Welcome to the "Knowledgebase", where all the Great Collaboration documents, datasets, and links for use by the general public are kept. It is an ever-growing work-in-progress.

Structure

The Knowledgebase is divided into sections and subsections, listed in the left column. The sections are:

you may download a copy of the handbook from the link above, or review its text below:

Local Council Handbook

How to use The Great Collaboration Toolkit

to support climate and environmental action within your local council area.

Contents

1. Four Simple Steps

2. Accessing Resources

   • 2.1 Email Support

   • 2.2 The Local Council Resource Pack

3. Declare

   • 3.1 Preparing a Declaration

   • 3.2 Considerations

   • 3.3 Biodiversity Policy

4. Promote

   • 4.1 The More People Using the Toolkit, the Better

   • 4.2 Communication Channels

   • 4.3 Social Media Engagement

   • 4.4 Promotion Schedule

   • 4.5 Understanding Your Audience – Residents

   • 4.6 Understanding Your Audience – Businesses

5. Plan

   • 5.1 The Range of Planning Guidance

   • 5.2 Preparing a Carbon Reduction Plan

   • 5.3 Reviewing the Carbon Reduction Plan

6. Report

   • 6.1 Getting Reports from the Website

   • 6.2 Using the Reports

Four Simple Steps

To really get the benefits for your community, follow these four steps. You’ll find more information about each step in subsequent sections.

Expect to review the last three steps annually.

Declare

Have your local council make a policy decision.

Promote

Use the promotion resources provided to inspire your residents and businesses to get involved.

Plan

Write down what you will do actively to support a handful of The Great Collaboration’s actions over the coming year.

Report

Use the reports from the website to inform the local council so that you can make policy decisions.

Accessing Resources

Email Support

If you need any help establishing The Great Collaboration in your local council, please email us at office@greatcollaboration.uk and we’ll be happy to help.

The Local Council Resource Pack

The Resource Pack is organised into four sub-folders, one for each of the four steps:

• Declare

• Promote

• Plan

• Report

We’ll be adding to the Resource Pack as time goes on, so please check back regularly to see what’s changed.

Declare

Preparing a Declaration

Take a copy of the Local Council Climate Emergency Declaration Template.docx file from the Declare folder in the Resource Pack.

Edit the document using Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or similar, making appropriate changes to the parts highlighted in pink, including renaming the document and/or its title to be appropriate to your Local Council, as well as any further changes to the document required for your local situation.

Present the amended document to your Local Council colleagues for review and approval. Once it is approved by the full council, have the chairman sign it.

Considerations

It gives parish and small community-level information, so it makes sense to use the results from this calculator as your starting point, even if in future years a wider range of tools become available.

Biodiversity Policy

Another option in line with every local council’s duty to consider biodiversity in everything they do is to adopt a biodiversity policy using the template in the Resource Pack.

Promote

The More People Using the Toolkit, the Better

The local data produced by the Toolkit paints a powerful picture of what’s happening in your community—if a good proportion of your residents and businesses are using it.

Encourage people to register and record their actions. It may be helpful to set a target, such as 10% of households using the Toolkit. Once reached, set a new target… and keep going!

Communication Channels

Some channels you might use:

• Notice boards

• Local magazines

• Newsletters

• Websites

• Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

• Community events

Social Media Engagement

Ways to engage:

• Like

• Reshare

• Follow

• Tag in relevant posts

• Reply

The Promote folder of the Resource Pack contains a Promotion Ideas spreadsheet with:

• Toolkit Actions: Text and images for social media posts.

• Environmental Days: Upcoming national/international days with ready-to-use content.

Promotion Schedule

Decide on a promotion frequency that is realistic yet effective. Example:

• 1 Blog per week, posted on all channels.

• 2 Facebook posts per week.

• 1 Newsletter per month.

• 1 Community event per quarter.

Plan

The Range of Planning Guidance

The Plan folder in the Resource Pack contains guidance and templates for:

• Environmental Planning Guidance

• Climate Action for Smaller Councils

• Commenting on Local Planning Applications

• Simple Guide to Biodiversity Net Gain

• Local Councils’ Powers & Opportunities around Climate Change

• Funding Sources for Climate & Environmental Action

Preparing a Carbon Reduction Plan

Take a copy of the Local Council Carbon Reduction Actions Template.docx from the Plan folder.

1. Rename the document.

2. Edit using Microsoft Word or Google Docs.

3. Choose a handful of actions to focus on.

4. Be specific about what you will do.

5. Use Toolkit reports to prioritize actions.

Reviewing the Carbon Reduction Plan

Review the plan annually to keep it relevant. Mark completed actions as DONE IN to maintain a historical record.

Report

Getting Reports from the Website

Using the Reports

• The Insights reports track user engagement.

• The Local Council Report provides detailed data for policy decisions.

• Reviewing the Local Council Report annually is more effective than reviewing it at every meeting.

The Great Collaboration is supported by funding from MCS Charitable Foundation.

This site is designed to support community climate action by providing a centralized repository of knowledge, tools, and resources. Whether you are new to climate action or a seasoned advocate, this guide will help you make the most of our platform.

Navigating the Site

1. Search the Knowledgebase

2. • Use the search bar to find specific articles or resources.

   • You can search using keywords, phrases, or questions.

3. Explore by Topic

4. • Use the main navigation menu to browse content by key categories such as:

   • • Climate Action Planning

     • Renewable Energy

     • Waste Reduction

     • Community Engagement

     • Policy Advocacy

   • Each category is further broken down into subtopics for easier navigation.

5. Discover Related Content

6. • At the bottom of every article, you’ll find links to related topics and resources to expand your understanding.

7. Interactive Tools

8. • Look for tools like calculators, templates, and action planners in relevant sections.

Using the Content

1. Reading Articles

2. • Articles are structured with clear headings and summaries for quick reading.

   • Key takeaways and actionable tips are highlighted at the end of each article.

3. Accessing Resources

4. • Many pages include downloadable materials such as guides, templates, or presentations.

   • External links provide direct access to authoritative sources.

5. Contributing Your Knowledge

6. • We encourage community members to contribute! Use the "Contribute" link in the menu to submit your knowledge or suggest updates to existing content.

Engaging with the Community

1. Discussion Forums

2. • Join discussions or ask questions in our forums, accessible via the community hub.

   • Share your experiences and learn from others.

3. Events Calendar

4. • Check out upcoming climate action events and webinars listed on the calendar page.

5. Contact Experts

6. • Reach out to topic experts listed in the "Community of Practice" section for guidance.

Tips for Effective Use

1. Bookmark pages or sections that are particularly relevant to your work.

2. Use tags and filters to customize your view of the content.

3. Take notes using our "My Projects" feature (if available) to keep track of actionable insights.

4. Set aside time to review updates and new additions to the knowledgebase regularly.

Structuring the Site

To ensure the site is intuitive and effective, consider the following structure:

Top-Level Categories

• Introduction to Climate Action

• • Basics of climate change and community action.

• Key Action Areas

• • Energy, Transport, Food, Waste, Biodiversity, etc.

• Guides and Tools

• • Step-by-step guides, templates, and calculators.

• Case Studies

• • Examples of successful community initiatives.

• Resources

• • Links to reports, websites, and policy documents.

• Community Hub

• • Forums, events calendar, and expert contact directory.

Subcategories

• Each key action area should have consistent subcategories:

• • Overview

  • Strategies and Best Practices

  • Tools and Resources

  • Case Studies

Site Features

• Search and Filter Tools: Advanced options for finding content by tags, topics, or keywords.

• Interactive Tools: Integrated tools for planning and assessment.

• Personalized Dashboard: Allow users to save content or create action plans.

• Feedback Mechanisms: Enable users to provide feedback on articles or suggest improvements.

Links - inserting/editing: (eg in the table of Banter sessions)

To create a link:

• Select the link from the original document by finding its title in the menu

• select the 'copy link' option

• highlight the words that are to be linked, click on the link icon, and paste the link

• hit 'Enter' (this step is critical; the link is not active without it)

• hover the mouse over the link, and make sure that it does not start with "https://app.gitbook", nor does it say "Internal" (which means an error)

Importing documents, images, URLs:

It is easy to bring any sort of document into the Knowledgebase (KB), but it is worth remembering that for the text of the document to be available to the AI search engine within the KB, the text has to be listed on a wiki page - ie a link to a document out on the web will not be searched. So, consider either inviting something like ChatGPT to markdown the document for you ("Please convert this document to markdown for me"), and then putting the resulting text on the wiki page (you still need the link in place for people to see graphical content, and beautiful formatting), or at the least, entering in a bunch of keywords that describe the contents of the document so that the wiki search engine will find it when a user types one of those keywords into the search bar.

To import the link to a document into the KB:

1. Go to, or create, the appropriate page in the KB where the document link should live

2. Click on the '+' sign to the left (usually to the left of the line above - ie your entry will be the next one - or in a blank space where your entry is to go), and either type "Embed a URL" in the mini-menu, or simply scroll down the menu until you find it

3. Enter your URL accordingly

4. A box will be created on the page, with the heading of your document within, and the link to click on to bring the document up for the user

Building a greener and more resilient community

Rural parish of 600: restoring a common and pond; soft plastic recycling drop-off; thermal imaging and winter-proofing

Environment Group case study

Starting an environmental group from scratch in a small rural community: Nature/Land use; Rivers; Waste; Energy

Running an Eco-Festival

600 attendees; demonstrating the strong sense of community power

Environment and Sustainability Group - Tree Audit, Plastic-Free

Community Event following environmental survey by a small rural parish council (200 residents)

Climate action is already happening extensively at parish and town council levels, as well as within community groups, and this presents a valuable opportunity to share good practices more broadly.

Three things can help us with this:

• Framework – an easily-searched data base of actions that can happen at the local level (sometimes referred to as “making the climate jungle more navigable”!)

• Network – exchanging good practice and requests for guidance amongst and between local councils and their local action groups.

• Joined-up work – effective partnership working not just horizontally at local level but also vertically from local places up through higher-tier local authorities to Government.

Over the past two years, the Herefordshire Green Network has successfully piloted the website, giving talks to Herefordshire parishes and supporting its use. Now managed by The Place-Based Initiative Ltd, the platform will expand nationally, incorporating collective actions for councils and community groups and featuring a digital map of parish-level activities.

Communication is the key to the next steps. Our aim is to:

• gather information from local councils and groups as to their information requirements.

• develop a county-based network for sharing good practice locally and nationally.

• incorporate these elements in a web-based portal that enables two-way exchanges.

• contact national bodies and funders to advise and support the initiative going forwards.

• help us to develop new guidance and case studies, maybe sharing your own good practice

• offer to be a point of contact for a particular type of action or expertise - whether climate or environmental action, nature recovery or supporting biodiversity

• support regular communication between ourselves and local communities.

Dealing with climate change to improve the future of our families and communities is now more important than ever. Let us work on this together – we look forward to hearing from you!

Climate Visuals is the world’s only evidence-based initiative focused on climate change photography.

The following sub-categories fall under "Housing/Buildings":

• Energy Efficiency: Home insulation, double/triple glazing, draught-proofing.

• Renewable Energy: Solar panels, heat pumps, community energy schemes.

• Retrofitting: Grants, technologies, and case studies.

• Housing Design: Passive house standards, low-carbon materials.

• Measurement Tools: Home energy efficiency calculators, emissions calculators.

• Priority Actions: Install insulation, promote energy audits, switch to renewable heating systems.

The following sub-categories fall under "Biodiversity":

• • Habitat Restoration: Rewilding, tree planting, wetland creation.

  • Urban Biodiversity: Green roofs, pollinator pathways, community gardens.

  • Wildlife Corridors: Connecting habitats, preventing fragmentation.

  • Natural Capital Mapping: Biodiversity surveys, ecosystem services valuation.

  • Measurement Tools: Biodiversity indices, habitat mapping tools.

  • Priority Actions: Protect existing habitats, enhance biodiversity in urban areas, develop local biodiversity action plans.

The following sub-categories fall under "Transport":

• • Public Transport: Accessibility, subsidies, infrastructure investment.

  • Active Travel: Cycling, walking infrastructure, safe routes.

  • Low-Carbon Vehicles: EV adoption, charging networks, car-sharing schemes.

  • Logistics and Freight: Localized supply chains, efficient delivery models.

  • Measurement Tools: Transport emissions calculators, traffic density mapping.

  • Priority Actions: Promote active travel, improve public transport, develop EV infrastructure.

The following sub-categories fall under "Energy":

• • Community Energy: Renewable co-operatives, shared resources.

  • Grid Decarbonization: Transition to green energy suppliers.

  • Energy Storage: Batteries, local microgrids.

  • Education and Advocacy: Workshops, policy engagement.

  • Measurement Tools: Renewable energy potential calculators, grid dependency metrics.

  • Priority Actions: Transition to renewable suppliers, develop community solar farms.

The following sub-categories fall under "Food":

• • Local Food Systems: Farmer's markets, community-supported agriculture.

  • Sustainable Diets: Plant-based eating, reducing food waste.

  • Food Sovereignty: Supporting local farmers, reducing imports.

  • Composting and Waste Reduction: Systems for schools and communities.

  • Measurement Tools: Food carbon footprint calculators, waste auditing tools.

  • Priority Actions: Reduce food waste, promote plant-based options, encourage local sourcing.

What climate-change Adaptation means for Buildings:

Designers and architects

Need to draw up plans for buildings with climate resilience in mind. They will design in adaptation strategies including shutters, insulation, nature-based solutions and storm drainage systems, their motivation being the creation of resilient buildings which will be in use for years to come.

Asset owners, developers and the investment community

Need to understand the risks their buildings face due to climate change. Measuring these risks, and reporting them to their clients as well as via TCFD where required , is vital, as is mitigating the potential for damage arising from such risks, where possible, to avoid assets becoming ‘stranded’, at risk of obsolescence. Investment in adaptation measures is critical.

Insurers

Need to understand how climate risk fits into their portfolio and adapt accordingly. Without this knowledge they will be unable to assess the risk they face and how to deal with it.

