Ed walks us through the reasons for Councils to set a Net Zero date of 2030, and outlines the sorts of steps that can be taken, using his own constituency of Hazlemere, Bucks as a series of examples
Last updated
00:00 - 02:12 Introduction, by Ed Gemmell
02:12 - 19:40 Presentation by Ed
19:40 - 76:54 (end) Q&A
Aug 21, 2024 11:55 AM London ID: 834 5460 8536
The team discussed the urgent need for action on climate change, with Ed Gemel from the Climate Party highlighting the alarming state of the climate and the potential of a net-zero commitment for economic growth and job creation. They also explored the challenges and opportunities of transitioning to a plant-based diet, and the complexities of implementing a new neighborhood plan. The team emphasized the importance of focusing on major issues, sharing good practices, and adopting a constructive approach to address the district's major problems.
Andrew to work on gathering and sharing good practice examples for climate action through the Great Collaboration website.
Graham to upload the meeting transcript and resources to the Wiki page.
Wendy to research examples of local council climate initiatives, particularly looking at South Gloucestershire Council's projects.
David to continue developing a collaborative approach between district and parish councils in Hart for climate action planning.
Kara to monitor and provide updates on the reform of the EPC process to better reflect decarbonization efforts.
Climate Party to continue focusing on communicating the economic benefits and opportunities of reaching net zero by 2030.
Parish councils to explore bulk discounts for EPC assessments for residents.
Andrew to work with Parish Online to add data layers for locating nearby climate initiatives and projects.
Climate Change Discussion With Ed Gemel
The team gathered for a discussion on climate change, with Ed Gemel, the leader of the Climate Party and managing director of Scientists Warning Europe, as the main speaker. Ed introduced himself and his role, and outlined the agenda which included discussing the current state of climate, recent developments, and the upcoming election. He also offered to share the actions taken by Hazelmere Parish Council in response to the climate and nature emergencies. The team also discussed the possibility of publishing a list of attendees on the Wiki page, but no final decision was made.
Climate Change and Tidal Power Opportunities
Ed discussed the alarming state of the climate, with Antarctica experiencing unprecedented warming. He noted that while the latest report suggests a 1.6-degree temperature increase as the best hope, many scientists predict temperatures to rise to 2.5 or 3 degrees. Ed also highlighted a recent poll showing strong public support for increased action on climate change, including the expansion of renewable energy sources. He criticized the government's lack of focus on tidal power, suggesting its development could lead to substantial exports of clean energy to Europe. Ed also discussed the Climate Party's focus on promoting a net-zero commitment as an opportunity for economic growth and job creation.
Hazemere Parish Council's Climate Change Initiatives
Ed discussed the Hazemere Parish Council's efforts to combat climate change since declaring a climate emergency three and a half years ago. The council has been involved in various initiatives, including the formation of the Hazelmere Climate Emergency Working Party, which has focused on topics such as heat pumps, battery technology, food waste, recycling, and the protection of trees and pollinators. They have also explored solar projects, with plans to retrofit around 3,000 homes in Hazelmere with solar panels and batteries. Ed highlighted the challenges faced in implementing a new neighborhood plan and the shortage of enforcement personnel in their planning department.
Green Jobs, Net-Zero Targets, and Agro-Ecotech
Andrew and Ed discussed the potential of green jobs and the green economy, with Ed emphasizing the importance of focusing on net-zero targets for the entire economy. They also discussed the potential of local businesses benefiting from the drive to net-zero, with Ed mentioning that Glasgow already has a 2030 net-zero target. Stuart raised concerns about the methane problem and the need to tackle it swiftly, suggesting that regenerative farming could be a solution. Ed agreed, highlighting the potential of agro-ecotech and the possibility of creating a center for it in High Wycombe.
Transitioning Farming to Net Zero Emissions
The meeting discussed the urgent need to transition farming to net zero emissions by 2030 or 2035, acknowledging the challenges farmers face due to loss of EU funding and reluctance to adopt regenerative agriculture practices. There was frustration over the lack of coordination across research, industry, and government efforts to innovate technologies for food and energy security. The MCS Foundation is working with councils to create a retrofit strategy to accelerate household retrofitting, and the idea of creating a support unit for 2030 councils was discussed. The need for a comprehensive and strategic approach to the UK's economy, specifically focusing on the development of the wind and steel industries, was highlighted. The impact of landscape changes on the UK, such as increased rainfall and tidal surges, was discussed, emphasizing the need for engagement without causing undue alarm.
