If you would like to subscribe to our newsletter, please go to http://gloscan.org/supporters/ 

Read our recent newsletters – please scroll down page.

GlosCAN Newsletter

February 2025

Contents – News and Events

News from Zero Hour
Petition to parliament for public information campaign
GoCycle mini-festival, Horsley, Sun 16 March
Pedal Power- Electric bike hire
Energy one-stop-shop
Stroud Area Community Energy Network associate membership launched
Only 4 years of world’s carbon budget left
Other climate websites
Contacting MPs

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News from Zero Hour

News on the Climate and Nature Bill:

Survey Results — We asked: You Answered (improving the Zero Hour website)
Labour: Stop delaying, Start leading (The Seventh Carbon Budget – Zero Hour’s response)
Britain’s Biodiversity Plan: Progress Without Punch

 

Petition to parliament for public information campaign

GlosCAN Newsletter

January 2025

Contents – News and Events

Petition to parliament for public information campaign
Climate and Nature Bill (CAN Bill) postponed till July
Climate action you can take
Climate: time to be safer in our communities
Food for thought – indifference to disaster
Contacting MPs

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Petition to parliament for public information campaign

 

22,000 have signed on-line so far, but 100,000 signatures are needed by 8 May for the petition to be considered for debate in Parliament. See the current position and sign the petition here. For information, a national map shows the numbers of signatures around the country. A5 size posters (two-sided, shown above) are available through GlosCAN.org – info@gloscan.org

Climate and Nature Bill (CAN Bill) postponed till July

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GlosCAN Newsletter
October 2024

GlosCAN Newsletter
August 2024

GlosCAN Newsletter
July 2024

Contents – News and Events

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GlosCAN Newsletter

June 2024

GlosCAN Newsletter

May 2024

GlosCAN Newsletter

April 2024

 

 

 

GlosCAN Newsletter

March 2024

GlosCAN Newsletter

February 2024

GlosCAN Newsletter

January 2024

 

 

General election project for 2024 – South Cotswolds

From Wiltshire Climate Alliance. This election will be the first one carried out in the new constituency boundary area of South Cotswolds – which straddles the former Gloucestershire and Wiltshire boundaries. Objectives will be to make climate and environment a key election issue and to enable voters to make an informed choice between parties and candidates based on factual information about the party/candidate stance on climate/environment. Like-minded groups in South Cotswolds are invited to link up to work together on this project with Wiltshire Climate Alliance – contact.

 

AURORA Energy Tracker app

From Forest of Dean District Council – Climate Action: ‘The AURORA project Energy Tracker app is now available to download for both iOS and Android.  This app allows users to make a positive impact on the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with residential energy use and transportation choices.’ More info and download. Aurora newsletter.

Holding oil and gas producers accountable

The EU is currently introducing regulation on this. ‘For decades, the oil and gas sector has promoted carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a solution to avoid CO2 emissions from being released into the atmosphere. Now that the EU is introducing regulation to make them deliver storage capacity for industries generating truly unavoidable emissions, the oil and gas sector is blocking progress.’
WWF, Carbon Balance Initiative and others are calling on the EU to make the oil and gas sector pay. Read ‘Holding Oil and Gas Producers Accountable’.

 

UK expands oil and gas in the North Sea

Petition from 350.org supporting the court case brought against fossil fuel expansion (350.org is named after 350 ppm, the pre-fossil-fuel CO2 level in the atmosphere).

GlosCAN Newsletter

December 2023

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GlosCAN Newsletter

November 2023

GlosCAN Newsletter

October 2023

Contents – News and Events

• GlosCAN blogs
• What is ‘geological net zero’?
• Alok Sharma MP, Richard Graham MP – panel discussion with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust
• Gloucestershire Youth Climate Group
• Greener Together Fair held in September
• Tewkesbury Repair Café Sat 18 Nov
• An Evening with Caroline Lucas 23 Nov
• Zero Hour – UK homes lose heat at 3 times the rate of German homes
• Zero Hour news
• Carbon balance and the Carbon Takeback Obligation – petition
• MPs

GlosCAN blogs

There are two new GlosCAN blog posts this month. One is on controlling fossil fuels and emissions, the other is on nature-based solutions in the water sector. All comments on our blogs are welcome, as are new blog posts.

What is ‘geological net zero’?

What are ‘durable net zero’ and ‘geological net zero’? What are a ‘fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty’ and a ‘carbon takeback obligation’? Read more in our latest blog on the subject ‘Controlling fossil fuels: Who will join the dots?’

Alok Sharma MP, Richard Graham MP – panel discussion with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust

‘Meeting the challenges of a changing climate: how can charities, the private sector and government work effectively together?’ Alok Sharma, MP and President of COP 26, and Richard Graham MP took part in a panel discussion with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust staff recently, where they discussed topics including green finance, planning and development and community mobilisation. A recording of the discussion can be viewed here.

Gloucestershire Youth Climate Group

The Youth Climate Group takes action that will contribute to a low carbon and resilient Gloucestershire. And that will reduce the impact of climate change and biodiversity loss for people and planet. The Group welcomes young people living, working and in education in the County.
The group is for 16-25 year olds living, working and in education in the county that want to get involved with climate action and advocate for youth voice in local climate policy.
GYCG is funded by Gloucestershire County Council. More info on the GYCG website – https://cscic.org/programmes/gycg
Email: info@cscic.org
Phone: 07869 267 242

Greener Together Fair held in September

This year’s Tewkesbury Greener Together Fair was held in September in the Town Hall Gardens and what a lovely day it was.  Lovely food, lovely apple juice (juiced on site), lovely people and some great activities, conversations, learning and thinking.  Get in touch with Cate Cody if you’d like to be involved next year. 

 

Tewkesbury Repair Café Sat 18 Nov

To be held in Tewkesbury Baptist Church, 2-5 pm. Please double check before travelling. Bring electrical, toys, clothes, anything that needs fixing.  Tools can also be sharpened.  Tea and coffee available while you wait.

An Evening with Caroline Lucas 23 Nov

Join Cheltenham Green Party for a special event with Caroline Lucas MP, hosted by environmentalist and Ecology Party founding member Jonathon Porritt.
Tickets £10 £15 (with donation),  £5 for students or low income earners. At Parabola Arts Centre, Bayshill Road,  Cheltenham, GL50 3AA.
Book here.
Please note that an event about climate change presented by any of the political parties may be advertised by GlosCAN even though GlosCAN does not have any political affiliation.

Zero Hour – UK homes lose heat at 3 times the rate of German homes

From Zero Hour UK. The UK wastes a huge amount of energy needlessly. A graphic produced by heating controls company Tado, based on real data from a very large sample of 80,000 European homes. The £1,000 ECO home insulation grant applies only to low income families and is not universally available. The cap is also far too low. Insulation of older solid wall buildings can cost around £9,000 just for a semi-detached home. For comparison, Italy pays homeowners 110% of the cost to insulate and convert to a heat pump, with a cap of €100,000 per home. UK was making strong progress in resolving this issue in the early 2010’s but grants were ended. This needs renewed urgent Government attention.

From ‘Net Zero: The Ambition Gap’

Zero Hour news

Latest news from Zero Hour can be viewed here.