Local Authorities

Must implement climate resilience to enhance the sustainability of new and existing developments in line with local and national obligations and plans, and for the long-term well-being, comfort and resilience of their communities.

The four types of adaptation actions are:

• Infrastructural - eg building seawalls or inland flood defences

• Institutional - eg providing new insurance schemes

• Behavioural - eg changing diet, cycling more

• Nature-based options - eg changing crop planting times or varieties, installing green roofs or green spaces

Community Climate Action - Suffolk Green Cluster:

Climate Action Plan for Parish and Town Councils

In this guide we identify actions that parish and town councils can take on climate change and nature. Its purpose is to support those of the 10,000 local councils across England and 750 community councils in Wales who want to “do their bit” in addressing the climate and nature emergency.

Be a force for good

1. Encourage the formation of Climate Action groups

2. Actively support small and large planning applications for new renewable energy in the area

Planning decisions will be made by the local planning authority, which needs to hear from those that support the applications. The UK needs to increase the amount of renewable energy it generates by around eight-fold.

3. Promote practical action by local people

4. Bring together groups of people for bulk purchases

5. Develop and promote lift-sharing scheme

6. Use your voice

Decisions on infrastructure projects are largely made by local authorities, Local Economic Partnerships, or by national government. But too many of these decisions will increase carbon emissions and / or harm nature. Use your voice when possible to oppose high-carbon developments, promoting sustainable alternatives instead. Press local authorities and MPs to demand national changes to bus services regulations, so all areas can regulate buses as London does, and urban profit-making routes can cross-fund loss making rural routes.

Demonstrate leadership through your own practical actions

7. Save energy

Ensure any council buildings are as energy efficient as possible and any street lighting uses well-directed LED lighting. Getting an energy audit is the first step. Loans for projects in England that have a payback of less than five years are available through Salix funding.Webpage accessed 18 Sept 2019, https://www.salixfinance.co.uk/index.php/loans/parish-councils. Projects with longer term paybacks should still be carried out.

8. Produce green energy

Install renewable energy generation, like heat pumps and solar PV, at council buildings. Heat pumps benefit from a government grantOfgem has guidance on the non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive at https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-programmes/non-domestic-rhi. that will partially cover the cost. Several energy companies provide a smart export tariff, which pays for any electricity generated that isn’t used by the building, including offering top prices if the solar PV is used in conjunction with a battery.For example, Octopus was the first to offer a tariff to pay for exported energy (which will be metered) https://octopus.energy/outgoing/. Other companies will follow suit. Funds can also be raised through Salix loansSee https://www.salixfinance.co.uk/loans/parish-councils. or through crowdfunding. Buildings using renewable energy should also be used as a showcase to help local people see these technologies first-hand, particular less familiar technologies such as heat pumps. An electronic display showing how much energy has been generated and how much money and CO2 emissions saved is one way of demonstrating the benefits.

9. Reduce pesticide use and other harmful activities

It’s possible to reduce activities that harm wildlife, from using peat-free compost to shunning pesticides and ensuring light pollution is controlled. Glastonbury Town Council has stopped using glyphosate weed killer and instead uses a hot foam system.The company WeedingTech has produced a case study, but you might want to check on the current situation with Glastonbury Town Council, https://www.weedingtech.com/case_studies/glastonbury-town-council/. These steps alone are not enough to protect and restore nature but they’re an important first step. To encourage others, promote the actions you’re taking, for example use signage on council-owned land where you use peat-free compost.

10. Manage land for nature

Parish, town and community councils can have responsibility for allotments, bridleways, burial grounds, commons and open spaces, and village greens. All of these can be managed to enhance nature, particularly through changing mowing regimes. Friends of the Earth and Buglife have produced a guide to developing an action plan for helping pollinators such as bees.Buglife and Friends of the Earth, Helping pollinators locally, https://www.buglife.org.uk/sites/default/files/Helping%20Pollinators%20Locally.pdf. Buglife’s B-lines project aims to support the development of a network of wildlife friendly corridors.Buglife B-lines Hub, https://www.buglife.org.uk/b-lines-hub. Friends of the Earth is piloting a crowd-funded postcode gardener project to help people green the streets where they live.See https://friendsoftheearth.uk/nature/10x-greener-towns-and-cities.

11. Increase tree cover

Friends of the Earth is campaigning for the UK to double tree cover. The Forestry Commission and others have suggested that even urban areas should aim for at least 20% tree cover.Urban Forestry and Woodland Advisory Committee Network, England’s Urban Forests: Using tree canopy cover data to secure the benefits of the urban forest, https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/documents/2109/FR_FC_TreeCanopyData_leaflet.pdf.Parish, town and community councils should aim to double tree cover and, if necessary, go beyond this to reach the 20% minimum. Much of this will involve encouraging and supporting landowners to take park in tree planting. The Tree Charter, developed by the Woodland Trust, provides excellent guidance on how to increase tree cover. The National Association of Local Councils website provides case studies where it has been used.NALC website, The Tree Charter, https://www.nalc.gov.uk/our-work/treecharter.

12. Buy green

Buying local can support the local economy and buying green can help protect the planet, rewarding businesses committed to a better future. Buying green electricity helps develop new renewable energy and ensures the council isn’t supporting dirty energy financially. Friends of the Earth has identified Ecotricity and Good Energy as the greenest energy companies. Buying green can also extend to any food provided at events, including providing mainly plant-based food and less but better meat and dairy.

13. Use green transport

Employees and councillors should be encouraged to walk, cycle or use public transport or car-share. The council should provide bikes or electric bikes for staff as they carry out any work-related trips. It should also provide zero-interest loans for buying bikes. Where a car or van is needed it should be electric only.

14. Minimise waste going to landfill or incineration

In your own operations, ensure all your waste is recycled or composted, but also consider setting-up community recycling facilities for hard-to-recycle items when the local authority hasn’t done so, for example in partnership with Terracycle.Terracycle website, https://www.terracycle.com/en-GB/.Bisley Parish Council has set up a community composting scheme. The best approach for waste minimisation is reuse (eg reusable cups) or avoiding unnecessary purchases.

15. Ensure money is invested wisely

Across the UK, local authorities are investing tens of millions of pounds each into fossil fuel companies, despite having declared a climate emergency. Although town council investments will be tiny in comparison, the council should still ensure any council funds are invested safely in low-risk sustainable banks or investment funds.

Use your powers wisely

16. Ensure you know the climate change or nature implications of decisions before you make them

It isn’t credible to accept the need for rapid action on climate change and nature and then make decisions without knowing whether they’ll be harmful or helpful. Requiring every decision to be well informed is common sense as well as good practice. This should extend to demanding that the planning authority provides you with this kind of information when consulting you.

17. Designate sites within the Neighbourhood Plan for trees, renewable energy and nature restoration

In practice, the development of 90% of Neighbourhood Plans is led by town and parish councils working hand in hand with their communities. The Neighbourhood Planning process is far from perfect and very time consuming, but it offers the community the opportunity to show it means business on protecting and enhancing the environment for future generations.

18. Use the Neighbourhood Plan to require new homes to be energy efficient, nature friendly, and located close to public transport and amenities.

Given the climate and nature emergency, it’s unfortunate that the government doesn’t require all new homes to be as sustainable as possible. Neighbourhood Plans will identify sites for future housing and should push for these to be zero-carbon (eg Passivhaus standard) and nature friendly, even though the local planning authority may seek to override this aim. Homes should also be fitted with renewable energy. Homes need to be located close to amenities and public transport to avoid car dependency.

19. Designate safe walking and cycle routes in the Neighbourhood Plan

Identify safe walking and cycling routes and where necessary work in partnership with district and county councils to deliver them. The Propensity to Cycle tool identifies the huge potential for increasing cycling in all areas of the country, particularly with good quality infrastructure, such as segregated cycleways and cycle-parking, and with the use of E-bikes.Propensity to Cycle tool, https://www.pct.bike/.

20. Use differential car-parking charges to support low-carbon vehicles

Any carparks run by the council should offer low cost or free car-parking to electric vehicles and dedicated spaces with electric charging points.

Acknowledgements

Climate change adaptation in transport includes:

• Infrastructure: Protecting, maintaining, and strengthening transportation infrastructure from climate change damage. This can include:

  • Using new materials that can withstand extreme temperatures

  • Climate proofing underground tunnels

  • Relocating infrastructure that's past its lifetime or can be severely damaged

  • Restoring natural floodplains

  • Consolidating hill slopes near roads and railways with tree planting and maintenance

• Operations: Adjusting services, equipment, and procedures to adapt to the future effects of climate change. This can include:

  • Considering higher temperatures when tendering for new vehicles

  • Upgrading older equipment

  • Developing contingency plans

  • Using real-time information systems

• Routes: Avoiding new mass transit corridors in flood-prone areas

• Fuel: Using alternative fuels in vehicles to help conserve fuel and reduce emissions

• Drainage: Improving drainage or earthworks

• Stormwater management: Using proper stormwater management techniques

Funding sources

Requirements; skills, resources, materials, permission, contractors, steps to success

£6m for 19 innovation projects to monitor environmental change

4 October 2024

Innovate UK and Defra fund 19 business-led environmental monitoring projects looking at biodiversity, soil health, water quality and greenhouse gas emissions.

The UK relies on effective environmental monitoring to support decision making, for example on actions needed to tackle the impacts of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.

Some traditional methods of environmental monitoring can be slow, limited in scope and unable to capture the full complexity of these rapidly evolving issues.

Growing urgency

There is growing urgency to protect natural resources and mitigate environmental threats, as well as a global need for more advanced, comprehensive and efficient monitoring solutions.

The UK environmental monitoring sector has access to a wide range of cutting-edge facilities and academic research and expertise, so is well placed to develop solutions and deliver economic growth.

Spanning the breadth of the UK, these collaborative projects will inform decision making to enhance environmental resilience, protect natural resources and contribute to a sustainable future.

Saving our waters

Enhancing and integrating environmental monitoring and river management approaches is crucial for safeguarding environmental and public health.

Several projects will focus on innovative solutions to monitor river health, including a sensor that will combine multiple measurements and deliver continuous water quality assessment.

Leveraging machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), a new Water Quality Index will be developed, combining these measurements with real-time data, like rainfall, to improve the accuracy and affordability of water quality monitoring.

A collaborative effort

Another project will develop a new monitoring technology that uses light-based measurement techniques to provide accurate data without the use of the harmful chemicals.

The solution will make ‘big data’ on complex river systems available to all interested parties to support land and resource managers, water users and citizen scientists in a collaborative effort to protect the environment.

Additional projects include:

• the creation of a compact, Internet of Things-enabled smart water sampler for detecting river pollution events

• a portable pathogen test device for rapid on-site bacterial water analysis, complemented by a smartphone app that integrates GPS data and images to enhance test results

Supporting farmers

Several projects are set to empower farmers with advanced tools and data, enabling them to optimise their operations, enhance sustainability, reduce risks and boost profitability.

These innovations range from a cutting-edge solution that measures and manages biodiversity through birdsong analysis, to miniaturised sensors and software designed to monitor agricultural nitrogen emissions.

Also being developed are:

• a new manure management tool for the cattle industry

• a machine learning-enabled system for monitoring soil health and biodiversity

• an intelligence-as-a-service platform that integrates environmental and commercial data

Innovation in environmental monitoring programme

This investment comes from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and UK Research and Innovation’s three-year £13.6 million research and innovation programme.

The programme funds projects aimed at advancing monitoring capabilities in strategically significant areas.

Driving innovation for sustainable growth

Dr Stella Peace, Executive Director for Healthy Living and Agriculture at Innovate UK, said:

These innovations are crucial for safeguarding our natural environment.

By investing in these pioneering projects, we’re helping businesses unlock innovations that make life better, ensuring that the UK leads the way in developing sustainable solutions that benefit both our economy and our communities.

Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:

Restoring nature is a key priority for government and developing new technologies and monitoring techniques to build our knowledge on the state of the environment will be a vital part of that effort.

Programmes like this give us the best possible tools to collect data and gain insights to help us safeguard our natural environment, protect human health and ensure food security, as well as showcasing the tremendous diversity of technological expertise we have in the UK.

Our support for these innovations in environmental monitoring will help us to target our nature recovery efforts to create a healthy environment for the benefit of animals, plants and people.

Bringing together expertise

Professor Gideon Henderson, Chief Scientific Advisor, Defra said:

These 19 innovative projects will help enhance the UK’s ability to monitor and respond to environmental changes.

By bringing together the expertise of businesses and the scientific community, we are equipping ourselves with the tools needed to better understand and protect our environment and investing in technologies that can be deployed domestically and globally.

This investment will help to highlight the excellent capabilities offered by the UK environmental monitoring sector.