Climate Party Strategy and Focus
Ed and John discussed the strategy of the Climate Party, emphasizing its focus on communication and the importance of a ruthlessly focused message about climate and nature. Ed explained that the party's approach was to highlight the economic opportunities of tackling climate change, rather than focusing on the risks and dangers. They also discussed the scientific consensus on climate change and the need for immediate action. John agreed to take the discussion further with the XR Rebellion Group.
Improving Communication and Sharing Practices
Andrew emphasized the importance of sharing good practices and highlighted the ongoing development of 30 actions on their website. He also discussed the need for a positive message in their communication strategy to appeal to a wider audience. Cara reiterated the need for a change in communication and highlighted the importance of adaptation and the 2030 target. She also pointed out the challenges with renewable energy and the need to improve the grid. Ed expressed the need to find solutions to these issues and offered to have further discussions.
Plant-Based Diet Transition Challenges Discussed
The team discussed the complexities and potential impacts of transitioning towards a plant-based diet. Belinda highlighted the nuanced and contentious nature of the issue, mentioning that even local councils were divided on the matter. She also emphasized the importance of collaboration and a constructive approach, rather than an aggressive one. The team also discussed the challenges of grid capacity in certain areas, which could hinder the adoption of plant-based diets. David suggested that the issue was rooted in contentious politics and views, and proposed a data-driven approach to understanding the impact of such a transition.
Focusing on Major Issues and Collaboration
The team discussed the importance of focusing on major issues before addressing smaller ones, with a particular emphasis on climate change and local council activities. Wendy showed interest in learning about other councils' initiatives, and Graham and Andrew assured her that they were compiling data and resources to aid council action. Liz suggested looking at South Gloucestershire's approach, and Wendy expressed interest in calculating carbon emissions at the council level. The team also discussed a collaborative strategy to address the district's major problems, with a focus on understanding issues, updating EPCs, and integrating necessary solutions into a structured plan. Wendy raised concerns about rising electricity prices, which Graham agreed to add to the wiki for future discussion.
And around the SW coast to maximise the tidal energy. There's also some advancements in hybrid pumped and tidal hydro.
00:23:55 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Replying to "Swansea Tidal Lagoon..."
00:25:17 Claudine Pearson: Bee Squared has now rolled out to Alcester Town Council! Many thanks for this project template.
00:27:27 John Payne: My pet project is to transform poor quality grazing land for natural colonisation or Wilding. I have a very attractive grant for this on 5ha, it produces trees and is a disinvestment to continue livestock grazing for land owners, leading to a movement to move to a Plant based diet
00:27:40 Peter Anderson: The Government ECO4 scheme will pay for up to £30k of work retrofitting with insulation, ASHP and solar panels. We had our own house retrofitted on this scheme for free
00:28:09 Belinda Bawden Dorset Council: I'd love to do the Bee Squared in Lyme and Charmouth and would be happy to promote in Dorset Climate Action Network. https://www.dorsetcan.org/
00:28:51 Garry Ford: Like the bee idea. We did wildflower plug plant growing for a local nature area by volunteers.
00:28:57 Belinda Bawden Dorset Council: Isn't ECO4 only if you have electric or oil heating?
00:29:07 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Where can we find out about the retrofit in Hazelmere please Ed?
00:29:36 Peter Anderson: The eligibility for ECO4 is broadening all the time. Now for certain houses on the gas grid
00:30:20 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: https://www.hazlemereparishcouncil.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/152/2022/05/Hazlemere-Neighbourhood-Plan-Pre-Submission-Plan-May-2022.pdf
00:33:03 Belinda Bawden Dorset Council: Reacted to "The eligibility for ..." with 👍
00:33:13 David Morgan-Jones: Ed you may need to take them to court!
00:33:25 Peter Anderson: Example of ECO4 eligibility https://eco4solution.co.uk/
00:33:35 Claudine Pearson: Mass retrofit is of great interest - the most I have seen locally is 60, so 3,000 is very exciting! https://www.solihull.gov.uk/news/solihull-street-be-transformed-energy-saving-home-improvements
00:33:35 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Reacted to "Example of ECO4 elig..." with 👍
00:35:37 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Replying to "Example of ECO4 elig..."