Carbon balance and the Carbon Takeback Obligation – petition

A Carbon Takeback Obligation places the responsibility for safe storage of CO2 onto companies that extract or import fossil fuels in order to stop climate change. See carbon-balance.earth/ctbo-explained If you think carbon takeback should be taken further, you may like to look at this student’s petition to parliament about it.

MPs

Tips (taken from the Zero Hour website) about writing to your MP. Remember, you can only make requests to your own MP so be sure to provide your address in your letter or e-mail.

Postal address for all MPs: House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA
MPs:
Stroud – Siobhan Baillie MP – siobhan.baillie.mp@parliament.uk
Cotswold – Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP – CLIFTONBROWNG@parliament.uk
Cheltenham – The Rt Hon Alex Chalk MP – alex@alexchalk.com
Gloucester – Richard Graham MP – richard.graham.mp@parliament.uk
Forest of Dean – The Rt Hon Mark Harper MP – mark.harper.mp@parliament.uk
Tewkesbury – Laurence Robertson MP – Laurence.robertson.mp@parliament.uk

 

GlosCAN Newsletter

July 2023

Contents – News and Events

• Climate change: Oil industry’s false propaganda – Lord Deben
• MP Watch
• Carbon Balance – NGO
• Zero Hour – graphics
• Zero Hour report – Net Zero: The Ambition Gap
• Contacting MPs

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Climate change: Oil industry’s false propaganda has already condemned many to die and risks causing a global catastrophe – Lord Deben

Fossil fuel companies like ExxonMobil have been holding up the world’s response to climate change. Read full article in The Scotsman. Lord Deben is former chair of the Climate Change Committee, the independent advisors to the UK and Scottish governments, and a former Conservative Environment Secretary

MP Watch

MPWatch.org. ‘Who are we? – We are a grassroots network of constituents, voters, locals, neighbours and friends banding together to galvanise and support our MPs so that we can work together as a society to tackle the existential threat to all of us and our children. 
The job of MP Watch is to monitor and boost MPs’ understanding of the science; the health, social and economic ramifications of inaction; and the electoral consequences of delay.
The issue is too urgent now to kick down the road. Experts say we are at five past midnight. There will be some losses and trauma ahead because of delays but there is much that can be saved if we act now.’

Carbon Balance

‘Carbon Balance is an NGO initiative, born out of University of Oxford. We strive to put conditions on fossil fuel extraction to protect the climate from any remaining fossil fuel use. We work with the climate movement, academia and policymakers to reach 1.5°C, store carbon, and protect nature.   
We fight for a world where any carbon still extracted is balanced by carbon stored.’

Zero Hour

There are plenty of clear explanatory graphics like the above available from Zero Hour.

Zero Hour report – Net Zero: The Ambition Gap

Read this landmark report Net Zero: The Ambition Gap ‘which explains in jargon-free terms why the UK’s Net Zero Strategy (NZS) is not bold enough to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The Climate Change Committee is doing a great job highlighting the Delivery Gap, but we need to talk about the Ambition Gap whilst there’s still time to do something about it.’

MPs

Tips (taken from the Zero Hour website) about writing to your MP. Remember, you can only make requests to your own MP so be sure to provide your address in your letter or e-mail.

Postal address for all MPs: House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA
MPs:
Stroud – Siobhan Baillie MP – siobhan.baillie.mp@parliament.uk
Cotswold – Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP – CLIFTONBROWNG@parliament.uk
Cheltenham – The Rt Hon Alex Chalk MP – alex@alexchalk.com
Gloucester – Richard Graham MP – richard.graham.mp@parliament.uk
Forest of Dean – The Rt Hon Mark Harper MP – mark.harper.mp@parliament.uk
Tewkesbury – Laurence Robertson MP – Laurence.robertson.mp@parliament.uk

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GlosCAN Newsletter

June 2023

Contents – News and Events

• Asking Gloucestershire MPs to support GlosCAN
• Climate Change Committee 2023 Progress Report – ‘a lack of urgency’
• Rowan Atkinson and electric vehicles – ‘I love electric vehicles . . . but . . .’
• News from Zero Hour
• Fossil Fuel Treaty.org
• A time of ‘polycrisis’? Ideas for coping

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Asking Gloucestershire MPs to support GlosCAN

We hope that our local Gloucestershire MPs will respond to requests from Supporters to sign up to GlosCAN’s Starting Points and Aims and becoming Supporters of GlosCAN.org, as described in last month’s newsletter.

Here are some good tips (taken from the Zero Hour website) about writing to your MP. Remember, you can only make requests to your own MP so be sure to provide your address in your letter or e-mail.

Postal address for all MPs: House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA
MPs:
Stroud – Siobhan Baillie MP – siobhan.baillie.mp@parliament.uk
Cotswold – Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP – CLIFTONBROWNG@parliament.uk
Cheltenham – The Rt Hon Alex Chalk MP – alex@alexchalk.com
Gloucester – Richard Graham MP – richard.graham.mp@parliament.uk
Forest of Dean – The Rt Hon Mark Harper MP – mark.harper.mp@parliament.uk
Tewkesbury – Laurence Robertson MP – Laurence.robertson.mp@parliament.uk

We look forward to receiving any news on this subject at info@gloscan.org.

 

Climate Change Committee 2023 Progress Report to Parliament – ‘a lack of urgency’

‘This year saw the release of new detail on the Government’s plans for Net Zero with the publication of the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan (CBDP) prompted by last year’s High Court judgement. But policy development continues to be too slow and our assessment of the CBDP has raised new concerns. Despite new detail from Government, our confidence in the UK meeting its medium-term targets has decreased in the past year. The increased transparency embodied in the CBDP is welcome, but a key opportunity to raise the overall pace of delivery has been missed.’ See video of Chair’s address, read key messages and recommendations to government and download report.

 

Rowan Atkinson and electric vehicles – ‘I love electric vehicles . . . but . . .’

‘I love electric vehicles – and was an early adopter. But increasingly I feel duped.‘ See a reply to this article in ‘Fact check: why Rowan Atkinson is wrong about electric vehicles’.  Also ‘The die is cast: petrol and diesel engines are dying. The electric age is inevitable’. Other responses include ‘Why electric cars win in the long run’ and ‘Steer clear from all cars – including EVs’.

 

News from Zero Hour

‘Join the Fold, Get Crafting for Nature’ – news from ZeroHour.

 

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GlosCAN Newsletter

May 2023

Contents – News and Events

• Collective madness
• Asking Gloucestershire MPs to support GlosCAN
• News from Zero Hour
  – Letters from the Global South
  – Sign the Climate and Ecology Bill’s nature target petition
  – Tewkesbury Borough Council backs Climate and Ecology Bill
• GCC and Composting
• GCC: Cheltenham to Bishops Cleeve Cycleway

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Collective madness

From Cheltenham Green Christian, a reminder about catching up with a discussion in which Carmody Grey took part in April of 2022. Dr Grey works in the Department of Theology & Religion at Durham University.

The question at issue was: Where do we find courage in these times, when we’re hearing one thing and looking out of the window and seeing something else, that doesn’t really fit? When we’re carried along by a system that doesn’t actually serve what’s good for us?