Further information

Projects

IR Laser based agricultural emissions monitoring system (IREMS)

Project lead: Chromacity Ltd

River water quality monitoring: a new shared insights approach

Project lead: Nuuv Ltd

Developing a holistic soil biological health assessment

Project lead: Verdant Carbon Ltd

Eco-Patterns: ecological characterisation and monitoring of habitats by AI pattern-recognition for policy, practice and emerging environmental markets

Project lead: Gentian Ltd

SoilScope: machine learning-enabled acoustic monitoring and management for agricultural soil health and biodiversity

Project lead: Biofonic Ltd

Development of an innovative intelligent multiparameter fluorometer to sense the impact of organic pollution on river health

Project lead: Chelsea Technologies

Cool Farm Manure: integration of a manure management tool into the Cool Farm Platform

Project lead: Raft Solutions Ltd

A-BioMe: Automated BIOdiversity MEtrics network enhances biodiversity surveillance

Project lead: Agrisound Ltd

Quanterra Systems: QFlux, novel monitoring-as-a-service to ground-truth carbon monitoring solutions

Project lead: Quanterra Systems Ltd

FarmBalance project

Project lead: Satarla Ltd

Monitoring dissolved methane in wastewater treatment plants for emissions management

Project lead: Bluemethane Ltd

MANGA: monitoring ammonia and nitrogenous greenhouse gases in agriculture and wastewater

Project lead: Barter for Things Ltd

BactiQuick: a validation study of an innovative AI-based early warning system for river contamination utilising continuous monitoring data including a novel rapid bacterial screening device

Project lead: Molendotech Ltd

HiRes-Soils: robotic platforms for high resolution maps of soil carbon and greenhouse gas emissions

Project lead: ARWAC Ltd

Nonlinear Upconversion Technique for Monitoring Environmental Gases (NUTMEG)

Project lead: Covesion Ltd

ChirrupNano: making nature monitoring simpler and cheaper

Project lead: Chirrup Ltd

NatureAir: a scalable low-cost ground-truthed reliable method for biodiversity monitoring in terrestrial ecosystems

Project lead: Nature Metrics Ltd

The development of remotely deployed event-based micro-samplers to unravel the origins of pollution along with its impact on ecology, eco systems and biodiversity

Project lead: Seneye Ltd

Sensibee pollinator monitoring and identification: more accessible, reliable, autonomous and accurate

Project lead: Pollinatework Ltd

Carbon Copy is a fabulous source of Case Histories ("1000 Climate Action Stories") to show who is doing what, where. See under their Stories tab for full details

Their 'Check your Area' tab brings up superb climate data for your area, and in particular, the 'Local Warming Stripes' give a colour-coded history of temperature change in that area since before the Industrial Revolution

Centre for Sustainable Energy

Go Climate Positive:

Accessible and affordable solutions to help you measure, reduce and report your business carbon footprint. For Businesses: measure business carbon footprint, reduce business carbon footprint, report business carbon footprint

World Wildlife Fund

Carbon Literacy Training

Carbon Footprint

Summary:

New slippery surface on water-collectors releases pinned water, which drops off under gravity, unlike earlier systems which need electricity. Extracts water from air. No moving parts, so very low maintenance requirements

Potential Applications: irrigation, washing, cooling buildings on which solar cells are based

Keywords for AI search:

#energy Community

ALERC promotes the standing of LERCs as the definitive source of high quality, local, capture-resolution biodiversity data to inform the decision-making process, provides representation at a national and regional level and seeks to enhance the professional standing of LERCs through its Accreditation scheme.

There has been much discussion over the years about climate concerns, but there are many local projects to benefit the environment that also carry other community benefits:

• More locally grown fruit and vegetables improves the quality of the food that benefits our health, as well as reducing food cost and reducing pollution due to food imports from overseas (“food miles” - the UK currently imports 50% of our food). Growing our own food means more exercise as well!

The background to climate concerns is that the increase of so-called “greenhouse gases” (particularly carbon dioxide and methane) in the atmosphere is preventing heat from escaping into space, and the subsequent global warming is causing increasing changes in weather patterns.

The UK Met Office has published this chart of measurements from several different sources, showing that average global temperatures have increased by at least 10C in the last 70 years - and we are certainly seeing increasingly wild weather patterns around the world.

There have been some claims that the visible symptoms of global warming are no more than part of a natural cycle, but the recent sharp increase in carbon dioxide levels measured by America’s National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NASA) throws doubt on this idea. There was indeed more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere millions of years ago, but it took a long time to develop, not just within 70 years.

Those ancient levels did not support human life as we know it today, and certainly date long before our current levels of world population with more carbon dioxide being pumped into the air daily than the earth can readily absorb.

There are twin concerns currently being discussed:

1. Global warming and its many impacts are increasing faster than previously expected.

While new technology is being developed, there is as yet no horizon as to when it may resolve the climate crisis on its own. Governments have the power to respond in different ways, but again, there is not enough money to resolve matters without a lot of personal decision-making and voluntary support.

Community climate projects can be our contribution to make the future more bright.

This version dated 25th September 2023 © Copyright 2023 SLCC Members may use and adapt this document within their own councils on the understanding that the copyright remains with the SLCC. The Society of Local Council Clerks is a company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales with company registration number 10566132.

We have all sorts of people offering to help to repair things, many of whom have been volunteering at Repair Cafes across Cambridgeshire for several years. We have Chris, Shenhui and Keith looking at electrical and electronic repairs. Matt for mechanical items including bikes. Halina will be taking care of jewellery repairs and Hilary will be joining Lyn with sewing and mending.

Our team of volunteer repairers are helping for free and there is no charge for admission. We welcome donations to cover our costs and to help us grow our network and foster a culture of repair. They will pinpoint the problem and try to fix it there and then for you, or let you know what spare parts to get for when you come back next time. This event is run in partnership with Cambridge Carbon Footprint and insured by Wessex Insurance.

During the event we will have a recycling bin for small electrical items only which are beyond repair. Most small items with a plug, battery or cable will be accepted, including toys, appliances, phones, power tools etc; but we can’t take smoke alarms, damaged batteries, ammonia fridges, pressurised cylinders, laptops or screens. The items will be used for parts where possible, and otherwise dismantled to be recycled.

The Eco Hub cafe will also be open so come along for a drink and a biscuit or cake, to see what is going on even if you don’t have an item booked in for repair this time.

Also do get in touch if you think that you have repair skills that you would like to offer and then we can let you know what’s involved. The venue has good disability access and facilities and we welcome all.

There is a car park available right next to the Eco Hub and plenty of bike racks.

See how much carbon has been saved! click the link above

Kendal is the first UK town to host a Citizens Jury and possibly the first to conduct one entirely online during a pandemic!

Start at the top segment:

1. Inspire: somebody is moved to do something

2. Inform: a) They look for ideas

3. Inform: b) They gain skills in Community Climate Action

4. Activate: a) They find others in the community to join them

5. Activate: b) They collectively decide what they can do

6. Accelerate: a) They measure the current state

7. Accelerate: b). They assemble the knowledge, funds, support, to deliver

8. Amplify: a) They measure the outcomes of their actions

9. Amplify: b) They share what worked and how, informing and inspiring others

• Create a community hub

• Insulate our homes

• Prepare for heatwaves

• Take flood action

Circular Economy

• Borrow don’t buy

• Repair and reuse

• Use less plastic

Food & Agriculture

• Create a food partnership

• Farm with nature

• Produce local food

• Reduce food waste

Nature

• Create space for nature

• Plant more trees

• Protect our shores

• Restore peatlands

• Rewild land

Renewable Energy

• Generate energy locally

• Install low-carbon heating

• Use decentralised energy

Transport

• Turn to public transport

• Walk and cycle

Local Powers

• Be more inclusive

• Engage your community

• Lobby for change

• Take community ownership

Energy Switching and Green Energy Schemes in the UK

In the UK, communities can switch energy providers collectively through community energy switching schemes. These schemes allow groups of residents or local organizations to come together to negotiate better rates with energy suppliers. By pooling their purchasing power, communities can often secure more favorable deals than individuals could on their own. The process involves organizing a group, comparing offers from different providers, and switching to the one that offers the best combination of price, service, and sustainability.

Here's how it works:

• Formation of a Group: A community group, such as a neighborhood association or a local council, forms to explore energy switching options.

• Registration: Members of the community register their interest in switching energy providers through the scheme.

• Negotiation: The community group negotiates with various energy suppliers on behalf of its members, leveraging the collective size of the group to secure better rates and terms.

• Switching: Once a favorable deal is secured, members of the community can choose to switch to the new provider, usually with assistance to make the process seamless.

Government-supported Green Energy Schemes

The UK government supports various green energy schemes to help local authorities and communities transition to net zero. Some key programs include:

1. Local Net Zero Hubs Programme: Supports local authorities in developing and funding net zero projects.

2. Local Net Zero Accelerator Programme: Provides funding to help local governments attract private investment for green projects.

3. Community Energy Fund: Offers grants to community groups for developing local renewable energy projects from feasibility to commercialization.

(Note that it is likely that these schemes will change under the new Labour government.)

Green Energy Providers

Established in 1999, Good Energy sources 100% renewable electricity. The company buys energy from over 2000 independent generators across the UK, including solar, wind, bioenergy, and hydropower.

Founded in 1995 and known as the world’s first green energy company. They generate renewable electricity from wind and solar and are investing in green gas made from organic materials.

Founded in 2001, Green Energy UK offers 100% green gas and electricity. Electricity is sourced from solar, wind, and hydro; gas from anaerobic digestion of organic materials.

Launched in 2016, Octopus Energy is dedicated to making green energy affordable. They provide 100% renewable electricity from solar, wind, and hydropower, and gas is carbon offset.

Ripple Energy operates on a cooperative model, allowing participants to own a stake in wind farms, with solar farms planned. By purchasing shares, participants invest in 100% renewable electricity which can be offset against bills through other providers like Octopus.

Although aimed at individuals, communities can help by sharing information, making applications and sharing news as the scheme progresses.

Conclusion

Switching energy providers as a community and participating in green energy schemes can provide substantial benefits, including cost savings and reduced environmental impact. By exploring options like the Community Energy Switching Scheme or investing in renewable projects like Ripple, your community can actively support the transition to a more sustainable energy future.

Moonshot Pirates:

Fueled by fun. Driven by purpose.

Connecting GenZ Innovators to Shape our Future

Ready to tackle climate change with ground breaking ideas? Are you between 15 and 20? Then, join the action and get a chance to collaborate with experts and like-minded peers to create real-world solutions.

Where young changemakers from 150+ countries connect, think big, and take action to tackle the world’s greatest challenges. Join thousands of youngsters from 150+ countries who want radical climate action and sustainable solutions.

Climate change, get involved, take the lead, meet the challenge for climate change and the environment

Mitigation efforts include slowing or stopping the increase in fossil fuel emissions.

Examples of Mitigation:

• Use renewable energy - shift away from fossil fuels

• Conserve energy - improve energy efficiency

• Reduce use of, and conserve, water

• Help conserve and restore forests

• Practice climate-friendly gardening

• Switch to sustainable transport

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, USA, have developed a new porous material that efficiently captures CO₂ from ambient air without degradation.

DAC (Direct Air Capture) The porous material COF-999 — a covalent organic framework (COF) — captures CO2 from ambient air without degradation by water or other contaminants, one of the limitations of existing DAC technologies.

The new material could be substituted easily into carbon capture systems already deployed or being piloted to remove CO2 from refinery emissions and capture atmospheric CO2 for storage underground.

UC Berkeley graduate student Zihui Zhou, the paper’s first author, said that a mere 200 grams of the material, a bit less than half a pound, can take up as much CO2 in a year — 20 kilograms (44 pounds) — as a tree.

Examples

Examples of mitigation in buildings:

Improving energy efficiency Using less energy in buildings can help reduce emissions. This can be done by:

• Using LED light bulbs

• Using energy-efficient appliances

• Washing laundry with cold water

• Hanging things to dry instead of using a dryer

• Improving insulation

• Replacing oil or gas furnaces with electric heat pumps

Video Timeline(min:sec):

00:00 - 29:20 Presentation

29:20 - 60:52 (end) Q&A

Presentation:

Meeting Summary:

Apr 02, 2025 11:50 AM London ID: 834 5460 8536

The meeting covered various aspects of carbon literacy and climate action, with a focus on the Carbon Literacy project in Manchester and its potential for wider implementation. Linda Foley, a councillor and project worker, shared her experiences and insights on promoting environmental awareness and education, emphasizing the importance of collaboration among schools, businesses, and local governments. The discussion also touched on strategies for community engagement, the role of schools in climate education, and the potential impact of carbon literacy training on societal change.

Actions:

Andrew to explore carbon literacy training opportunities in Somerset, potentially connecting with the Wildlife Trust for support.

Gary to consider using the free community leaders carbon literacy course for local authorities to train more community groups.

Stuart to investigate implementing carbon literacy training in Essex, focusing on transport and active travel initiatives.

Tristram to suggest to the Greening Campaign charity to look into carbon literacy training.

Linda to forward information about carbon literacy training to Andrew via Graham.

Linda to research and share information about carbon literacy initiatives in Somerset with Andrew.

Linda to volunteer at a Stockport college in July to conduct carbon literacy training for environmental science A-level students.

Linda Foley's Environmental Journey

Linda Foley, a councillor and part-time worker for the Carbon Literacy project, discussed her experiences as a politician and environmentalist in Manchester. She shared her personal "Oh, my God!" moment when reading George Monbiot's book "HEAT" in 2006, which led her to become more involved in environmental education. Linda also discussed her journey from being a secondary school head teacher to becoming a councillor, and how she found her "silver bullet" in carbon literacy. She emphasized the importance of understanding power and politics in changing policies, and how carbon literacy can be a key tool in scaling up responses to the climate crisis.

Carbon Literacy Project's Impact and Expansion

Linda discussed the importance of addressing the climate emergency and the role of the Carbon Literacy project in promoting low carbon culture change. She highlighted the project's certification process and its impact on reducing emissions. Linda also shared the project's success in training 4,000 staff and elected members of Manchester City Council, making it a gold carbon literate organization. She emphasized the project's potential to inspire significant action in decarbonizing, citing the goal of certifying 87,000 people in Manchester by the end of 2027. Linda also mentioned the project's partnership with Auto Trader, an FT 100 business, and the addition of a new sector, digital and tech.

Carbon Literacy Training for Schools

Linda discussed the development of a toolkit for schools to address climate change, potentially funded by the Department for Education. She emphasized the importance of the Carbon Literacy training, which includes a certification process and focuses on individual and collective action. Linda also introduced the Carbon Literate Educators Award, an accreditation that certifies schools taking action and engaging with their community. She encouraged the audience to promote the course within their councils and to consider the wider impact of their actions.

Schools as Learning Organizations and Climate Action

Linda discussed the importance of schools as learning organizations and their role in the community. She highlighted the various stakeholders involved in schools, including staff, parents, and community organizations. Linda emphasized the benefits of schools adopting climate action, not only for educating young people but also as models for the wider community. She also mentioned the need for schools to provide young people with the tools and agency to make a difference in the climate emergency. Linda recommended exploring the website for more information on carbon literacy and its benefits.