Best check the Ofgem website for details https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/faqs-domestic-consumers-and-landlords
00:37:32 Mary Moore: Sorry I have to leave. Thank you for an interesting and broad ranging talk.
00:38:53 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: FYI CO2e emission data includes methane and all other green house gases but converts to the carbon equivalent for simplifying the calculations.
00:39:07 Peter Anderson: Recruit Jeremy Clarkson as Special Advisor to Gov on farming and agriculture
00:39:15 Claudine Pearson: Reacted to "Recruit Jeremy Clark..." with 👍🏼
00:40:53 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Seaweed or biochar in cattle feed supports reducing methane from cattle...
00:41:18 Peter Anderson: Along with Dale Vince.. go vegan and transition farmers from meat production to green gas from grass
00:41:32 David Morgan-Jones: Reacted to "Recruit Jeremy Clark..." with 👍
00:42:25 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Retrofit Acceleration - MCS Foundation is working with 3 councils to create a retrofit strategy across counties (called Local Authority Retrofit Acceleration) and hope to support wider councils create similar to accelerate retrofit actions. Need more funding support for training, product supply and household grants.
00:43:01 Stuart Withington: Reacted to "Along with Dale Vinc..." with 👍
00:43:43 Peter Anderson: Dale Vince's "Manifesto" is essential reading. The man has a coherent plan https://dalevince.com/
00:44:23 tim yair: The Royal Agricultural Society has done some interesting research / work on the Farm of the Future" and its role in getting to net-zero. https://www.rase.org.uk/reports/
00:44:31 Belinda Bawden Dorset Council: Environmental Land Management Schemes and Farming In Protected Landscapes schemes can help. The Great Big Dorset Hedge project, for example is matching volunteer interest and labour in surveying hedgerows, enabling farmers and landowners to submit the surveys to DEFRA to claim FIPL payments. Win-Win West Dorset has lots of regenerative farming and even Dorset Council has Farming Clusters where best practice is shared, often working with Dorset Wildlife Trust and community projects on flood mitigation etc
00:44:32 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Removing grazing animals from our ecosystems will have a negative impact on biodiversity and soil so yes to reduce but not irradicate. Need to stop importing meat from industrialised production.
00:45:27 Peter Anderson: Reacted to "Removing grazing ani..." with 👍
00:45:37 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Reacted to "The Royal Agricultur..." with 👍
00:46:08 Andrew Maliphant: Sharing good practice and funding information is very much part of the Great Collaboration mission - early posts are on https://slcc.co.uk/climate-action/
00:46:16 Wendy Thomson Gloucestershire: If we are looking at tidal power, seems an obvious question but is there any mileage in looking at power generation from rivers?
00:46:18 Peter Bates: @David Morgan-Jones Innovate UK is already doing a lot of this area of new innovations related to climate change
00:46:55 David Morgan-Jones: Reacted to "@David Morgan-Jones ..." with 👍
00:47:23 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Somerset is also engaging with all food producers many of whom are already farming sustainability to reduce environmental impacts and supporting biodiversity - come to Land Alive to find out more about SW sustainable food production https://www.landalive.co.uk/
00:48:05 Peter Bates: @David Morgan-Jones Innovate UK is already doing a lot of this area of new innovations related to climate change See https://iuk.ktn-uk.org/knowledge-centre/events/
00:48:30 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Replying to "If we are looking at..."
Yes though many struggle due to EA requirements for fish screening and extraction licenses! And cost to install hydropower is also prohibitive.
00:49:00 Belinda Bawden Dorset Council: Replying to "If we are looking at..."
There's a scheme near Reading, isn't there?
00:50:33 Andrew Maliphant: https://www./carboncopy.eco/initiatives also have 1,000 case studies
00:50:49 Stuart Withington: Replying to "If we are looking at..."
What about wave power, less environmental impact and not so geographically limited?
00:50:53 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Replying to "If we are looking at..."
There's a few across the country but needs a lot of flow and head of water to make it viable plus grid connection viability. Fish screening impacts on this and makes some unviable. Plus cost increase for extraction license which EA also requires makes some financially unviable.
00:51:19 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Replying to "If we are looking at..."