Dr Grey explained that she had never considered herself an activist, ‘but it seems like some kind of line has been crossed for me. Activism is no longer one of the things that a person might do, who cares about these issues: it’s become the only intelligible response to a situation in which an act of collective madness is running unchecked . . .’.

Asking Gloucestershire MPs to support GlosCAN

Can you help GlosCAN by asking your local MP to sign up to GlosCAN’s Starting Points and Aims and become a Supporter of GlosCAN.org? Here are some good tips, for example, from the Zero Hour website about writing to your MP. Remember to provide your own address in your letter or e-mail.

Postal address for all MPs: House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA
MPs:
Stroud – Siobhan Baillie MP – siobhan.baillie.mp@parliament.uk
Cotswold – Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP – CLIFTONBROWNG@parliament.uk
Cheltenham – The Rt Hon Alex Chalk MP – alex@alexchalk.com
Gloucester – Richard Graham MP – richard.graham.mp@parliament.uk
Forest of Dean – The Rt Hon Mark Harper MP – mark.harper.mp@parliament.uk
Tewkesbury – Laurence Robertson MP – Laurence.robertson.mp@parliament.uk

 

News from Zero Hour

– Letters from the Global South

 

Children’s messages from countries around the world are part of a new touring exhibition and workshop ‘Letters from the Global South’. Facts, figures and graphs can only go so far in explaining what is happening as a result of the climate and nature crises. In this exhibition, the letters, photos and artwork from children and local activists living in Morocco, Kenya, Pakistan, Nigeria, India and Bangladesh, speak of the fear, urgency and sense of abandonment that is felt, experienced and become the everyday reality of life, in ways that many of us can’t (yet) imagine.

– Sign the Climate and Ecology Bill’s nature target petition

On 5 June, we’ll hand in our United For Nature petition calling on the Prime Minister to put words into action by enacting the CE Bill’s nature target—which is to “halt and reverse nature loss by 2030”—the same target already agreed to at December’s UN biodiversity conference. Sign the petition.

– Tewkesbury Borough Council backs Climate and Ecology Bill 

We’re celebrating great results for the environment from across the parties in recent Local Elections that saw a clear focus on nature and climate. The flooding in Tewkesbury after the River Severn burst its banks was a wake-up call for residents and a major focus for Councillor Cate Cody. We’re delighted that Cate not only got re-elected with a wonderful victory in recent elections but week-one saw her aiming and reaching a key goal. We’ll let her tell us all about it:

‘I am ecstatic that my motion to widen the scope for our climate emergency to include the whole borough; to declare a nature (ecological) emergency and support the Climate and Ecology Bill was passed unanimously this evening at Tewkesbury Borough Council’s annual meeting, the first meeting of a new administration on 17th May 2023. 

‘It matters that we bring motions to our Councils and that we carry out all that we can to honour them, but in addition we still need Governments to help make legally binding policies and laws.  Climate and Biodiversity protections are paramount examples.  We can try to do all we can as Councils, but if the laws aren’t there, little will change. Collectively Councils can lead Governments to make these changes.  If enough of us show we want change, Government will respond—a good example was the declaration of a climate emergency—Councils got their motions through, then Government followed suit.  We have lost too much of our nature and biodiversity, we have to turn this around and bring it back or we’ll be passing on a truly miserable and ever struggling world.’ – Cate Cody, Tewkesbury Borough Councillor 

GCC: Composting

‘Dear All,
We are pleased to announce the launch of our latest campaign on composting!
Composting at home can help you save money, reduce your carbon emissions, learn about nature and reduce the amount of waste that your home produces. 
There is nothing more satisfying than using your home made compost to grow your own vegetables and flowers. See recycling in action in your own garden or home!
You can take part in the campaign:
Enter our competition to win a hot bin
Learn more via one of our online courses
Spread the word about all the great work going on and tell everyone about our website Gloucestershire Recycles.com/composting
Remember if you want to hear more from our team you can sign up for our newsletters about waste and climate change or follow GCC on Social Media.’

GCC: Cheltenham to Bishops Cleeve Cycleway

‘Please do look at the plans for Section 1: Honeybourne Line to Cheltenham Racecourse Roundabout via the link below and if you wish to make any comments, please respond by no later than 20th June 2023.
Plans showing details of Section 2: Cheltenham Racecourse Roundabout to GE Roundabout will be sent to you later this year.’

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GlosCAN Newsletter

April 2023

Contents – News and Events

• Hucclecote Sustainability Festival – 3-10 May
• Film – Of Walking on Thin Ice: Camino to COP26 – Stroud, Thu 4 May
• The Bike Month Challenge, 1 – 31 May
• Bus Fare Cap Could Continue
• GCC Pension Protest
• High costs and uncertainties – Britain’s heat pump market

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Hucclecote Sustainability Festival

This is a week-long Sustainability Festival between 3 and 10 May. 

The festival kicks off on Wednesday 3 May at 7 p.m. (Benefact Trust, 2000 Pioneer Avenue, Brockworth GL3 4AW) with a short speech from Sir Jonathon Porritt. Jonathon is renowned as an environmentalist and sustainability campaigner through his writing, media appearances and trust work for more than 50 years. Then at 7.15 p.m. there will a talk from Energy efficiency experts Severn Wye who will outline practical, affordable steps to reduce your home energy bills. 

All the events are free to attend but for most we would like people to register beforehand so that we have a reasonable idea of the number of attendees. Take a look at the range of events and book your place(s). Some of the activities have limited space, so book early to avoid disappointment.

 

Film – Of Walking on Thin Ice: Camino to COP26 – Stroud, Thu 4 May

OF WALKING ON THIN ICE Camino to COP26: A film by Benjamin Wigley. Documents the journey of a diverse group of more than 1,000 walkers from London and Bristol to Glasgow for the COP26 Climate Conference September 2021.
Thu 4 May 2023 at 18:00, Church Hall, St Lawrence’s Church, Stroud. In association with Stroud Film Festival.
Tickets (EventBrite) £7/£5 concessions.

PROGRAMME
6.00-7.15 pm Guided circular walk from St Laurence’s Church to the Church Hall, The Shambles
7.00pm Doors open
7.30pm Film screening
8.20pm Break and refreshments
8.35pm Q&As
9.00-9.15pm Departure 

 

The Bike Month Challenge, 1 – 31 May

During the Bike Month Challenge, workplaces have one mission – to get as many staff as possible riding bikes this May (even for just 10 minutes!).
Individuals can take part, too, simply by heading out for a ride in May.
The Bike Month Challenge is all about getting more people to discover (or re-discover) the joys of riding a bike. It runs 1 – 31 May. To see more details and to register to take part, visit www.lovetoride.net/gloucestershire

 

Bus Fare Cap Could Continue

Thanks to county councillors who argued cap should be extended beyond the June, the £2 bus fare might be here to stay! Support from all parties was shared at the full county council meeting on the 22nd March and the decision is now in the hands of central government. Councillor Cate Cody, who got to the meeting by bus, said “We owe it to the next generation; sustainable transport is really important to young voters. We need immediate, radical improvement in active travel and public transport systems. Here’s a scheme that could significantly help us reduce our carbon emissions. What’s not to love?” Read the full article here.