Carbon Literacy for Societal Change

Linda discussed the importance of carbon literacy in creating societal change. She emphasized the need for collaboration among various organizations, including schools, businesses, and councils, to spread awareness and influence behavior. Linda also highlighted the significance of reaching a tipping point in social movements, as seen in the abolitionists and suffragettes, to achieve significant change. She encouraged everyone to participate in the Carbon Literacy Action Day, which aims to train as many people as possible on that day. Linda concluded by sharing resources that offer hope and optimism for a better future, emphasizing that hope is an action rather than a passive feeling.

Carbon Literacy Project's Global Impact

Linda discussed the origins and growth of the carbon literacy project in Manchester, which started with a group of individuals and gained momentum over time. The project was initially funded by Manchester City Council and later became mandatory for staff and elected members under the leadership of Councillor Bev Craig. Linda emphasized the importance of the values component of the training and the project's adaptability, noting its delivery in various locations worldwide. Graham expressed interest in applying the project's success to local council elections, highlighting the potential for widespread impact.

Linda Offers Support and Resources

In the meeting, Graham encouraged participants to ask questions. Andrew, who is 81 and living in a small village, expressed his struggle in getting things moving in his community. Linda suggested that Andrew could link with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust and possibly do a joint event. She also mentioned that there are people in Somerset who are big supporters of their work. Andrew was open to any help and Linda offered to put him in touch with Laura from the Lancashire Wildlife Trust. Linda also mentioned that there is a free 90-minute course called "Delivering Successful Carbon Literacy" that Andrew could take. Lastly, Garry, who is certified in carbon literacy, shared his experience of training the council staff and youth workers in Scotland. He also mentioned that he tailors his training to his audience and uses local knowledge and data. Linda suggested that Garry could consider the course for community leaders, which is free for councils.

Community Climate Action and Education

Linda discussed the creation of a community course in Manchester for free and the potential for further training beyond councillors. Garry shared his experience of giving talks on climate change to community groups. Councillor Stuart expressed interest in promoting active travel and asked about the impact of the B network in Manchester. Linda explained the benefits of the B network, including reduced costs and cleaner air, and emphasized the importance of knowledge in reducing emissions. She also discussed the need for schools to educate young people about climate change. Councillor Stuart expressed concern about the lack of school attendance at community climate action events. Linda suggested involving a climate officer or sustainability lead in schools to support climate education.

Empowering Students for Climate Action

In the meeting, Linda and Tristram discussed the importance of empowering school students to take action on climate change. Linda shared her experience of speaking to a group of secondary school students who were inspired by the carbon literacy training and wanted to influence their parents' decisions. Tristram raised concerns about making children anxious about their individual actions, but Linda emphasized that the training is about understanding the importance of collective action. They also discussed the influence of school students on their parents' decisions and the need for a positive mobilization of people who understand the importance of climate action. Graham thanked Linda for her presentation and announced that the meeting's content would be published on the Wiki for those who missed it.

Chat:

01:18:33 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow, Essex: Thanks, great session but have to go.

01:19:46 Kirsten Newble - Cambridge: Thank you very much. I'll be sending this to others.

Speech-to-text: (for AI Search engine)

39 00:18:22.140 --> 00:18:37.260 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: Okay. Well, I think perhaps we should get going. Given the late arrivals all the time they're due. So let me invite Linda to introduce herself and to start talking, and I shall obediently pass on to each slide, as she instructs me

140 00:18:37.490 --> 00:18:45.039 linda foley: Thank you very much, Graham. Can I just check so I can put a timer on so I don't over. How long do you want me to present for

141 00:18:45.310 --> 00:18:50.640 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: Usually it's somewhere between 15 and 25 min, but we're very loose on time.

142 00:18:50.640 --> 00:19:11.479 linda foley: Okay. Well, I'll tell you what then I won't put the timer on, because that's great. But please interject if you want me to. So 1st of all, can I say a massive thank you for inviting me along to session to talk about something I'm very, very passionate about before I begin. Does anyone has anyone aware of carbon literacy on the call

143 00:19:11.480 --> 00:19:14.320 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow, Essex: Yes, I've got the certificate.

144 00:19:14.440 --> 00:19:17.609 linda foley: Well done. That's great, Stuart Stuart.

145 00:19:17.610 --> 00:19:18.240 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: Got to book.

146 00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:24.019 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: Likewise, I think most people are familiar with it. Linda. We've got a member of the.

147 00:19:24.180 --> 00:19:32.396 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: A great collaboration board is, actually gives carbon literacy lessons in Dorset, fantastic or familiar.

148 00:19:33.470 --> 00:19:49.579 linda foley: Right. Well, thank you very much. Everyone. I'm Councillor Linda Foley and I work part time now for the Carbon Literacy project, and Graham's very kindly invited me to come today to talk about my

149 00:19:49.810 --> 00:20:04.110 linda foley: experiences in Manchester as a, as a politician, as an environmentalist, and why I believe that carbon literacy is a way of scaling up our response to the climate crisis. So thank you, Graham.

150 00:20:08.320 --> 00:20:11.409 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: And is that? Thank you. Meaning, go, decide the next slide

151 00:20:11.410 --> 00:20:12.260 linda foley: Yes, please.

152 00:20:12.260 --> 00:20:13.030 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: Right.

153 00:20:13.500 --> 00:20:34.999 linda foley: Thanks. So I don't know at what point. And everybody's on this call, because they care about the climate emergency. But I don't know at what point people had their oh, my God! Moment! And I remember mine vividly. I was reading this book by George Monbio, in 2,006. I was pregnant with my 3rd son. I was sat in

154 00:20:35.000 --> 00:20:46.800 linda foley: beautiful County Wexford, in Ireland, overlooking the sea, near my family, and I read this book, and I can remember turning to it was like the air chilled around me.

155 00:20:46.800 --> 00:21:12.710 linda foley: and I remember turning to my husband and saying, This cannot be true, because the prognosis that George Monbio was set out in this book was so bleak for the future and the way that I responded, I've always loved the environment a level geography. I was a outdoor education for a year before I went into school teaching, and I've always taken my children on residential.

156 00:21:13.030 --> 00:21:18.889 linda foley: and in 2,007 to 2,011. As deputy head of a secondary school, I

157 00:21:19.060 --> 00:21:26.090 linda foley: I led the environment and land-based diploma for the whole of Bury, so we were very much

158 00:21:26.340 --> 00:21:37.909 linda foley: involved in educating our young people at every level, preparing them for green skills. And we did that. And then, in 2011, David Cameron got elected Prime Minister and

159 00:21:38.080 --> 00:21:46.459 linda foley: had a policy of cut the green crap, and unfortunately, all the work that we've been doing for the last 4 years stopped overnight.

160 00:21:47.550 --> 00:22:09.000 linda foley: So that that was my experience. A bit of a disappointment. Felt like a bit of a setback. And then, in 2,012, I was doing, Doctor research at the University of Manchester. I've always worked in quite disadvantaged secondary schools, and I was looking at how I could most effectively use pupil premium funding to help my young people.

161 00:22:09.550 --> 00:22:14.440 linda foley: And the more I looked into education, policy, and policy in general.

162 00:22:14.600 --> 00:22:30.120 linda foley: I suddenly realized that it's all about power, and it's all about politics, and you can't change policies unless you're in power, and I suppose it radicalized me, and at the end of it I had my one year review with my doctoral tutor and said.

163 00:22:30.550 --> 00:22:37.370 linda foley: God, I've just been so naive that politics is the way that you change things. And I then

164 00:22:37.500 --> 00:22:52.319 linda foley: started getting involved in my local ward, and then I got involved in my local constituency as women's officer and environmental officer, and then eventually I was persuaded in 2019 to become a councillor.

165 00:22:53.160 --> 00:23:02.520 linda foley: I actually went to the Labour Party Conference, and I was responsible with some other people for putting the green new deal motion through.

166 00:23:03.030 --> 00:23:10.530 linda foley: So that was that in 2018, although I was a secondary head teacher, I was looking around

167 00:23:10.740 --> 00:23:13.649 linda foley: for something that we could use in schools

168 00:23:13.940 --> 00:23:15.790 linda foley: that would be a kind of

169 00:23:16.030 --> 00:23:41.120 linda foley: an environmental action that we could share with young people. So I did a scoping exercise. I was. I actually started the Npqel, which is the professional qualification for executive leadership. And I said, Oh, I want to do environmental education across the whole school sector, and I'll be honest. They thought I was mad, because even in 2018 people were not widely aware of the climate emergency.

170 00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:57.519 linda foley: We then had student strikes in Manchester. I got selected as a counsellor, and I was scoping everywhere. What is out there that we can use in schools? I looked at United Nations courses. I looked at. Let's go. 0 green schools projects, everything that was out there I was looking at.

171 00:23:58.170 --> 00:24:07.790 linda foley: and somebody said you should do carbon literacy. So I did my carbon literacy training, and for me, I felt I found my silver bullet.

172 00:24:08.780 --> 00:24:22.290 linda foley: In 2022 I became deputy executive for the Environment at Manchester City Council, and I was able to promote a lot of carbon literacy, and I was working on what was called a Green school summit.

173 00:24:22.990 --> 00:24:25.160 linda foley: and then in 2025

174 00:24:25.380 --> 00:24:41.809 linda foley: that resulted in Manchester carbon Literate City, which I'll talk about a bit. We're about to launch in June the stools toolkit. And I want to explain a little bit about this scaling up and why it's important. Thank you, Graham. Could I have another slide?

175 00:24:42.470 --> 00:24:43.900 linda foley: And I put this in

176 00:24:44.830 --> 00:24:58.719 linda foley: because I think it's really important to remember how important this issue is. This is taken from Withington, which is just down the road in Manchester. We've got a regeneration scheme called Withington walls.

177 00:24:58.990 --> 00:25:03.350 linda foley: But this particular piece of graffiti on a wall in Manchester.

178 00:25:03.470 --> 00:25:20.969 linda foley: It just reminds me of all those things that make life worth living, music, art, theatre, friendship, families, holidays, lovely food, all those things that we will not have them in the future or the next generations won't have them unless we act. Now.

179 00:25:21.350 --> 00:25:22.560 linda foley: Thank you, Graham.

180 00:25:23.650 --> 00:25:26.769 linda foley: Okay, so a lot of you know what it is.

181 00:25:27.020 --> 00:25:46.070 linda foley: So in one day, in 7 h, we take people through carbon Dipsy on a journey of this is the reality, and this is what you can do about it. And so it is about reducing emissions. But I think it's about something much more important. This is about hope.

182 00:25:47.200 --> 00:25:55.640 linda foley: So it gives people. It takes them away from despair, and it gives them an opportunity to do something about the climate emergency.

183 00:25:55.820 --> 00:26:07.290 linda foley: Oh, thank you, Graham. So the Carbon literacy project is a very small charity. I say, it's very small, probably employ about 80 people. Now they're a nonprofit charity.

184 00:26:07.480 --> 00:26:16.629 linda foley: And it's about low carbon culture change. And we've got ft, 100 businesses and local authorities involved in that. And lots of community groups.

185 00:26:16.870 --> 00:26:37.060 linda foley: We don't actually train people. What the carbon literary does is provide the materials. It does the certification, which is how they quality, assure the quality of training they credit courses, and they promote. They advocate for carbon literacy all over the world. Carbon literacy has been delivered in Antarctica.

186 00:26:37.210 --> 00:26:52.290 linda foley: so it really has got a very widespread, and I think this is really powerful. At Cop 21, the United Nations awarded the Carbony Project, one of the 100 worldwide top

187 00:26:52.500 --> 00:26:55.530 linda foley: transformative action programs.

188 00:26:56.080 --> 00:26:57.300 linda foley: Thanks, Graham.

189 00:26:59.556 --> 00:27:02.470 linda foley: So these are the figures we've got.

190 00:27:02.590 --> 00:27:31.100 linda foley: It's actually 125,000 people. Now, I think Graham's going to share the slide. So I'm just going to quickly move over. And if you've got questions at the end, but I'd like to point you to that figure of 5 to 15% carbon savings per person. We know that's an underestimate. Because for many people, carbon literacy is just the start of their environmental journey. And I know that doesn't apply to people on this call.

191 00:27:31.300 --> 00:27:36.989 linda foley: But I think the really important thing I feel is that it's a catalytic tool.

192 00:27:37.540 --> 00:27:50.869 linda foley: And what we need in this country and throughout the world is we need enough people to understand the fact that we're in a climate emergency and start acting like it's a climate emergency.

193 00:27:50.940 --> 00:28:07.920 linda foley: And I feel this particularly for the young people that I work with still in schools because it is their future. And when we look at the impact of 2 or 3 degrees by 2050. They're not going to be. They're going to be living in a very, very different world to us.

194 00:28:09.400 --> 00:28:10.509 linda foley: Thank you, Graham.

195 00:28:12.270 --> 00:28:19.160 linda foley: So at Manchester City Council we have trained 4,000

196 00:28:19.480 --> 00:28:26.709 linda foley: of our staff and elected members. That's 50%. So we're a gold carbon literate organization.

197 00:28:27.930 --> 00:28:33.609 linda foley: And Manchester City Council is quite unusual because we've got a science based

198 00:28:34.040 --> 00:28:41.210 linda foley: carbon budget based on a Tyndall centre analysis. And we've committed to be

199 00:28:41.450 --> 00:28:45.839 linda foley: carbon 0 by 2038. So only 13 years from now.

200 00:28:46.060 --> 00:28:54.070 linda foley: So Manchester City Council is an outlier because they are actually at the moment within their carbon budget, been really tough.

201 00:28:54.590 --> 00:29:02.119 linda foley: and I think the fact that carbon literacy is embedded into the culture throughout every level of the Council

202 00:29:03.310 --> 00:29:07.170 linda foley: has been instrumental in helping us achieve

203 00:29:07.320 --> 00:29:10.350 linda foley: that really impressive kind of milestone

204 00:29:10.840 --> 00:29:32.620 linda foley: carbon literacy is now mandatory for any employee of Manchester City Council. It's part of onboarding. So within, I think it's 10 weeks of joining the Council. They have to have done their one day's carbon literacy training, and everybody does it. From Tom Stannard, the chief executive to every single role in the Council, whether it's parks.

