What happens in London will play out across Britain and further. Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty
Environmental issues are high on the agenda for the mayoral elections. A a piece in the environment pages of the Society Guardian supplement today sees the Guardian's environment editor John Vidal assessing the ecocredentials of the four major candidates, who have all put the environment at the heart of their strategies and are pinning their hopes on addressing green issues.
We've heard from Sian Berry, Ken Livingstone and Brian Paddick on our Environment Weekly podcast, but with the elections on May 1, here is a reminder of the green tickets that each is campaigning on:
My pledge is to put cutting the cost of living and cutting carbon emissions at the heart of all my policies. My London campaign shows that, done right, fighting climate change saves, not costs, money. Being Green is about believing in a fair share for everybody.
London has lost record numbers of street trees. Our city has the worst record on recycling in the country. And, despite being one of the first major cities in the world to introduce clean air regulations, thousands of Londoners die every year from illnesses relating to poor air quality.
Over the last eight years, London has become a world leader in the battle to prevent catastrophic climate change. Since I became mayor, there has been an 83% increase in cycling, and London is the only major city in the world to shift from private car use to public transport.
Brian Paddick, Liberal Democrat
We will plant 10,000 new trees to help ensure that London becomes the greenest capital in Europe. All major new developments must be self-sustaining in energy, waste, and water consumption. Our key theme will be improving the quality of life for all Londoners.
So which candidate do you think has the best green agenda? Do better transport links or more trees in the capital mean more to you? Tell us your thoughts.