 

GCC Pension Protest

County Councillor Chloe Turner wrote to the Chair of Pension Committee, asking for GCC to do more to divest from fossil fuels and as part of a National day of Action supporters protested outside Shire Hall. 

 

High costs and uncertainties – Britain’s heat pump market

High costs and uncertainties cast a chill over Britain’s heat pump market. The government’s aim is to have 600,000 heat pumps a year being installed by 2028. But only 55,000 were fitted in 2021, while 1.5m gas boilers were installed.

 

GlosCAN Newsletter

March 2023

Contents – News and Events

Stroud – Friday climate vigils in Lent
Stroud CAN Forum – 24 April
‘Momentum vs Perfection’ in the climate movement – GlosCAN blog post
Comment on GlosCAN blogs
IPCC Report
Recent comment on government climate policy

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Stroud – Friday climate vigils in Lent

The Stroud Green Christian group have held a vigil for an hour each Friday in Lent outside the office of Stroud MP Siobhan Baillie, a total of six Fridays. Siobhan has had conversations with the group and listened to what they have to say. There have been thumbs up and positive comments from members of the public and people have stopped to chat. The group encouraged people to come to ‘the Big One’, to write to their MP, to join Green Christian, and to attend the showing of the film The Letter. Everyone felt it had been a positive action and will consider doing it again.

 

Stroud CAN Forum – 24 April

Forum website here.

The next Stroud District CAN event is on Active Travel and will be held on Zoom on 24 April.

Active Travel Projects – Stroud District community projects. Get in touch if you think your CAN is in a good position to deliver an active travel project as the Council is looking for partners to deliver this work. Talks / introductions can also be arranged through your parish council meetings.

 

‘Momentum vs Perfection’ in the climate movement – GlosCAN blog post

Read our latest blog post ‘Momentum vs Perfection’ in the climate movement. We hope it will encourage you to listen to the Outrage and Optimism two-part podcast mini-series on this theme. Co-hosts Tom Rivett-Carnac and Fiona McRaith interview a very diverse range of climate leaders ranging from Extinction Rebellion co-founder Gail Bradbrook to the CEO of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Peter Bakker.

 

Comment on GlosCAN blogs

Comments are very welcome on our blogs. If you would like to make a comment,  or perhaps to post a blog yourself, please read our page ‘How to submit a blog or comment‘. We look forward to hearing from you.

 

IPCC Report

On 19th March 2023, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released the “Summary for Policymakers” for its “Synthesis Report of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report” (AR6 SYR), and subsequently its 85 page “Longer Report“, with the “Full Report” still to follow as of 23 March.  These reports integrate inputs from the three preceding Working Group reports on the physical science, on impacts and adaptation and on mitigation (emissions reduction). The IPCC also released a set of “Headline Statements“, a short set of presentation slides and an introductory speech by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, among other resources. Strikingly, Guterres called for leaders of developed countries (which include the UK) to “commit to reaching net zero emissions as close as possible to 2040 – the limit they should all respect”.  

Various organisations and news outlets have issued responses to the two documents issued to date. For example:

– The Guardian: World can still avoid worst of climate collapse with genuine change, IPCC says. Positive framing of otherwise grim report a counterblast to those who dismiss hopes of limiting global heating to 1.5C

– Other Guardian articles on IPCC

The overall message is expressed in the presentation slides as “The warning: Pace and scale of climate action are insufficient to tackle climate change”.  

Even in its “Summary for Policymakers” documents, the IPCC uses quite formal and “calibrated” language.  In that context, a standout sentence (in paragraph C .1 of the Summary for Policymakers) is “The choices and actions implemented in this decade will have impacts now and for thousands of years (high confidence)”.

 

Recent comment on government climate policy

ZeroHour.uk –  We need an environmental rethink, not a “net zero reset”

The Climate Change Committee – Climate change has arrived, yet the country is still strikingly unprepared – in this report on England’s adaptation progress, the Climate Change Committee publishes a new appraisal of the outcomes needed to build climate resilience across the economy – and the extent of policies and delivery to meet them.

GlosCAN Newsletter

February 2023

Contents – News and Events

Stroud CAN Forum – Informal online social session, Active Travel Projects, Big Solar talks
Lent Friday vigils, Stroud
Monthly climate vigil, Cheltenham
Hucclecote Climate Change Action Group (HCCAG)
News from Zero Hour
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Stroud CAN Forum

Forum website here.

– Informal online social session – Tuesday Feb 28th, 6-7pm. These are casual sessions designed for anyone who would appreciate connecting more informally with other CANs for mutual support and news sharing. Dropping in and out at a time you can manage is fine.

– Active Travel Projects – Stroud District community projects. With some money about to be released through Stroud District Council to improve local cycling and walking routes, now is a good time to start
thinking about any active transport projects you’d like to see happen in your area. Get in touch if you think your CAN is in a good position to deliver an active travel project as the Council is looking for partners to deliver this work. Talks / introductions can also be arranged through your parish council meetings.

– Big Solar talks – Maria Ardley from Big Solar Coop is able to come and give a talk to your
community about Big Solar, how they operate and who they are looking to
work with – maria@sharenergy.coop.

Lent Friday vigils

Stroud Green Christians – vigils on Fridays outside the MP’s office in Stroud,  12.00-1.00 p.m. Please do join if/when you can.

Film ‘The Letter’. Wesley Rooms at St Alban’s church, Parliament Street, Stroud GL5 1QH, evening of Wednesday 29th March.  Further details to follow. 

Monthly climate vigil, Cheltenham

Green Christian Cheltenham – from 12.30 to 1.30 monthly Climate Vigils in Cheltenham Promenade, near the War Memorial.

Outrage+Optimism announces a new podcast, with the PM of Barbados’Special Envoy, Avi Persaud discussing the Bridgetown Initiative.

Hucclecote Climate Change Action Group (HCCAG)

See the HCCAG Draft Strategy/Action Plan for 2023 here.

There will be a ‘Sustainability Festival’ in early May. Talks on Composting/Growing Veg for Beginners, Energy saving at home, Pros and cons of PVs, visits to heat pump installations, Wildlife walk for the family etc. HCCAG is also in the process of publishing a Green Guide for residents. Further details to be announced.

News from Zero Hour

Includes major news for the cross-party Zero Hour campaign that West Cornwall campaigners are celebrating that Conservative MP Derek Thomas is now backing the Climate & Ecology Bill.  Also featured – the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan.

GlosCAN Newsletter

January 2023

Contents – News and Events

‘Net Zero Review’ by Chris Skidmore, MP for South Gloucestershire
What is ‘geological net zero’?
Stroud CAN Forum, Mon 20 Feb
Unintended consequences of replacing fossil fuels?
Zero Hour news
Could you write a GlosCAN blogpost?
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‘Net Zero Review’ by Chris Skidmore, MP for South Gloucestershire

GlosCAN Newsletter

December 2022

Contents – News and Events

HERO – supporting young climate activist circles
Stroud CAN Forum – Network Support
ZeroHour.uk news
Tax super-rich on private jet travel to fund public transport, says UK charity

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HERO – supporting young climate activist circles

HERO is ‘a climate tech startup on a mission to empower people to accelerate change in the world’. It is a way for people (especially those who don’t have the time or opportunity) to support young climate activist circles.