205 00:29:32.930 --> 00:29:41.469 linda foley: So what the question I asked was, well, if this works for an organization as big as Manchester City Council with 8,000 employees.

206 00:29:42.020 --> 00:29:46.079 linda foley: Why would it not work for the whole city of Manchester?

207 00:29:46.240 --> 00:29:53.660 linda foley: And so the localities idea, which is now being rolled out in several areas is that we can work together.

208 00:29:54.200 --> 00:29:58.470 linda foley: And we can work across sectors. And we can build on our existing partnerships.

209 00:29:59.320 --> 00:30:08.820 linda foley: And we have set ourselves a goal that by the end of 2027 we will have certified as carbon. Literate.

210 00:30:08.960 --> 00:30:12.479 linda foley: 87,000 people in Manchester.

211 00:30:12.920 --> 00:30:35.339 linda foley: and we set that target last October, and in December the greater Manchester combined authority launched their 5 Year Environmental Plan, and they've included a target of 15% of greater Manchester to be certified carbon literate by 2030, which is over 400,000 people.

212 00:30:35.560 --> 00:30:51.900 linda foley: And why that matters. It's not about bragging about the organization. Why, that matters is that you will have then, a significant minority of the population who are committed to taking serious action to decarbonize.

213 00:30:53.290 --> 00:30:54.430 linda foley: Thanks, Graham.

214 00:30:55.720 --> 00:30:58.430 linda foley: So these are the sectors which currently

215 00:30:58.720 --> 00:31:11.599 linda foley: the Carbon Literacy project works within one of our key partners is auto trader. We're ft 100 business, and they were very early adopters of this, and they have

216 00:31:11.810 --> 00:31:18.929 linda foley: they just sponsored, actually sorry. There is a new sector, the digital and tech sector toolkit.

217 00:31:19.050 --> 00:31:36.090 linda foley: So you will have done. I assume most of you will have been trained through the local authorities, and that that became really successful because the department that is now Desnes actually funded that free, that toolkit and made it free to local authorities.

218 00:31:36.200 --> 00:31:46.799 linda foley: What we're hoping is that currently, education is mainly universities all over the world, and we are now creating a toolkit that will be used in schools.

219 00:31:46.970 --> 00:31:56.809 linda foley: And what we're hoping is that the Department for Education might make that toolkit free for schools which again will have the same impact as the local authorities. Toolkit.

220 00:31:57.890 --> 00:31:59.050 linda foley: Thanks, Graham.

221 00:32:00.250 --> 00:32:03.239 linda foley: Okay, so I'll be very brief on this

222 00:32:03.720 --> 00:32:13.689 linda foley: for those of you that have done carbon Lipsy training. It's 7 h. It can be broken up over 2 sessions or one session, some of it online, some of it in person.

223 00:32:13.830 --> 00:32:21.100 linda foley: You get the knowledge, you get the reality, the facts. This is the science, and these are the impacts. And this is the future.

224 00:32:22.510 --> 00:32:42.420 linda foley: But it's very engaging learning, and I am a trainer as well. And the most important thing which sometimes people forget is you are not actually certified as carbon literate until you've filled in your evidence form. And you've talked about what you're going to do as an individual, and what you're going to do as a group.

225 00:32:42.790 --> 00:32:49.810 linda foley: But for me, the most important thing about carbon literacy are the values that it's about hope

226 00:32:50.150 --> 00:32:51.400 linda foley: that it's about

227 00:32:51.740 --> 00:33:09.339 linda foley: showing what an individual how no one is too small to make a difference. That was the title of Greta's book that nobody is too small to make a difference, and that we all must work together, and it's got to be fair, and it's got to be equitable. I get young people saying to me.

228 00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:18.950 linda foley: but you've had your life. You've traveled, you know. How. How can you sort of suggest that perhaps we should fly less when you've done all these things. And I think that's really fair.

229 00:33:19.678 --> 00:33:26.370 linda foley: I wasn't aware, really, I suppose, until I read that book in 2,006 of what

230 00:33:26.480 --> 00:33:30.130 linda foley: what we were actually living through. And I think that's true of a lot of people.

231 00:33:30.430 --> 00:33:37.350 linda foley: I think, for a lot of us. It has been a recent thing. So for me, the value that carbon literacy about is about hope.

232 00:33:38.670 --> 00:33:39.819 linda foley: Thanks, Graham.

233 00:33:40.720 --> 00:33:48.140 linda foley: So we are creating this school staff course, and I would love it if, having

234 00:33:48.550 --> 00:33:59.679 linda foley: having listened to this presentation that you went away, you looked on the website, and you found out more about this course, and that you tried to promote it within your own councils.

235 00:34:00.330 --> 00:34:10.609 linda foley: There is actually an expectation, by probably the end of 2025. Now that all schools will have a climate change action plan, and this course would help them do that.

236 00:34:10.909 --> 00:34:38.880 linda foley: But more than that, it demonstrates to your community, to your students, to your staff, to the wider community that you really care about climate action. And so we've developed this carbon literature educators award. And it really will make a difference, not just in your community, but it will make a difference to your wider community as well, because the thing about carbon Literacy. It's

237 00:34:39.040 --> 00:34:40.190 linda foley: catalytic.

238 00:34:40.409 --> 00:34:47.529 linda foley: It's like lighting a little fire. It sets off little sparks in people, and then people go on and they share it with other people.

239 00:34:48.449 --> 00:34:49.580 linda foley: Thanks, Graham.

240 00:34:50.670 --> 00:34:52.349 linda foley: So this is the award.

241 00:34:52.489 --> 00:35:06.660 linda foley: It's an accreditation. Schools love awards. I know that from being a head teacher, and it's called a Clee, and you can see the little kind of academic hat there, and it certifies that you're taking action. Not just in your school.

242 00:35:06.920 --> 00:35:14.180 linda foley: but you're engaging with your sphere of influence next slide, please, Graham.

243 00:35:16.000 --> 00:35:36.919 linda foley: So spheres of influence. So schools are really interesting. They're learning organizations. So you've got your students. You've got your staff, and you've got. When I say, Staff, it's not just the governors and school leaders. You've got your ground staff. You've got your kitchen staff. You've got your teaching staff. You've got the person who

244 00:35:37.450 --> 00:35:38.960 linda foley: holds the

245 00:35:39.610 --> 00:35:45.780 linda foley: lollipop up at the end of the road. So there's a whole community of people involved with schools.

246 00:35:46.150 --> 00:36:08.750 linda foley: You've then got your stakeholders, the community organizations linked to the school. So I'm also trustee of a food bank. We work really, really closely with the schools in our areas. And that's often how we manage to support parents, and we get them to come to us is through that trusted link with the school. They will say right? Well, the 25

247 00:36:08.880 --> 00:36:09.910 linda foley: most

248 00:36:10.020 --> 00:36:39.260 linda foley: needy parents are these 25 parents. And then we provide what we call these holiday packs for those parents. We give them extra food to help support them over the summer holidays, when the children aren't having like free school meals. So you've got your stakeholders. You've got estates. So it's a really big part of local authority. Emissions are their school buildings or their nursery buildings. And so anything that we can do

249 00:36:39.270 --> 00:36:46.690 linda foley: to help the schools. It has co-benefits. 1st of all, it saves the schools money on energy costs

250 00:36:46.820 --> 00:37:05.680 linda foley: right? It also models for young people that we can use solar panels, and it can do all these things. And also there's a lot about biodiversity involved in school estates. So many of you will be involved in eco schools or forest schools, and these are all part of the extracurricular learning experiences.

251 00:37:05.800 --> 00:37:09.640 linda foley: But I think the most powerful thing is that schools are like

252 00:37:09.690 --> 00:37:34.770 linda foley: they're like trees in a forest that their influence goes really wide. So if you're anything about kind of like the Wood Wide Web, they're like the mycelium. They link to all these other organizations, and because they are trusted, they are trusted institutions. People feel very invested in them, and they have great affection for them. So I think, for a school

253 00:37:34.810 --> 00:37:47.519 linda foley: to spread the news about climate action. It has so many co-benefits. It's not just about educating young people it's about. They are models for the rest of our community.

254 00:37:48.370 --> 00:37:49.550 linda foley: Thanks, Graham.

255 00:37:50.770 --> 00:37:59.659 linda foley: right? I'm not going to go through this in massive detail, but I've given you there a kind of a simple like, Step guide of

256 00:37:59.780 --> 00:38:07.760 linda foley: how to get involved in carbon literacy. I would recommend you. Look at our website. There's loads of really useful information in there.

257 00:38:07.880 --> 00:38:11.100 linda foley: But I'm going to mention point 10.

258 00:38:12.020 --> 00:38:20.870 linda foley: This was Frederick Douglass who said this, he said, it is better to create strong children than repair broken people.

259 00:38:21.420 --> 00:38:29.809 linda foley: and when I go into schools, and when I speak to governors and school leaders and sometimes parents.

260 00:38:30.310 --> 00:38:41.539 linda foley: they're very, very keen for the school to be environmental, but some of them are a bit reticent about actually sharing the scientific knowledge that young people need to have.

261 00:38:41.680 --> 00:38:47.739 linda foley: and I understand why they're frightened about triggering climate anxiety.

262 00:38:48.120 --> 00:38:55.629 linda foley: And I think that's that's a really genuine fear. And what I say to them is all the research points to psychological alliance.

263 00:38:55.900 --> 00:39:06.129 linda foley: All the research points is that the way you take away anxiety is by giving young people agency.

264 00:39:06.330 --> 00:39:23.170 linda foley: by giving them the tools that they know what they can do to make a difference, and that is actually incredibly powerful. And that's been proven. There was a survey done by the Royal Meteorological Society, and it was published just before Christmas of school leavers.

265 00:39:23.750 --> 00:39:28.029 linda foley: and it was actually really shocking because it it highlighted.

266 00:39:28.230 --> 00:39:34.020 linda foley: What a mixed bag they are learning in schools because there isn't a curriculum for this.

267 00:39:34.380 --> 00:39:43.449 linda foley: and the thing that was really sad for me that stood out was that a lot of young people leaving school at 16 or 18

268 00:39:44.010 --> 00:40:02.220 linda foley: don't realize that what we do now and what they do now can actually make any difference. There's a lot of kind of doomism out there and gloomism out there that they just think, well, the world's the way it is, and we can't do anything to change it. So I think it's really really important

269 00:40:02.490 --> 00:40:05.550 linda foley: for me. Carbon literacy is about giving

270 00:40:06.030 --> 00:40:15.770 linda foley: children adults and communities hope and the tools to respond to the climate emergency before it's too late to be honest.

271 00:40:16.830 --> 00:40:18.000 linda foley: Thanks, Graham.

272 00:40:18.770 --> 00:40:30.330 linda foley: Okay, I don't know if anyone's read this book. It's not about the climate emergency. It's about social contagion. And it was written by Malcolm Gladwell. Fantastic book, read it years ago, reread it recently.

273 00:40:31.220 --> 00:40:37.850 linda foley: and it's about little things can make a big difference, and it talks about lots of examples in society, of

274 00:40:38.310 --> 00:40:41.419 linda foley: things that suddenly take off.

275 00:40:41.690 --> 00:40:47.850 linda foley: And a match is an appropriate symbol for this. Because what we're trying to do

276 00:40:47.980 --> 00:41:03.559 linda foley: with carbon literacy across, for example, Manchester is we're trying to match up lots of different organizations. We're using our kind of influencing power as a council, and we're using our modelling power as a council

277 00:41:04.010 --> 00:41:08.820 linda foley: to spread this idea. And what we're hoping is that it kind of saturates.

278 00:41:09.000 --> 00:41:21.020 linda foley: It saturates the community. So people are hearing about it in their businesses and in their schools they're hearing about in their churches they're hearing about in their councils. They're hearing about it in their political organizations.

279 00:41:21.160 --> 00:41:23.689 linda foley: And what we'll get is a tipping point.

280 00:41:23.830 --> 00:41:31.179 linda foley: And why that's important is, if you read the climate book, which is kind of brought together by Greta Thunberg.

281 00:41:31.550 --> 00:41:37.299 linda foley: there is an American academic. She's called Erica Chenoweth. She's at Harvard.

282 00:41:37.570 --> 00:41:40.710 linda foley: and she said that social movements

283 00:41:41.050 --> 00:42:01.459 linda foley: for to have considerable social change. Okay, you think about the abolitionists. I mentioned Frederick Douglass. So who were those brave individuals who managed to get rid of the slave trade? Who were those brave Suffragettes right? Emily Pankhurst's house is literally half a mile away from here.

284 00:42:02.860 --> 00:42:16.329 linda foley: and what happens is you need to reach you need to get support about 25% of the population. A significant majority to really see social change.

285 00:42:16.570 --> 00:42:29.159 linda foley: And I think the positive thing is that I have seen since 2,006. I've seen a groundswell of understanding about climate change and changes in policies.

286 00:42:29.880 --> 00:42:39.630 linda foley: but we're not quite yet there yet. And so for me, the carbon literacy is a way in which we can cascade. This learning

287 00:42:39.980 --> 00:42:54.950 linda foley: cascade, this action link up with other activist groups. And we can actually change society. And I'm part of a group called Uk 100. I don't know if anyone else here has heard of them. They're a cross party political group

288 00:42:55.100 --> 00:42:58.330 linda foley: who are who work together

289 00:42:58.530 --> 00:43:09.730 linda foley: across all of the political parties to bring about climate action. And so the tipping point is really important. And what I'm trying to say to you is.

290 00:43:09.990 --> 00:43:20.549 linda foley: we talk about great collaboration. Well, great collaboration. If we all work together, and we use the tools that are out there, we can make a significant

291 00:43:21.460 --> 00:43:33.369 linda foley: difference in time to avoid the other tipping points which are the negative ones. You know the polar ice caps melting, for example, and sea rise happening. So all those things.

