties unanimously voted for our motion in Dundee, we will be telling Lib Dem and Conservative Councillors in Fife Council (our next project) that their counterparts in Dundee already voted in favour of endorsing the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation treaty.
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If you feel confident to do it, a deputation is an excellent opportunity to make Councillors aware of the Fossil Fuel Treaty campaign using your own words
If a Councillor is willing to put down a motion, you can ask them if you can speak to it at the council meeting where they will vote on the issue. You will normally be given 5-10 minutes to speak and up to two of you can speak together. I think it is pretty persuasive having local people talk to their own local council about how important the treaty is.
We felt that, by having the chance to give a deputation at the Dundee Council debate, we were able to promote the treaty campaign better than the Councillor would have done, because we are much more familiar with the details of the campaign and had time to prepare.
Also, being able to answer the Councillors’ questions afterwards gave further opportunity to ensure they knew properly what this motion is about. Councillors are generally very supportive of deputations, as they want greater involvement by local people in council decisions.
You can watch our deputation on youtube here (about 9 minutes in)
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Bring a group of supporters along to the council meeting on the day of the motion
A group of us stood outside the city chambers with banners ahead of the meeting. We spoke to councillors as they came in and were joined by our local Green MSP Maggie Chapman. Those who weren’t giving the deputation then went up to the gallery to watch the deputation.
For me, and others who were speaking, that was a great support. And for the Councillors it forced them to pay more attention – as it is quite unusual these days for members of the public to watch committee meetings.
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Contact the local paper ahead of the date of the motion vote to let them know it’s happening
You can then send a press release out (use the template one available from the Global Justice Now website as a starting point) afterwards.
I contacted a local journalist beforehand, and he came along to watch proceedings, and spoke to some of us after the motion was passed. He wrote a great article later in the week about it. This is great local publicity for the treaty.
Into 2025, Global Justice Dundee is working with other local activists in Fife and Perth and is going to try and get motions passed in these neighbouring councils.
Good luck with your own council!
And if you live in Scotland, please write and ask your local MSPs to support motion S6M-16057 put down by Maggie Chapman that acknowledges Global Justice Dundee and Dundee City Council for endorsing the Fossil Fuel Treaty.