This podcast (from Outrage+Optimism) gives a good explanation about Hero. Co-host Christiana Figueres, who was Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change 2010-2016 and led the process that secured the landmark Paris Agreement on Climate Change, speaks with climate activists Mauricio Porras and Anuna De Wever about HERO.

Read more about Outrage+Optimism here.

 

Stroud CAN Forum – Network Support

Working around 10-12 hours a week, new support worker Jess will now be convening the Stroud CAN Forum, liaising with groups, and supporting the network.  Her e-mail is: networksupport@transitionstroud.org

 

ZeroHour.uk news

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has publicly weighed in with full support for Zero Hour’s #UnitedForNature campaign. Faith groups, business and nature NGOs call for new nature target. See these and other updates at ZeroHour.uk

 

Tax super-rich on private jet travel to fund public transport, says UK charity

Campaign for Better Transport calls on government to make wealthy pay for ‘hugely damaging’ private flights

GlosCAN Newsletter

October 2022

Contents – News and Events

New GlosCAN blog-post on the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty initiative and “Geological Net Zero”
‘Food, Sustainability and the Cost of Living Crisis’ – online event 14 Nov, Stroud District Climate Action Network
Stroud District Council – Building a sustainable future – together
Stroud District Council Cycling and Walking event
Climate and Ecology Bill – 18 November
European Parliament calls for Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty
British Cycling’s deal with Shell
Gloucestershire Net Zero Conference, Wed 16 November

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New GlosCAN blog-post on the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty initiative and “Geological Net Zero”

GlosCAN Supporter and Steering Group Chair Hugh Richards was invited to participate in the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty (FF-NPT) initiative’s symposium in London at the end of September, following which he has written a new blog-post. 

The blog also refers to an event in Paris for which he was invited to speak about the FF-NPT concept via Zoom.  A full recording of the Paris event is now available online.  Although the event was mostly in French, the session he contributed to (on “Responsabilizing Fossil Fuel Producers”, focusing on “Geological Net Zero”) was in English and chaired by Professor Myles Allen of Oxford University.  It starts 1 hour 21 minutes (1:21) into the recording, and features presentations by Myles Allen (from 1:22), Patrick Portolano (from 1:28), Margriet Kuijper (from 1:36) and Hugh Richards (from 1:46), followed by a discussion and Q&A (from 1:56) and a concluding “concrete proposal” (2:15).  On behalf of the hosting organisation (ACP Energies) Patrick Portolano has since prepared a document “Six Recommendations for COP27” (in French and English versions) arising from the event’s “concrete proposals”.

 

‘Food, Sustainability and the Cost of Living Crisis’ – online event 14 Nov, Stroud District Climate Action Network

The Stroud District Climate Action Network is holding an online event on Monday 14 November (1900-20.45) and will focus on ‘Food, Sustainability and the Cost of Living Crisis’.
Speakers include:

·         Edward Bonn on the GREAT programme (Gloucs Regenerative Environment and Agriculture Transition) and a local community growing initiative.
·         Eric Walters on the aspirations and initiatives of Small Good Farms.
·         Lizzie Dyer on the early work of the Feeding Gloucestershire Network. 
·         Miranda Eeles on the initiatives of local community hubs, helping those who may be struggling to make ends meet as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.

To register, please e-mail networksupport@transitionstroud.org.

‘Please also note that we are recruiting for a part-time, self-employed Climate Action Network Support Worker. The position is for 10-12 hours per week for up to 18th months. Deadline is 4th November 2022. Further info here. Please do share widely.
The support worker will be taking over organisation of the Forum meetings.’

 

Stroud District Council – Building a sustainable future – together
Updates and news of developments available here.

 

Stroud District Council Cycling and Walking event

Stroud District Council will be holding a Cycling and Walking event during the morning of Friday 18th November at Ebley Mill. The event will be geared towards Town and Parish councils, with information on how to identify and implement walking and cycling projects.

 

Climate and Ecology Bill – 18 November

On 18th November the Climate and Ecology Bill will have its committee stage in the House of Lords. Zero Hour is the campaign for the Climate and Ecology Bill (formerly the CEE Bill) – a plan for a new UK law that addresses the full extent of the climate and nature crisis in line with the most up-to-date science. Support the bill here. See also Net Zero – The Ambition Gap. This landmark report explains in jargon-free terms why the UK’s Net Zero Strategy is not bold enough to limit global warming to 1.5°C. Download the report.

 

 

European Parliament calls for Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty

The European Parliament has formally called on countries to develop a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty http://fossilfueltreaty.org/eu in a resolution outlining its demands for COP27.
While European Parliament resolutions are not binding on Member States regarding foreign policy matters, they can act as recommendations and send a strong message to governments across Europe that parties from the entire political spectrum are supportive of development of a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. The resolution proposes
    ”develop a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty”
    “phase out fossil fuels as soon as possible”
    “halt all new investments in fossil fuel extraction”
    “end fossil fuel subsidies” 
    and urges greater international cooperation, including through the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA).
See also the risks of expanding fossil fuel infrastructure and production in Africa – http://dont-gas-africa.org/.

 

Gloucestershire Net Zero Conference, Wed 16 November

‘GFirst LEP and The Growth Hub are excited to announce the first Gloucestershire Net Zero Conference.
Bringing together a wide array of Net Zero and Sustainability business leaders across the county, this event will show you how to plan your Net Zero strategy, implement green skills into your workforce, and accelerate your marketing and finance plans.’ Wed, 16 November 2022, 09:00 – 16:00 GMT. Book here.  The Growth Hub University of Gloucestershire Oxstalls Campus Gloucester GL2 9HW. GFirst LEP’s projects and spending hitherto, which include road transport and air travel expansion, can be viewed on their website.

British Cycling’s deal with Shell

British Cycling has just announced a sponsorship deal with Shell.

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GlosCAN Newsletter

September 2022

Contents – News and Events

Big Green Week 24 Sep to 2 October
Would you like to be part of Gloucestershire’s cycling forum?
Stroud CAN Forum
Zero Hour Ambition Gap report
Real Zero Emissions – Prof. Julian Allwood
Carbon Literacy Training locally
Geological Net Zero – Could Liz Truss allow new drilling for oil and gas and still strengthen the UK’s net zero target?
Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty – Vanuatu
The Scramble for Rare Earths – BBC R4

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Big Green Week 24 Sep to 2 October

Find an event near you – including, for example, events in Stroud, Evesham (Fri 30th) Climate Comedy Club (Fri 30th), Dursley, Cheltenham (Fri 30th) Film ‘2040’, Oldbury.

For Stroud, see also here.

Would you like to be part of Gloucestershire’s cycling forum?

From GCC.

The Cycling forum aims to ensure a broad representation of cyclists and potential cyclists across the county at an annual event.
We would like the Cycling forum to nominate representatives onto the Gloucestershire Cycling Advisory Group (CAG).
The CAG is a councillor and officer group who meet 3 times a year, to support Gloucestershire County Council’s ambitions to vastly increase cycling across the county, using information, engagement, and promotion.
Please reply to Sarah at ltp@gloucestershire.gov.uk for an additional information sheet and reply slip if you would like to attend the forum.