292 00:43:33.920 --> 00:43:42.330 linda foley: every single thing we do every bit of carbon we stop getting into the atmosphere. Every little thing that we do

293 00:43:42.940 --> 00:43:46.509 linda foley: helps make the future better for our young people.

294 00:43:47.200 --> 00:43:48.330 linda foley: Thanks, Graham.

295 00:43:49.580 --> 00:43:50.520 linda foley: Okay?

296 00:43:50.750 --> 00:44:17.280 linda foley: So every year, this is this, if you Google, this very interesting and the carbon Literacy Action Day, it's only been going about 5 years, is actually hailed as the biggest climate, education, action, event in the whole world, which I find really interesting. And for the last 5 years it's happened to coincide with the conference of the parties with cop, and this year, cop 30 is in Belm, in Brazil.

297 00:44:18.050 --> 00:44:28.990 linda foley: So what? We ask people who are whether you're a council, whether you're a school, whether you're a business. We ask as many people to be trained on that day, and last year.

298 00:44:29.280 --> 00:44:48.710 linda foley: clad last November, was endorsed by Ed Miliband. He was the kind of lead speaker on it, and he's a big supporter of the Carbon Literacy project this year in Manchester. We're trying to get all those organizations that are working with us, and hopefully, many of our schools

299 00:44:48.830 --> 00:45:09.020 linda foley: to be trained as part of the carbon literacy action day. So if if that sparks something in your mind, or I could do something in our local authority, or I could do something in a school, or I could do something, or I could encourage people to do it. Please go and have a look and sign up for it, because that would be really wonderful. Thanks, Graham.

300 00:45:10.400 --> 00:45:16.979 linda foley: and I'm going to end on a really really positive note. Every few months

301 00:45:17.360 --> 00:45:37.489 linda foley: I have to take a few days off. I have to switch off my phone switch off my laptop and I go up to the Lake district and I go walking. Okay, because I suffer from a climate grief. I would call it. It's not anxiety, it's grief. And so I always like to end by sharing

302 00:45:38.070 --> 00:45:41.210 linda foley: things that I suppose. Give me hope.

303 00:45:41.510 --> 00:45:56.510 linda foley: This is a book. Christiana Fugueres was part of the Paris Climate Agreement. Her and Tom Rivet Karnak, and they've written a book, that is, I find it really hopeful. It's

304 00:45:58.090 --> 00:46:16.590 linda foley: the David Attenborough book. My Life on this Planet, I find really bleak, and I love David Attenborough, but I do find his documentaries on climate crisis and his book a bit depressing to be blunt. This book it's like one chapter presents worst case scenario.

305 00:46:16.770 --> 00:46:19.370 linda foley: And then the next chapter

306 00:46:19.770 --> 00:46:33.000 linda foley: presents this fantastic future, where all the co-benefits of cleaner, greener, healthier, fairer community. And it's really, really exhilarating to think

307 00:46:33.290 --> 00:46:35.829 linda foley: because we're in this crisis.

308 00:46:35.950 --> 00:46:59.780 linda foley: Crises are also opportunities to make things better, to have cleaner air, to have more greenery, to have more biodiversity to change our cities. And actually, some of these things are happening in parts of the world, and some of these things are happening in places like Manchester and in your own communities. So I would really recommend. If you haven't read this book, it's a really one. And I give it to lots of people as gifts.

309 00:46:59.960 --> 00:47:21.950 linda foley: And on the other hand, there is a podcast if you like podcasts, I find this one really, really supportive. It's called outrage and optimism. The same people, Paul Dickinson as well. And it's just fantastic. So I would like to share those with you because I find them very hopeful, Graham.

310 00:47:23.850 --> 00:47:26.480 linda foley: and I'm going to end on this

311 00:47:26.610 --> 00:47:30.770 linda foley: which comes from Rebecca Solnit. It's a quote in that book.

312 00:47:31.935 --> 00:47:33.659 linda foley: And for me.

313 00:47:34.010 --> 00:47:40.560 linda foley: hope it's not a lottery ticket that you can sit on the sofa and clutch feeling lucky. Okay.

314 00:47:40.840 --> 00:47:49.560 linda foley: hope is is an action. It's an axe with which you break down doors in an emergency.

315 00:47:49.860 --> 00:48:11.380 linda foley: And so my passion for climate action, my passion for young people, my passion for carbon literacy, is because for me, carbon literacy is the axe which we can break down doors in emergency. So thank you very much, all of you, for listening, and I'm very happy to

316 00:48:11.880 --> 00:48:13.890 linda foley: answer any questions. If anyone's got any

317 00:48:15.130 --> 00:48:26.860 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: That was fabulous, Linda. Thank you very much. You used the phrase in there of climate anxiety which reminds me of a presentation we had about this time last year

318 00:48:26.930 --> 00:48:39.149 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: from a young teacher who was teaching us how to cope with climate anxiety in children, teaching them to get involved without being petrified. So it's nice to see that progress is being made.

319 00:48:39.160 --> 00:48:57.920 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: and I'm sure everyone we were delighted to know. How do you get the ball rolling in your council to get people on side with your carbon literacy projects. I mean the numbers you produced about Manchester are mind boggling. But what a success story. But you must have started somewhere

320 00:48:58.940 --> 00:49:11.239 linda foley: Yes. Well, we started by funding the project. So it was started off by a group of individuals. It came out of a little project. It's quite a long time ago. It was. Probably

321 00:49:11.580 --> 00:49:20.970 linda foley: it's over 10 years ago now, and we brought together. It was Richard Lease, actually, who was the leader of the Council. He brought together some individuals

322 00:49:20.970 --> 00:49:43.279 linda foley: really interesting background one's got. He's a finance consultant. The other one worked for the BBC. He works in broadcasting and a group of friends of the Earth people. And they got together. And they wrote this kind of plan a certain future, and they said, Well, what we really need is like a day's course that we can put people through. And when I did my training, which was in 2019

323 00:49:43.860 --> 00:49:46.900 linda foley: I was, I think, the 11,000th person.

324 00:49:47.970 --> 00:50:01.369 linda foley: and we're now on 125,000 people. So we've had that kind of hockey stick exponential rise. But Manchester. So Manchester City Council funded the project initially. There were early adopters.

325 00:50:01.610 --> 00:50:16.749 linda foley: but when I was elected as deputy executive in about 2022, my role. I'm going to be really blunt here. You're all kind of you know what I'm talking about. My role was to nag elected members to do the training because it was voluntary at that point.

326 00:50:16.880 --> 00:50:45.420 linda foley: And so every single Friday I used to email everybody who hadn't done it and say, I'll help you. I'll sit down with you. I'll train you once. One I once did training for 3 people on a Sunday, because they kept saying, can't get the time off work can't get time off work, can't tell the work. So I said, Okay, so I got a room in the town hall, and I trained 3 people on a Sunday, so I was just determined if that was my job. And then we got a new leader, Councillor Bev. Craig. Some of you may have heard of Bev. Very, very young. She's only

327 00:50:45.600 --> 00:50:52.030 linda foley: just turned 40, I think so. She was very young to be leader of such a large council.

328 00:50:52.420 --> 00:51:18.019 linda foley: She believed in carbon literacy, and when she was elected, one of the 1st things she said was right. Now this is going to be mandatory, because we were seeing the impact. Like, for example, in planning right? So they appointed somebody just to help them look at the environmental impact of planning highways came up with some brilliant ideas. I think the thing that Bev realized she's really sharp and clever.

329 00:51:18.320 --> 00:51:29.239 linda foley: Was that what the Carbonypsy training did in teams? Was it unleashed this creativity? So people were coming up with these really innovative ideas.

330 00:51:29.590 --> 00:51:55.500 linda foley: But it's not fair just to talk about Manchester, because I know that Warrington have done absolutely amazing work. And they're now working with Smes. They got innovation funding. I'm working with Argyle and the islands now. They're not a local authority. They're a community group in a rural area. So what you see is that people adapt it for different communities. This has been delivered in the Maasai Mara.

331 00:51:57.000 --> 00:52:13.500 linda foley: you know seriously, it's been delivered in the Antarctic. So it is incredibly adaptable. It's really just about knowledge, teaching method, actions and values. And I think actually, the values. Part of it is the most important one.

332 00:52:13.680 --> 00:52:36.049 linda foley: So once Bev had made carbon dipsy training for staff and elected members mandatory, and the 1st thing she did was, she said to me, Can you make sure all the senior leaders get trained up? So they were all the people over 150,000 pounds within the council. So you know, however many, there were quite a lot. Actually.

333 00:52:36.080 --> 00:53:02.540 linda foley: So I was thinking, I'm gonna have to go to each individual directorate and talk about these people, and she said, No, no. Have a meeting with Suzanne. She's our head of Hrod, human resources, organization, development. She just put in all their diaries, so nobody could say, I'm too busy. She just said, well, you've got to do it. This has come from the leader, so everybody had to do it, and that changed, it became mandatory, and then it was being

334 00:53:02.630 --> 00:53:05.910 linda foley: lead, if you like, from the top as well as

335 00:53:06.060 --> 00:53:10.430 linda foley: bottom up. It was. It was coming from both directions. If that makes sense

336 00:53:12.260 --> 00:53:27.840 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: Well, I think your timing is immaculate because we're going for local council elections at the moment, and I'm sure we can persuade a bunch of new chairmen to make it mandatory for the council members to get carbon literacy training. Because, this is.

337 00:53:27.840 --> 00:53:47.349 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: I'm very convinced that, as you say, once you get the ball rolling it'll just pick up like a snowball, and I've yet to find any politician who can resist the momentum of tens of thousands of voters saying, This is what we need to do, no matter what you want, no matter what you think we have to do.

338 00:53:47.610 --> 00:53:59.719 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: And so you know your numbers are. You've got 500,000 people in Manchester, and you multiply that up by a couple of 1 million around the rest of the world. And suddenly, you've got a force that's really going to be reckoned with.

339 00:54:00.224 --> 00:54:08.079 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: Great stuff. Great stuff! I'm sure there are other people who've got questions. If you'd like to pitch in. Now is the time, please?

340 00:54:11.230 --> 00:54:15.159 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: No, go on. There must be lots of people dying to talk to us.

341 00:54:18.300 --> 00:54:19.910 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: Come on, Andrew. Well done.

342 00:54:21.110 --> 00:54:21.670 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow, Essex: Yeah.

343 00:54:26.928 --> 00:54:28.721 Andrew Clegg. Martock. Somerset: Thank you very much.

344 00:54:29.420 --> 00:54:46.000 Andrew Clegg. Martock. Somerset: but I'm struggling, living in a place like Martok, where there's me and another bloke. That's sort of running all this thing, and and I'm the young one, and I'm 81. I don't know. You know we are this year

345 00:54:46.140 --> 00:55:07.109 Andrew Clegg. Martock. Somerset: trying, with the help of the Wildlife Trust, trying to get this this kind of thing moving in the village. But at the moment I'm not quite sure where to start. I know that what we have to do is to have something to start things off at the annual parish meeting in May, but I don't know what yet

346 00:55:07.380 --> 00:55:25.219 linda foley: Andrew, can I point out? Because the Lancashire Wildlife Trust they've got Laura there. She's actually a trainer, and she is absolutely passionate. Obviously she's passionate about wildlife, but she's absolutely passionate about delivering.

347 00:55:25.380 --> 00:55:37.000 linda foley: delivering carbon Lipsy training. So she's become a trainer. So I think, perhaps link with your Wildlife Trust, and you could do like a joint event.

348 00:55:37.920 --> 00:55:38.620 linda foley: So

349 00:55:38.620 --> 00:55:39.210 Andrew Clegg. Martock. Somerset: Yeah.

350 00:55:39.210 --> 00:55:59.000 linda foley: I can forward. If you email me, you'll have my details via I should have put it on a slide. Actually, via Graham. I can put you in touch with Laura because she's doing absolutely amazing work in Lancashire. She's a real advocate for it. And I think that's the really interesting thing is that you have people in.

351 00:55:59.000 --> 00:56:10.099 linda foley: We've got people in lots and lots of Patagonia are really big supporters of ours, their partners working with us. They provided our kind of if you go onto our website and you look for

352 00:56:10.100 --> 00:56:23.929 linda foley: training opportunities nearby, right? They've provided the platform for us to do that. So there's lots of groups out there partnership groups. I'm just trying to think in terms of Somerset. I know that

353 00:56:24.660 --> 00:56:32.630 linda foley: the Prince of Wales's sort of rural land manager adopted carbon literacy. So I think they're a carbon

354 00:56:32.630 --> 00:56:33.490 Andrew Clegg. Martock. Somerset: Oh, really

355 00:56:33.820 --> 00:56:45.730 linda foley: Yeah. So it's happening in lots of different sectors in different ways. One thing that I could perhaps do is have a look at what else is going in Somerset? If you send me an email

356 00:56:46.130 --> 00:56:46.650 linda foley: and

357 00:56:46.650 --> 00:56:59.219 Andrew Clegg. Martock. Somerset: I've got some ideas of what's going on. It's just translating that, you know, to a little village hall to get things moving among a small population

358 00:56:59.220 --> 00:57:02.870 linda foley: So in terms of local authorities.

359 00:57:03.070 --> 00:57:17.730 linda foley: and I don't know if this applies parish councils, but they created a course which is free to local authorities. So which is called the community leaders course. And it's

360 00:57:18.520 --> 00:57:24.350 linda foley: and it's it's free to access. If you're already a local authority which does carbon literacy

361 00:57:26.310 --> 00:57:34.290 Andrew Clegg. Martock. Somerset: Yeah, okay, no, thank you very much, Linda. That's you know. Any any help? Welcome?

362 00:57:34.900 --> 00:57:42.870 linda foley: No, no, absolutely. And there's also a community part as well. So if probably, you know, paying for certification is an issue, then there is a community part

363 00:57:42.870 --> 00:57:43.950 Andrew Clegg. Martock. Somerset: Oh, okay.