@Stuart Withington work is going on in Scotland and Cornwall on wave power 00:52:02 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Reacted to "www./carboncopy.eco/..." with 👍
00:55:08 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: There is a question about how much more should we do to highlight the risk of climate change as most people are not stimulated by fear to act when they aren't able to access solutions. Should we not change to demonstrate the solutions that people will want such as health and wellbeing and the wealth that brings?
00:56:06 Stuart Withington: Reacted to "There is a question ..." with 👍
01:00:45 Belinda Bawden Dorset Council: 🤣 I get that too, Ed! People on the doorstep say they hate the Green Party but they'll vote for me. My vote share increased 17% to over 61% in May so you're so right that people do want climate and environmental action!
01:02:58 Claudine Pearson: Reacted to "Retrofit Acceleratio..." with 👍🏼
01:03:00 Andrew Maliphant: DEFRA have said they will connect SLCC to the national adaptation programme with respect to town and parish councils, watch this space
01:03:28 Claudine Pearson: Reacted to "DEFRA have said they..." with 👏🏼
01:03:50 Belinda Bawden Dorset Council: Reacted to "DEFRA have said they..." with 👍
01:04:03 John Payne: I so look forward to telling XR friends that they have to be creative and construct a Narcissistic Populist Climate Farage/Trump carton character to engage with the public! I will try and create such a monster for the people’ assembly at Grest Windsor park in 10 days time
01:05:45 Belinda Bawden Dorset Council: We're told 2037 is the earliest the grid capacity will be increased. We can't do anything here in West Dorset as a result of lack of capacity
01:06:04 Peter Anderson: Great job Ed, very inspired!
01:06:20 Belinda Bawden Dorset Council: Thanks, Ed. Great to see you again!
01:06:45 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Good support for climate communication to https://climateoutreach.org/
01:08:02 Andrew Maliphant: ed@scientistswarningeurope.org.uk
01:08:16 Peter Anderson: Veggie
01:09:16 Claudine Pearson: must go - many thanks
01:09:37 Peter Anderson: The devil is in the detail. Vegan can mean an all sugar diet. Veggie can mean lots of avocados which both create their own problems
01:09:39 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Best solution is local and seasonal and not to waste food which is has the biggest climate impact!
01:09:52 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Reacted to "The devil is in the ..." with 👍 01:10:40 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Replying to "The devil is in the ..."
And a lot is highly industrially processed and imported which is also high carbon!
01:11:01 Liz Shayler: Reacted to "Best solution is loc..." with 👍
01:11:25 Peter Anderson: Some of the worlds top athletes are vegan, so with the right diet we can live healthy lives
01:11:35 Andrew Maliphant: We need more parish allotments so we can grow our own healthier food - also good exercise and get out and meet people
01:11:51 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Reacted to "We need more parish ..." with 👍
01:14:17 Peter Anderson: Methane is not the primary reason to stop eating meat
01:15:10 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Methane also has a shorter life than carbon as a green house gas - 8 -12 years where as carbon is thousands of years.
01:15:36 Peter Anderson: Dale's first gas from grass plant.. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/02/26/grass-powered-gas-heat-homes-first-time
01:15:49 Andrew Maliphant: We are working with Parish Online to produce enhanced digital mapping that shows what is happening where
01:15:51 Stuart Withington: Reacted to "Methane also has a s..." with 👍
01:16:42 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Reacted to "We are working with ..." with 👍
01:17:33 Belinda Bawden Dorset Council: Shaftesbury Climate Community Group has a great guide
01:18:03 Belinda Bawden Dorset Council: Bridport Town Council is another pioneering town council
01:18:26 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Carbon Literacy Training for parish council is helpful too
01:18:37 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: Impact Tool by CSE
01:18:38 Liz Shayler: Reacted to "Carbon Literacy Trai..." with 👍
01:18:51 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: https://impact-tool.org.uk/
01:21:18 Cara Naden Somerset Council Environment: And changes required to EPCs to support electrification of heating as currently is based on cost of energy not carbon.
01:21:59 Belinda Bawden Dorset Council: https://www.shaftesbury-tc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/SS-Vision-Statement-Approved-Feb-24.pdf
01:25:11 Belinda Bawden Dorset Council: Thanks, everyone!
01:25:34 Peter Anderson: Thank you