Stroud CAN Forum

The note, presentations and video of the CAN Forum meeting on 12 September, focussing on local energy initiatives, are now live on the Forum website.  There’s lots of information and insights about: the ‘Retrofit Centre’; the Big Solar Coop; commercial installer local discount scheme for rooftop PV; Cotswold Energy Group – heat pump installations, Boiler Upgrade Scheme
If you missed the meeting please do take a look!
Also to flag a new feature on the CAN Forum website.  In response to feedback, we’re set up a ‘pilot’ online resource library for CAN material.  CAN material can be submitted via a form on this webpage. Further feedback is also welcome. 
Next meeting of the CAN Forum is on Monday 14 November, with a focus on local food initiatives.

Zero Hour Ambition Gap report

Zero Hour’s Ambition Gap report, August 10, 2022
The Climate Change Committee is doing a great job highlighting the delivery gap, but we need to talk about the ambition gap whilst there’s still time to do something about it.
Are you an MP looking for a concise, objective and totally independent assessment of the UK’s Net Zero Strategy (NZS)? Or a constituent – assured by your MP that the climate crisis is fully in hand but don’t have the necessary information to hand to respond?
Then Zero Hour’s report—‘Net zero: The ambition gap’—is for you.

Real Zero Emissions – Prof. Julian Allwood

‘Real Zero Emissions’ is the title of an engaging and enlivening talk given recently in Ely Cathedral by Professor of Engineering and the Environment at Cambridge University Julian Allwood: watch it here on YouTube. Julian’s seven key messages are not new, but they are pithily put across:

1. There is no business as usual.
2. New technologies will not solve the problem.
3. The solution is about (electric) restraint. There’s a particularly powerful passage at 23 minutes in.
4. It costs (infinitely) less to act than not to act.
5. Actions: we must look at the drivers of emissions.
6. Leadership (is showing not telling)
7. (Tough) decisions: ‘if you know, you must do’ – and the true meaning of HOPE … 

Carbon Literacy Training locally

Carbon Literacy Training – new locally: on 22nd September, and 6th and 13th October (11am-1pm), there will be an online course run by Cate Williams, developed in partnership between the carbon literacy project and Jo Chamberlain for the Church of England, to examine what matters most as we consider our carbon footprints.  Please click here for further information cheltenham@greenchristian.org.uk.

Geological Net Zero – Could Liz Truss allow new drilling for oil and gas and still strengthen the UK’s net zero target? 

What is ‘geological net zero’?

‘Achieving geological net zero means returning one tonne of CO₂ to storage in the Earth’s crust for every tonne generated by any continued burning of fossil fuels. It is a much more robust goal than net zero alone, because it leaves far less wriggle room for creative accounting of how much forests and other natural carbon sinks can soak up. And it is the bare minimum that a wealthy country and high historical emitter such as the UK should be committing to.’ – Myles Allen

Myles Allen, Professor of Geosystem Science, Director of Oxford Net Zero, University of Oxford, has recently written in The Scotsman about ‘geological net zero’. (The article can also be read at The Conversation.)

‘Geological net zero’ is an idea that has featured in GlosCAN articles by Hugh Richards about a ‘polluter-pays treaty‘, ‘geological net zero‘ (before COP26) and ‘clean-up-or-close-down‘ as well as, with Patrick Portolano of Eosys, on Researchgate.net.

Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty – Vanuatu

Vanuatu in the Pacific is the first country at the United Nations General Assembly #UNGA to call for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty – a pivotal step towards building diplomatic engagement & an early mover group of nations.
Twitter thread.

The Scramble for Rare Earths – BBC R4

Misha Glenny explores the unnoticed global competition to control production of the rare earth metals which are crucial to all our futures, especially for the energy transition.

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GlosCAN Newsletter

August 2022

Contents – News and Events

Great Big Green Week
Stroud CAN Forum
Free Gloucestershire Sustainability Project
Cycle to School Week
Transition Stroud events
Composer Penny Squire – new composition ‘Your Clothes’
Gloucestershire Community Energy Co-op AGM
Campaign for Better Transport 
350.org campaign
Second Hand September
The most environmentally damaging farm products?

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Great Big Green Week

The Great Big Green Week is the UK’s biggest ever celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature. And everyone’s invited. Help us make the 24 September – 2 October 2022 the greatest, biggest, greenest week the UK has ever seen by organising an event in your community.

 

Stroud CAN Forum

There’s still time to register for the next online CAN Forum on Monday 12th September (1900-20.45). With energy prices soaring the focus is on local energy initiatives, with presentations from:

·         Dr Aaron Gillich, from London South Bank University and main lead for the local ‘Innovate to Renovate’ partnership – talking about plans to enable the take-up of retrofit.

·         Maria Ardley, the new Local Coordinator for the Stroud Node of the Big Solar Coop – talking about progress to deliver community rooftop solar and how we can help.  

·         One of the Directors from the Cotswold Energy Group – talking about local experience with the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, including how it works, lessons learnt, and ways forward.  

We’ll also hear updates, including on Great Big Green Week, and the latest round of the National Lottery’s Climate Action Fund.

If you haven’t yet registered, please do so by return of e-mail!

Finally, we’re putting together an overview of local activities happening during Great Big Green Week (24 September to 2 October).  If you’re group is planning something, please do let us know.

 

Free Gloucestershire Sustainability Project

Kingshill House Arts Centre in Dursley, Gloucestershire. The community funded project ‘Response/Respond’ is starting soon (9th/10^th & 11th September). ‘Response/Respond‘ is a community project that is focused on climate action – there will be two days of free willow weaving to build a beautiful Willow Home and then one day of free family-fun with music, food and storytelling to celebrate!

 

Cycle to School Week

Cycle to School Week is back!
Do you want to save money, get healthier and protect the environment? As well as having lots of fun with the kids on the journey to school? 
Then get involved with Cycle to School Week when the annual event returns to schools across the country from 3 – 7 October! 

 

Stroud area events

See Transition Stroud’s newsletter for details of events, including Stroud Repair Café, Cirencester Repair Café, Share and Repair Stonehouse, Textile Group, MinchCAN’s Walking+Talking (and cycling) Sustainability Discovery Trail on Sat 24 Sep, and Stroud Access Bike Project.

 

Composer Penny Squire – new composition Your Clothes

Stroud composer Penny Squire has written a new piece – 15 minutes of music with film, highlighting how recycling clothes helps prevent pollution of the rivers and seas. It goes live on 7 Sep. See Penny’s GlosCAN blog post.

 

Gloucestershire Community Energy Co-op AGM

Zoom video conference. Please reply to confirm whether you are able to attend on Tuesday 20th September at 7.30pm – info@gloscommenergy.org.uk.‘

 

Campaign for Better Transport

‘Bus services are in peril. Bus services were cut by 16 per cent in the first year of the pandemic alone. The Campaign for Better Transport‘s new report looks at what needs to happen to give every community the bus service it deserves.’