364 00:57:45.130 --> 00:58:06.549 linda foley: I'm not sure the criteria for that. That's not my bag, but but yeah, there are ways of doing it. One of my schools is becoming a carbon literature educator in my ward. In fact, I'm doing the pilots at their school, and when I was a school improvement consultant I did some work in their school, so they kind of know me, and trust me if that makes sense.

365 00:58:06.680 --> 00:58:16.899 linda foley: And there we've got this fund in Manchester for wards. It's called a Neighbourhood investment Fund. It's only a small part of money, and then local community groups and schools can apply for it.

366 00:58:17.130 --> 00:58:25.589 linda foley: So they're going to put in a bid, I think, for about 2,000 pounds to become the carbon literature educator award, and to pay for some certification

367 00:58:26.800 --> 00:58:37.759 Andrew Clegg. Martock. Somerset: Okay. I know that we do have access to little pots of money. I'm beginning to realize that now. But it's a question of organizing things, and getting them going.

368 00:58:37.760 --> 00:58:38.270 linda foley: Yeah.

369 00:58:38.270 --> 00:58:39.050 Andrew Clegg. Martock. Somerset: But anyway.

370 00:58:39.480 --> 00:58:47.270 linda foley: Yeah. But I think, Andrew, just listening to you now, you'd obviously be a very confident trainer yourself. If you're currently trained, you can become a trainer

371 00:58:47.460 --> 00:58:51.638 Andrew Clegg. Martock. Somerset: I I was a schoolteacher for a long time, and I've written textbooks

372 00:58:51.960 --> 00:58:56.270 linda foley: There you go. There you go. So transferable skills

373 00:58:56.270 --> 00:58:57.010 Andrew Clegg. Martock. Somerset: Yeah.

374 00:58:57.010 --> 00:59:07.560 linda foley: If you have a look at that slide. When Graham sent it out, there is a free, 90 min course called delivering successful carbon Literacy. So if you're trained, you just do that course.

375 00:59:07.780 --> 00:59:12.729 linda foley: And there's loads of people within the Carbon A/C project who can support you

376 00:59:12.880 --> 00:59:13.550 Andrew Clegg. Martock. Somerset: Yeah.

377 00:59:13.550 --> 00:59:17.280 linda foley: And you've got you'll get my details. So please contact me if I can.

378 00:59:17.280 --> 00:59:18.620 Andrew Clegg. Martock. Somerset: Not very much. Yeah.

379 00:59:19.130 --> 00:59:19.640 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: Thank you.

380 00:59:19.640 --> 00:59:23.469 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: Let's move from Somerset to Wiltshire and go to Gary. Please

381 00:59:29.140 --> 00:59:30.200 linda foley: Hi Gary.

382 00:59:33.530 --> 00:59:35.639 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: We're not hearing you yet. Gary.

383 00:59:40.320 --> 00:59:43.690 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: so far so good, so far, not so good.

384 00:59:45.010 --> 00:59:45.490 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: New

385 00:59:45.490 --> 00:59:46.139 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: In, better.

386 00:59:46.450 --> 00:59:48.440 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: That it's funny you just arrived. Yes.

387 00:59:48.440 --> 00:59:53.409 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: Yeah, I I sometimes have to unplug it and plug it back in for some reason to make it work. But there you go.

388 00:59:54.021 --> 01:00:09.939 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: Linda, on your schools of influence slide. I was just wondering if maybe you could include travel on that, because travel for schools is a big issue, and they can have a big impact on local travel behaviors and local travel kind of infrastructure in and around schools

389 01:00:09.940 --> 01:00:20.499 linda foley: Absolutely no. That's a really good point. Actually, yeah, we do a lot of work within Manchester on that, with active travel maps and so on and so forth. So, yeah, thanks. Gary, so, Gary, you come literature certified

390 01:00:21.100 --> 01:00:22.640 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: Yes, I am

391 01:00:23.040 --> 01:00:27.429 linda foley: And does anyone within caution train people? Have you got a trainer

392 01:00:27.951 --> 01:00:33.580 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: I've trained the councillors, and I've trained the staff here at Caution Town Council, and I did

393 01:00:33.870 --> 01:00:39.839 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: youth worker training in Scotland, trained about 200 people there for climate literacy

394 01:00:40.110 --> 01:00:44.700 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: during the pandemic. So I've done quite a lot of climate literacy training

395 01:00:44.700 --> 01:00:45.929 linda foley: Carbon, literacy.

396 01:00:45.930 --> 01:00:46.490 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: Yeah.

397 01:00:46.760 --> 01:00:47.319 linda foley: Yeah, yeah.

398 01:00:47.320 --> 01:00:49.379 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: That that was climate literacy training.

399 01:00:49.740 --> 01:00:56.020 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: Sorry. That was carbon literacy training in Scotland that I did. Yeah, there was a most of them got the certificate in the end

400 01:00:56.550 --> 01:01:05.839 linda foley: Really good. Yeah, fantastic. So do you. Have you seen the the course for community leaders that is available for councils?

401 01:01:07.141 --> 01:01:20.460 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: I think I might have had a look at it. When I 1st started here at caution. I'm not sure it's been a while. Now, I do tend to use some of the materials I find really useful.

402 01:01:22.010 --> 01:01:30.089 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: so so it's it's you got some great stuff there, really, really useful, but the course itself I tend to kind of just tailor make it.

403 01:01:30.220 --> 01:01:55.520 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: I tend to when I'm giving climate training now is to tailor it to my audience. So I use a lot of local knowledge and local local impacts stuff. And and so and so I kind of take bits and pieces off the Internet, like, you know, the latest data, that kind of thing, any kind of resources I can find out there that I think are really good and useful, and then I kind of build a course around it, and and use that to to to give

404 01:01:55.720 --> 01:02:06.229 linda foley: That's fantastic, that's really good. But there is another. If you've got your own course accredited, then you don't have to pay for the carbon literacy for climate

405 01:02:06.720 --> 01:02:24.390 linda foley: community leaders. Course. Gosh, I'm getting caught on with so and that's really good. So I've delivered that in the community as well, it goes down really, really well, and I think part of the reason why it goes down so well is that people who are in community voluntary social enterprise groups tend to be very values driven.

406 01:02:26.110 --> 01:02:42.119 linda foley: And so they're really, really interested in this and what they can do. So we're at the moment we're just in the process of creating a community course in Manchester for our groups for free. But yeah, it'd be fantastic if you were able to deliver that further than your counsellors

407 01:02:43.900 --> 01:02:44.390 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: Brilliant.

408 01:02:44.390 --> 01:02:48.617 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: Yeah, I've actually given one to the local Wi as well. Recently

409 01:02:48.970 --> 01:02:50.519 linda foley: Right, and they certified

410 01:02:51.110 --> 01:03:00.710 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: No, no, this was just a a couple of hours in a village hall. They wanted to. Somebody's given. Come in and give a talk about about climate change, and I'm giving one

411 01:03:01.867 --> 01:03:10.969 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: shortly. I can't remember who it was to. But yeah. But this, yes, when community groups are are looking for something. Then I then I can.

412 01:03:11.320 --> 01:03:12.850 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: I can offer my services

413 01:03:13.220 --> 01:03:22.890 linda foley: That's great. Well, if you'd encourage them to do the full carbon literacy training the full kind of 7 to 8 h. That would be amazing and get certified. That'd be really good. So thank you.

414 01:03:24.700 --> 01:03:26.999 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: And Stuart, can we move to you, please.

415 01:03:27.400 --> 01:03:35.580 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow, Essex: Yeah, I I would just like to say, thank you for a very interesting and enthusiastically delivered session

416 01:03:35.690 --> 01:03:36.690 linda foley: Thank you.

417 01:03:37.380 --> 01:03:40.660 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow, Essex: I. I live in Essex, and the

418 01:03:40.970 --> 01:03:48.790 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow, Essex: biggest climate problem we have in Essex is transport, and I'm very keen to

419 01:03:48.940 --> 01:03:58.690 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow, Essex: facilitate and promote active travel. I'm trying to reconnect an old disused railway line to some of our various villages and

420 01:03:59.217 --> 01:04:07.990 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow, Essex: larger towns. I was just wondering, did do you have any experience or knowledge of how the B network in Manchester

421 01:04:08.180 --> 01:04:08.720 linda foley: Yeah, yeah.

422 01:04:10.260 --> 01:04:16.999 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow, Essex: Point has that, really generated a lot more active travel journeys

423 01:04:17.250 --> 01:04:33.480 linda foley: Yeah, it's made since since the buses were deregulated, I think the biggest impact for everybody was that the price went to just basically a 1 off price, and in the last week they brought in this a bit like London. The tap on tap off

424 01:04:33.660 --> 01:04:34.330 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow, Essex: Sorry.

425 01:04:34.950 --> 01:05:03.390 linda foley: But the big difference was that the journeys became less expensive, and it's just one cost wherever you go, so it's made it much quicker electric buses. The air is cleaner. I live very near the biggest bus route in Europe, because I live in a kind of student area. So it's officially the biggest bus route in Europe there's like, and huge Cycle Lane. If anyone knows Oxford Road in Manchester, the Universities are down Oxford, I live at the end of Oxford Road. Basically

426 01:05:03.390 --> 01:05:03.950 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow, Essex: Bronx.

427 01:05:03.950 --> 01:05:11.430 linda foley: It's absolutely extraordinary the difference that that has made but transport for London have trained up.

428 01:05:11.620 --> 01:05:28.089 linda foley: They've now they're now a carbon literate organization. They've trained up all their staff. So there is a real real commitment within transport business. Now, I'm working with a logistics business again, who are looking to reduce their emissions as well.

429 01:05:28.320 --> 01:05:34.739 linda foley: So there, I think you're absolutely right. One of the things I think about I mentioned that book. The future we choose

430 01:05:34.890 --> 01:05:44.489 linda foley: is that the co-benefits of taking action to reduce emissions are also that people engage with cleaner air.

431 01:05:44.630 --> 01:06:05.340 linda foley: People engage with planting trees. People engage with biodiversity, you know it's not that you do a day's training and you stop. It's like that is the start of your journey, and you begin then to question what else you can do, and I think when I go in and hand talk to governors. One of the things they often talk about is clean air.

432 01:06:05.820 --> 01:06:18.009 linda foley: and we do well as a council. We do various things like, you know, green screens around schools. We build hedges to collect the particulates, to make the air cleaner, to create a little bit of biodiversity on the grounds.

433 01:06:18.560 --> 01:06:26.960 linda foley: All of these things are kind of interrelated, but it begins with an understanding of

434 01:06:27.080 --> 01:06:34.120 linda foley: where we really are, now that we can't carry on as business as usual, and I still think there's an awful lot of people

435 01:06:34.290 --> 01:06:40.769 linda foley: I've got like godchildren in their early twenties. They wear secondhand clothes.

436 01:06:40.970 --> 01:06:49.869 linda foley: They're vegan or vegetarian, you know. They they recycle, but then every chance they get they fly off somewhere around the world.

437 01:06:50.030 --> 01:06:57.789 linda foley: and the truth is, no, and I I adore them. But the truth is that they do not really understand

438 01:06:58.040 --> 01:07:07.280 linda foley: the carbon impacts of everyday life, and I think, once they do understand that they will take slightly fewer flights. They will.

439 01:07:08.020 --> 01:07:14.860 linda foley: They will get the train to places, you know. They will amend their lifestyle, because it's all about knowledge is power, isn't it?

440 01:07:15.080 --> 01:07:40.859 linda foley: And so I think they're acting out of ignorance, and because they recycle away secondhand clothes, and you know, don't eat very much meat. They think right. I've ticked that environmental box, but they don't actually know the reality of what what they're going to be facing in the next 1210, 20 years. And I think that's the thing that makes me really sad is that lack of really good quality

441 01:07:41.070 --> 01:07:49.299 linda foley: telling people the facts. Right? I go back to 2,006. It's like the 4 stages of grief. Isn't it like shock?

442 01:07:49.450 --> 01:07:51.370 linda foley: I cannot believe this is happening

443 01:07:51.680 --> 01:07:52.360 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow, Essex: So.

444 01:07:52.360 --> 01:08:07.329 linda foley: Anger, denial, and then acceptance. And I think when I turned around to my husband, I read that book, and I just thought this cannot be true. It cannot be true. This cannot be the future that that little baby that's unborn inside me is going to have, you know.

445 01:08:07.450 --> 01:08:09.229 linda foley: and I feel that with my young people

446 01:08:10.530 --> 01:08:13.309 linda foley: I feel a huge moral responsibility

447 01:08:13.530 --> 01:08:32.770 linda foley: to get this into schools. There's 3.2 million secondary age school students, you know, and they need to know the facts and the knowledge, and they need to know how to deal with it, and preferably all in one day, so that they have the shock, and then they're given the tools to deal with it, and they are supported through that journey

448 01:08:33.580 --> 01:08:37.290 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow, Essex: How do you think we could best approach schools?

449 01:08:37.569 --> 01:08:44.549 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow, Essex: Oh, yeah, I I did have a community climate action event in Dunmo, which is

450 01:08:45.485 --> 01:08:45.800 tristram cary Winchfield Hants: Chill.

451 01:08:46.899 --> 01:08:52.589 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow, Essex: And not a single school child attended.

452 01:08:52.999 --> 01:09:02.349 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow, Essex: even though we we discussed it with the head teacher. We had leaflets out posters around the town, none of them

453 01:09:03.260 --> 01:09:19.170 linda foley: So last year I got a call. I just started working for the project, so I volunteered with them for years. I only started working with them in September, and I got a call from the Government of Jersey. La, la, la! I didn't even know that Jersey has its own government. There you go.

454 01:09:19.220 --> 01:09:28.289 linda foley: the Governor of Jersey, and it was their climate Change officer, and she said, I would like to do carbon literacy

455 01:09:28.330 --> 01:09:55.860 linda foley: Action Day in November for, and offer it to all of our schools and do a big event. I think it was 200 young people right? Really. Big event, you know she had funding for it, and we helped to create a course. And she did indeed deliver carbon literacy training to the young people. So I suppose it's having somebody, perhaps the climate officer who's in your local council, or perhaps yourself, or perhaps

456 01:09:55.990 --> 01:09:58.509 linda foley: one of the schools that are passionate about it.

