A London-based activist group swarmed City Hall this morning, to make sure the Mayor keeps his promises on saving the environment.

Environmental activists brought Mayor’s Question Time to a standstill this morning, as Sadiq Khan was about to speak.

During the London Mayoral election last year, activists demanded Khan include two major environmental promises in his manifesto.

But Switched on London and Divest London say he is not sticking to his word.

In 2016, Khan pledged to to establish a publicly owned, democratic, not-for- profit energy company designed to give Londoners clean, affordable energy and to divest the London Pension Fund from fossil fuels.

However, over a year later, neither one of his promises have been acted upon leaving campaigners bitterly disappointed.

In fact, when Sadiq Khan published his environmental policy in August, a commitment to the establishment of a publicly owned energy company wasn’t even part of the plan.

This, combined with a recent report that City Hall continues to invest around £69million in the fossil fuel industry has left activists concerned at the lack of commitment to the manifesto pledges.

Emma Hughes, a Switched on London campaigner, said:

“Sadiq Khan was elected Mayor on the back of two big environmental promises: to set up a public energy company that gives Londoners clean, affordable fuel and to divest the London Pension Fund from fossil fuels. Over a year in office and he’s broken both. Today we’re taking back city hall to tell the Mayor to keep his climate promises.”

City Hall has previously insisted that it has a commitment to divest by 2020. However, given the gravity of the climate crisis, activists are pushing for a more rapid divestment commitment to join the approximate $5.5 trillion that has already been pulled out of the fossil fuel industry.

The Mayor’s failure so far in establishing a publicly-owned London energy company is not viewed as backtracking on an election pledge, but according to his own study, is costing London significant jobs, revenues, and carbon reductions.

Furthermore, modelling commissioned by Switched On London showed that a London energy company could have saved Londoners an average of £159 each on their annual energy bills.

Dan Goss, an organiser with Fuel Poverty Action said:

“We all know how high London’s energy bills are. The Big Six’s astronomical profits mean that over one million Londoners’ can’t afford to keep warm in their own homes. If Sadiq Khan is serious about tackling fuel poverty, it’s time he took money out of oil and gas and put it into a clean public energy company that brings down bills.”

Today’s action coincides with the COP23 Climate Negotiations in Bonn, Germany and the penultimate day of the Mayor’s environmental strategy consultation. Activists involved will hope to have sent a strong message to Khan today to fulfil his election promises. Commitment by Khan to a London energy company and full divestment of the London Pension Fund would send a clear

message. London is taking a strong and serious stance on climate change, right at a time when climate leadership is needed.

Jake Woodier is an activist and M.A. Development graduate from the University of Sussex. He tweets here.

As you’re here, we have something to ask you. What we do here to deliver real news is more important than ever. But there’s a problem: we need readers like you to chip in to help us survive. We deliver progressive, independent media, that challenges the right’s hateful rhetoric. Together we can find the stories that get lost.

We’re not bankrolled by billionaire donors, but rely on readers chipping in whatever they can afford to protect our independence. What we do isn’t free, and we run on a shoestring. Can you help by chipping in as little as £1 a week to help us survive? Whatever you can donate, we’re so grateful - and we will ensure your money goes as far as possible to deliver hard-hitting news.