‘What sort of transport future do we want? This is a critical moment for our transport system. Will we slip into a future of ever-rising car use? Or can we build a brighter transport future? Our The Way Forward campaign calls on the Government to fly the flag for public transport.’

 

350.org campaign

Sign now: We demand to be warm this winter: emergency support; help to upgrade homes; cheap energy; free us from oil and gas.

 

Second Hand September

Second Hand September has inspired thousands of people to shop in a way that is kinder to people and planet. Details at Oxfam.

 

The most environmentally damaging farm products?

What are the greenhouse gas effects of producing different types of food? A new book by George Monbiot, ‘Regenesis’, discusses this.

 

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GlosCAN Newsletter

July 2022

Contents – News and Events

Government policies will not get UK to net zero, warns damning report
Environment Agency chief hits out at greenwashing by businesses
Share your views on long-term future of cycling in Gloucestershire
New county road safety policy out for consultation
Tewkesbury Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan
Electric vehicle charging points in Gloucestershire – give your views
Reduce your travel emissions
GCC climate change news
Tewkesbury Borough Council – new solar panel installation update
Stroud CAN Forum meeting

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Government policies will not get UK to net zero, warns damning report

Progress report from the Climate Change Committee suggests ministers could renege on greenhouse gas emissions commitment.

Environment Agency chief hits out at greenwashing by businesses

‘Deception’ gives false impression firms are addressing climate crisis, says Emma Howard Boyd.

Share your views on long-term future of cycling in Gloucestershire

Residents are being reminded to have their say on the long-term future of cycling in Gloucestershire. By working with Sustrans, a charity that looks after the national cycling network, the county council wants to identify a potential long-term strategic cycling network across the county.
Views from residents will help form the long-term ambitions for cycling in the county. As well as wanting to hear from cyclists about their experiences, the county council is keen to understand any potential barriers to residents getting on their bikes.

New county road safety policy out for consultation

The county council has drafted a new road safety policy, which aims to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the county’s roads by 50 per cent by 2032.

The long-term aspiration is to follow the ‘Vision Zero’ approach, which is recognised around the world and aspires to stop all traffic fatalities and severe injuries by 2050, while increasing safe and healthy travel for everyone.

To help move towards this aspiration, our road safety strategy 2022-2032 aims to deliver safer roads, healthier streets and lower speed limits where people live.

An eight-week consultation period inviting people to give their views on the draft policy started on Monday 18 July and runs until 11 September 2022.

You can take part in the survey here.
Read the full press release here.

Tewkesbury Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan

Tewkesbury’s plan has just been published by GCC – you can read it here.

Electric vehicle charging points in Gloucestershire – give your views

The county council has recently appointed Connected Kerb to install and run a network of chargers over the next three years.
The programme aims to prioritise access to charging points for the one third of residents who do not have off-street parking and charging.
The council has started working with district and parish councils to identify suitable locations and is bidding for government funding to accelerate this work and benefit smaller communities. Residents are being asked to give their views on where they think charging points should be located, to help map demand and plan for electric vehicle charging.
You can share your views by registering your interest here. The survey will stay open for the duration of the three-year project.
Connected Kerb’s chargers are made from recycled materials, use renewable energy and will be accessible to people with disabilities. They have also committed to recruiting local workers and apprentices.

Reduce your travel emissions

Find out more about how you can reduce your travel emissions with GCC’s Thinktravel website: https://www.thinktravel.info

GCC climate change news

Keep up to date with the latest climate change news from the County Council by subscribing to the Greener Gloucestershire Climate Action newsletter. 

Tewkesbury Borough Council – new solar panel installation update

Following the motion to declare a Climate Change Emergency in 2019, Tewkesbury Borough Council  has committed to becoming Carbon Neutral by 2030. The solar canopy is a significant part of the plan to reach this goal.
The solar panel canopy is being installed at the Public Service Centre on Gloucester Road and will generate up to 260,000 kWh of renewable electricity which can be used by both the council buildings and the leisure centre. This is around 70% of the council’s electricity demand.
By using less energy from the grid and fewer fossil fuels, the council’s greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by around 76 tonnes a year.
Work on the solar canopy has taken place throughout May and June, with the structure due to be completed later this month. The solar panels will then be connected to the council building and leisure centre buildings and start generating electricity.

Stroud CAN Forum

Feedback at the F2F event in May suggested the setting up of an online resource library to enable the sharing of material between local CANs. Consultation on this has been in progress.

A reminder that the next Stroud CAN Forum online meeting is on Monday 12th September (1900-20.45), with a focus on local energy.  Please contact the Forum if you would like to attend.

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GlosCAN Newsletter

May 2022

Contents – News and Events

Nature and Climate – Tewkesbury, Public Forum Discussion, 17 June 6:45 p.m.
The Climate & Ecology Bill is heading to the Lords!
Alok Sharma is still president of COP
Carbon bombs and climate breakdown
Climate limit of 1.5C close to being broken, scientists warn
Fatih Birol – world’s leading energy economist
Stroud CAN Forum – views on the government’s Energy Security Strategy

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Nature and Climate – Tewkesbury, Public Forum Discussion, 17 June 6:45 p.m.

Public Forum Discussion, 17 June 6:45 p.m.  2 hrs
George Watson Memorial Hall, 65 Barton St, Tewkesbury GL20 5PX
Register on-line.

Join us for a public forum discussion on how Tewkesbury residents can help achieve faster, effective and more affordable action on climate change and nature in the UK.

We’re in a climate and nature emergency – but while people across Britain are stepping up to face it, our political system struggles to deal with the crisis at the level required. Tewkesbury is at the front line of the climate and nature emergency.

GlosCAN Newsletter

April 2022

 

Contents – News and Events

Bike Month Challenge in Gloucestershire
Unthinkable climate action – Cap and Adapt
Climate Outreach – net zero, fairness and climate politics
Stroud District CAN Forum

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Bike Month Challenge in Gloucestershire

This month of May there will be a big promotion of cycling with the Bike Month Challenge. Anyone can take part. Details for Gloucestershire: https://www.lovetoride.net/gloucestershire

This May is all about riding as a team! Gather your friends, family, neighbours or co-workers to form a team of up to 10 riders and ride your way to the top of the leaderboards. There’s fun to be had and loads of prizes to be won! 

Bike Month isn’t about riding the furthest or the most often, it’s about riding when you can, encouraging others and spreading the joys of bike riding far and wide. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to stay updated. Happy riding!

 

Unthinkable climate action – Cap and Adapt

Four scientists, a few small nations, and making unthinkable climate action possible.

. . . climate change physics “just doesn’t bend … just doesn’t care what we [otherwise] regard as realism.”
“most people [are] below-average emitters”. . .
“We . . . have this assumption that efficiency measures somehow result in emissions reduction. But that’s actually the wrong way around. . .”

https://www.resilience.org/stories/2022-02-11/four-scientists-a-few-small-nations-and-making-unthinkable-climate-action-possible/

 

Climate Outreach – net zero, fairness and climate politics

Public concern about climate change in the UK is high and broad-based but it exists at a time of great change, uncertainty and cynicism. As the country faces rising costs of living, difficult political conversations are beginning to play out about what fair net zero policies look like and how to pay for them. 