457 01:09:58.690 --> 01:10:21.299 linda foley: It might be somebody who's sustainability lead in Manchester. We've got an environmental charity called the Environmental Education Network. She does a lot of work in our schools. So it's finding somebody who's interested in this area and then supporting them in, perhaps getting a venue. Just start off small. Right? I told you I did training for 3 people in the Town Hall on a Sunday.

458 01:10:21.300 --> 01:10:36.629 linda foley: so don't. Don't start off big. If you're saying I want to do something, then set yourself a date. It might be November, and then gather one or 2 people who will support you and organize that event, and that will be the catalyst then, for other things to happen.

459 01:10:37.870 --> 01:10:38.820 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow, Essex: Very clear.

460 01:10:39.596 --> 01:10:40.830 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow, Essex: Thank you.

461 01:10:41.130 --> 01:10:42.283 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: Tristram, please.

462 01:10:43.110 --> 01:10:55.730 tristram cary Winchfield Hants: Yeah, then, thank you very much. Very interesting. We come from a very small parish in Hampshire, and we've got we're working with a another charity called the Greening Campaign. If you've ever come across that

463 01:10:56.110 --> 01:10:56.490 linda foley: No.

464 01:10:56.490 --> 01:11:02.499 tristram cary Winchfield Hants: But they're very good. So they're not the carbon literacy, but they do training, and they they sort of hold our hands, and they they

465 01:11:02.950 --> 01:11:15.709 tristram cary Winchfield Hants: some guide the the council about what to do and what what makes a difference, and how you can hedge, and how you can, you know, reduce waste and all that sort of stuff. So that's that's a big, that's a big support to us as a very small council

466 01:11:16.010 --> 01:11:28.760 linda foley: Yeah, that's fantastic. Yeah. But if you say to them, I've had a presentation about carbon literacy, can you look into it? And you know what you know about it. We we work with a group called the Green Schools Project. But that's not that

467 01:11:28.760 --> 01:11:32.460 tristram cary Winchfield Hants: Okay, they know about carbon efficiency

468 01:11:33.020 --> 01:11:39.100 linda foley: Pardon. And actually, we've had. We've had carbon literacy training that was organized by our district, which is heart district.

469 01:11:39.440 --> 01:11:39.800 linda foley: Yeah.

470 01:11:39.800 --> 01:11:44.389 tristram cary Winchfield Hants: They've got a reasonably active training campaign to support local parishes

471 01:11:44.720 --> 01:11:45.160 linda foley: Right.

472 01:11:45.160 --> 01:12:04.629 tristram cary Winchfield Hants: I really, I want to ask you another question, which is, does it worry you at all when you train in schools that you do make the children very anxious, and if they feel that they, I know I completely understand the attitude and the hope. That's very important. But also it's not all down to individual actions.

473 01:12:05.730 --> 01:12:09.980 linda foley: No, no, that's a really important point. Sorry I want to switch. Can you

474 01:12:09.980 --> 01:12:15.199 tristram cary Winchfield Hants: These things that are not not down to the individual

475 01:12:15.380 --> 01:12:39.220 linda foley: Tristan. I think that's really important point, right? It is not about making young people feel guilty. It is absolutely about making them understand why we are where we are, and that there are really positive co-benefits to taking action. And I think you're absolutely right. It's not about putting pressure on them to do it. But what I've actually found in doing it.

476 01:12:39.260 --> 01:13:08.459 linda foley: it's really, really inspiring. I did. A recently I was involved in Stockport County Council, which is a little town just outside Manchester, and I spoke to a group of secondary school students about 40 of them. They absolutely loved the carbon literacy, and I've been kind of inundated with requests to go in and support schools there, in fact, really interesting one of the local colleges there does environmental science a level.

477 01:13:08.840 --> 01:13:32.709 linda foley: And the students there were just like this is, you've got to come in. You've got to do this. I promised to go in actually, in July. I'm volunteering to go in and and to to teach those to do carbon dizzy training for that cohort of students and their teacher. So no, I think the response I get is not anxiety. The response I get is like, Wow, how can we go and influence people?

478 01:13:32.800 --> 01:13:38.860 linda foley: And and what we've seen is that school students, of whatever age.

479 01:13:38.920 --> 01:14:06.689 linda foley: have a huge influence on their parents decisions, they actually go home, and they can often the biggest influence on a kind of I don't know. Petrol head man is his 15 year old daughter, like there's been research to show that I have a friend who I have given. He's a really good friend of mine, very intelligent guy. He's a head of chambers. I've been giving him these books to read, and I'm not sure whether he's read them or not

480 01:14:07.100 --> 01:14:17.980 linda foley: did make a blind bit difference to his lifestyle. But his daughter came back from living in Spain kind of as an Eco warrior. She must have started going out with some very green fella.

481 01:14:18.510 --> 01:14:38.730 linda foley: and it was like, Dad, you know. Why are you driving your Bmw. Into Manchester when there is a tram at the end of the road, so he's now got a Brompton, so he cycles to the tram. Stop! He gets the tram in. They've got a house in France. They never fly anymore, because Maddie has insisted that they can't fly because it's going to

482 01:14:39.006 --> 01:14:39.559 linda foley: thank you.

483 01:14:39.560 --> 01:14:48.180 linda foley: They'd practically gone vegetarian. So it's really interesting is that this is a really intelligent guy. I've been giving him these books for years.

484 01:14:48.430 --> 01:14:58.949 linda foley: whether he's read the books or not. What's actually changed the behavior in the family. Is their daughter coming home and educating them and saying.

485 01:14:59.240 --> 01:15:04.959 linda foley: you need to change your behavior because it's really important for future

486 01:15:04.960 --> 01:15:05.560 tristram cary Winchfield Hants: Problem

487 01:15:05.560 --> 01:15:06.780 linda foley: Us and the planet

488 01:15:06.980 --> 01:15:16.219 tristram cary Winchfield Hants: One more question, how do you stop children deciding not to have children of their own? Because that's the best thing they can do for carbon, you know, for the carbon

489 01:15:16.630 --> 01:15:36.820 tristram cary Winchfield Hants: future of the world, and that's you know, we don't have a sustainable birth rate across the whole of Western Europe, and one of the reasons is that people are anxious, and they think, Well, I've got to take action. I can't have children for carbon, or you know I don't want them to inherit this world that we've ruined. So that's a terrible thing to me. That's an overshoot

490 01:15:37.230 --> 01:15:38.130 linda foley: I agree.

491 01:15:38.430 --> 01:15:47.489 linda foley: Yeah, I agree that I actually know some adults, environmental activists that have made that decision. And it breaks my heart

492 01:15:47.490 --> 01:15:48.100 tristram cary Winchfield Hants: Shouldn't speak.

493 01:15:48.100 --> 01:16:06.019 linda foley: Honest. But I go back to this idea about hope being an axe if you empower them right. There was a really interesting piece of work done by Deloitte. There was a paper. One of my colleagues in the Carbon Literacy Project sent it to me which said

494 01:16:06.060 --> 01:16:10.100 linda foley: that absolutely top companies now

495 01:16:10.110 --> 01:16:36.620 linda foley: are looking at the sustainability policies because they cannot recruit the best candidates anymore because the best candidates are being interviewed. And they're asking questions about sustainability policies of those top industries, and that to me is really powerful. And Deloitte wrote this whole paper, and they said, You need to be aware this is happening now, because the best of the best candidates are only going into jobs

496 01:16:36.910 --> 01:17:03.969 linda foley: in which they know that they're going to be making a difference. So I think that's another reason why we need to do it. So yeah, I think everything you say. See, now, now, you're making me really sad because you're right. There are some young people who make that decision, but the answer is, as a society. They've got to see that we're doing everything we can. And I know, and it was something that was mentioned earlier on.

497 01:17:04.340 --> 01:17:23.760 linda foley: I get an inbox, and during the flooding, unfortunately, I got that virus, and I was knocked out, and my poor son came into my room and said, Oh, my God! I have to show you this video. And it was the riverbanks being washed away, and I was lying in bed ill. I was in bed for 2 days, and I got up and I had 140 emails.

498 01:17:23.930 --> 01:17:43.759 linda foley: Okay, in 2 days, all from residents concerned about the flooding and what we're going to do, and what we can do this whatever. And as politicians, what we all know is if we get 65 people turning up to our surgery right complaining because a road has been closed

499 01:17:43.900 --> 01:17:54.229 linda foley: right, which is what happened with us nearest School School Street Road was closed. There was a bit of a campaign from a local taxi driver, 65 people turned up at that surgery.

500 01:17:54.350 --> 01:18:04.289 linda foley: Now, what I wanted to say was that if the pro cycling pro clean air pro environmental.

501 01:18:04.590 --> 01:18:14.350 linda foley: if all those people in that community who wanted that to happen had mobilized in the same way, there would have been 200 people at my surgery.

502 01:18:14.530 --> 01:18:20.949 linda foley: but they didn't, because they were a bit complacent. Well, we've got the road we've won. We've got the road closed right. Isn't it all fantastic?

503 01:18:21.080 --> 01:18:48.960 linda foley: The people who didn't want the road to be closed. They had a campaign. They had posters in the windows. They sent out letters, they mobilized, they they bullied. Let's be blunt. They bullied the local councillors. Okay, and there's a consultation and 75 people said, We don't want this road to be closed. And so the council, the road? Right? So the answer is, we've got to mobilize those people who understands the importance of

504 01:18:49.310 --> 01:19:03.900 linda foley: climate action, of clean air, of cycling for active travel, all the co-benefits we've got to get our message really, really clear, and we have to mobilise in a positive way for those things that we want to happen.

505 01:19:04.440 --> 01:19:05.730 linda foley: Does that make sense

506 01:19:05.730 --> 01:19:08.450 tristram cary Winchfield Hants: Yep, no, I agree.

507 01:19:10.030 --> 01:19:16.291 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: Yeah, Linda. Well, thank you so much for enthralling us for an hour. That's been really tremendous.

508 01:19:16.900 --> 01:19:26.549 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: and I'm very grateful to you, and I will publish all of this on the Wiki and everybody. You have to catch up the people who weren't here today. So thank you

509 01:19:26.860 --> 01:19:45.109 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration, Bembridge: for everyone else here I normally announce cheerfully what next week's topic is going to be, and this year I can say, or this week I can say I haven't got the slightest idea yet we'd love to come up with something. So thank you all very much for your time. Thank you for coming. I hope you enjoyed it, and see you next time. Take care

510 01:19:45.650 --> 01:19:47.289 linda foley: Thanks, Greg, thank you.

Markdown of Presentation (for AI search engine):

Here’s a markdown version of the presentation content from “2.4.25 Great Collaborations Presentation”:

Lessons from Manchester: Aiming to Be the First Carbon Literate City in the World

Great Collaboration Banter Session – 2nd April 2025

Cllr Linda Foley

Timeline of Action and Learning

• 2006 – HEAT: “This cannot be true!”

• 2007–2011 – Eco-School/Environment and Land-Based Diploma Lead, Bury LA

• 2011 – “Cut the green crap”

• 2012 – University of Manchester – “It’s politics, stupid”

• 2018 – Scoping: NPQEL, London, Leeds, XR Student strikes / selected cllr

• 2019 – Carbon Literacy – the silver bullet

• 2022 – Deputy Exec of Environment, MCC

• 2025 – MCLC, schools TK, Localities Project

What Is Carbon Literacy?

“An awareness of the carbon costs and impacts of everyday activities and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions on an individual, community and organisational basis.”

The Carbon Literacy Project

• A low-carbon culture change initiative

• Over 6000 organisations involved across sectors

• Non-profit charity

• Activities include:

  • Providing materials

  • Certifying learners and trainers

  • Accrediting courses, organisations, and educators

• Recognised by the UN at COP21 (Paris)

• Awarded as one of 100 worldwide ‘Transformative Action Programs’

Manchester: A Carbon Literate City

Participating Sectors:

• Local Authorities

• Education

• Automotive

• Civil Service

• Culture

• Food & Farming

• Healthcare

• SMEs

• Social Housing

• Sport

What’s in the Carbon Literacy Course?

The Knowledge:

• Science & impacts of climate change

• Responses & solutions

• Importance of communication and positivity

Learning Method:

• Relevant and practical, with local examples

• 7 to 8 hours of learning and doing

• Includes discussion and practical activities

• Delivered partially by sector professionals

Taking Action:

• Group and individual actions required

• Actions must be:

  • Role-related

  • New and significant

  • Aimed at reducing carbon emissions

Core Values:

• Individual action matters

• Collaboration is key

• Must ensure a fair and equitable transition

Carbon Literacy in Schools

• Ensure staff are confident and knowledgeable

• Achieve a Carbon Literacy Award to show climate commitment

• Future-proof schools for statutory requirements

• School Staff Course launched in June

• Demonstrate commitment to the school community

Carbon Literate Educator

Accreditation celebrating Carbon Literacy training and action in educational institutions.

• Certifies staff and students

• Recognizes Carbon Literate action

• Requires engagement with Spheres of Influence

Spheres of Influence

Educators must show engagement with various groups inside and outside their institution:

Steps to Become a Carbon Literate School

1. Complete one-day Carbon Literacy Training 🌍

2. Complete evidence form ✏️

3. Choose two new actions to reduce carbon footprint 👣

4. CLP checks form → issue unique CL certificate 🎓

5. Request CL school toolkit + attend 90-min “Delivering Successful Carbon Literacy” course 🫰

6. Organise training for school leaders and staff ⛲️

7. Train and certify one leader, one staff, one student 🚸👨🏽‍🍳🧑🏼‍🌾

8. Apply for CLE (Carbon Literate Educator Award) at Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum 🥉🥈🥇

9. Join Carbon Literacy Action Day (CLAD) – Nov 2025 🌍

10. “It is better to create strong children than repair broken people.”

11. Sign up for our newsletters