Our new research, building on Britain Talks Climate, seeks to answer questions about how people across the political spectrum prioritise climate change compared to other important issues . . .

GlosCAN Newsletter

March 2022

 

Contents – News and Events

Unite Behind the Science – new IPCC AR6 report
Global Optimism – the clean energy future, the only future that gives us a future
Keeping 1.5 Alive – UN Secretary-General
Nuclear Fusion at Berkeley
Stonehouse Climate Fair
Stroud District CAN Forum

 

GlosCAN Newsletter

February 2022

 

Contents – News and Events

Success of solar PV investment Minchinhampton School

Stroud District CAN Forum Facebook Group

Building more roads is not consistent with climate action

Gloucestershire County Council successes

Should we hold a GlosCAN AGM via Zoom?

‘Correspondents’ wanted to pass on news about events and activities

Sharing MPs’ views on climate change

COP26 event about the Carbon Takeback Obligation

Published paper about ‘Geological Net Zero (Geological Carbon Neutrality)’ co-authored by Hugh Richards, Chair of GlosCAN

New campaign: ‘2% More” or “2% for 1.5’ – Yuval Noah Harari

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Success of solar PV investment Minchinhampton School

Gloucestershire Community Energy Co-op have reached the £70,000 target for the Minchinhampton School project, with 57 contributors.

They have also received the planning permission and grid connection authority, so are now pressing ahead with the project arrangements and aim to be operational soon after Easter.  They will provide further updates as the project progresses. Many thanks to all who subscribed.

Stroud District CAN Forum Facebook Group

The new CAN Forum Facebook Group is up and running. Please do join the group! Click here.

Recent discussion in the new group includes:

Whether folk should support a planning application for a large-scale solar PV/battery farm near Whitminster? Could we create a community climate hub in the district similar to an inspiring case study in Guildford? How might groups support the Repair campaign being launched by Gloucestershire Recycles in March? News about a WRAP webinar about plans for Food Waste Action Week 2022.

 

Building more roads is not consistent with climate action

Article about junction 10 of the M5 on GloucestershireLive.

Road building in South Gloucestershire district, including how more roads can merely result in more traffic – blog by by Joe Dunckley. 

Article on legal attempt last year to reduce the amount of road building.

The Transport Action Network is a national organisation campaigning for a more rational transport policy.

Gloucestershire County Council successes

County Councillors have secured two budget amendments this month: The first (£45K) is to employ a County-wide biodiversity management officer to identify opportunities on Gloucestershire County Council land and on other public estate and the second (£120K) is for a ‘tip shop’ pilot at one of the household recycling centres.

Should we hold a GlosCAN AGM via Zoom?

We have not held a meeting since before the pandemic and Zoom meetings of all kinds have now become commonplace. What kind of meeting do you favour – in person or via Zoom? For example, it could be that more people will be able to attend if it is held on-line. Please let GlosCAN know your views about this by contacting the Secretary at info@gloscan.org.

‘Correspondents’ wanted to pass on news about events and activities

GlosCAN would like to be able to publicise more events and activities in different parts of the county, such as, for example, Cheltenham, Forest of Dean, Cirencester. If you feel you are well placed to help and would like to take part in this, please get in touch with GlosCAN.

Sharing MPs’ views on climate change

Do you exchange e-mails with your MP about climate change? What kinds of responses do you receive? Do you feel that they are engaging with the heart of the climate issue, or are they focussed on matters which, whilst they may be important, are still secondary ones? If you would like to share your e-mail exchanges with GlosCAN this would help in understanding where MPs stand on climate change. Please contact info@gloscan.org.

COP26 event about the Carbon Takeback Obligation

What is the Carbon Takeback Obligation? How can fossil fuel producers be obliged to take responsibility for the CO2 which is produced from fossil fuel use? Find out more by watching the recording of this event at COP 26: ‘Carbon Takeback: Producer Responsibility for Oil & Gas’, on YouTube

‘Geological Net Zero (Geological Carbon Neutrality)’, a paper co-authored by Hugh Richards, Chair of GlosCAN

This paper ‘Geological Net Zero (Geological Carbon Neutrality) – How could we get there?’ published on ResearchGate.net has so far attracted 63 ‘reads’, including by several leading thinkers and researchers in the fields of supply-side climate policy and what is usually called ‘carbon capture and storage/sequestration (CCS)’.

As an example of CCS, power plants with carbon capture and storage technology (as envisaged by UK government) are the sort of thing that could contribute to geological net zero, if the CCS were funded by a fossil fuel extraction company (e.g. within a carbon takeback obligation and/or supply side treaty framework). The full cost of the CCS would not be directly borne by the power plant developer/operator or government subsidy.

These ideas may finally be entering the mainstream, as indicated by this article from a former senior Exxon employee: ‘We should harness oil companies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions’, from ‘TheHill.com’. Hugh Richards’ co-author, Patrick Portolano, is going to the giant energy industry CERAWeek conference in Houston, Texas, hoping to connect with others on this theme.

 

New campaign: ‘2% More” or “2% for 1.5’ – Yuval Noah Harari

With an article in Time magazine in January 2022, the world-famous historian and author Yuval Noah Harari has entered the world of climate activism. He is proposing an ambitious new campaigning objective: to demand that governments convening in Egypt for COP27 in November this year will commit to investing the roughly 2% of annual global GDP needed to prevent global warming from exceeding 1.5°C. He can be heard expounding this idea and responding to questions in a podcast ‘2% for 1.5’ in the excellent series “Outrage and Optimism” released in early February. The podcast also includes some constructive criticism from the podcast hosts: Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson.

 

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GlosCAN Newsletter

January 2022

 

Contents – News and Events

Solar PV Minchinhampton School 2.5%, investment applications by Mon 31 Jan
Stroud District CAN Forum news
News from Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury Green Party Talk
Show The Love Green Hearts Campaign – the Climate Coalition
Looking back on Great Big Green Week 2021 – the Climate Coalition
CEE Bill Zero Hour Posters
Stroud District Council climate progress

Solar PV Minchinhampton School 2.5%, investment applications by Mon 31 Jan

Dear Gloscan,

Many thanks to those supporters who responded to our appeal for investment in a substantial solar PV system at Minchinhampton School. We are now at 60% of the required £70,000 cost so well on the way, but need a bit more help to get this important climate change action off the ground. We are looking for investments of between £250 and £10,000, and offer 2.5% interest so better than banks and building societies.  Note we are not asking for donations – you can ask for your money back! 

We held a Zoom call with the Headmaster and parents to explain the project and respond to questions – you can see the video of this at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_EmFA6aC4U , while the detailed offer prospectus is at  https://gloscommenergy.org.uk/2021/12/02/new-share-offer-for-pv-system-at-minchinhampton-primary-academy/

So please consider again if you can help, feel free to contact me, Peter Boait, at peter.boait@btinternet.com or 07740 644211 with any questions. 

Best regards,

Peter Boait

Chair, Gloucestershire Community Energy Coop

City Works, Alfred Street, Gloucester GL1 4DF

07740 644211

 

Stroud District CAN Forum news

See the full copy of the news update here, which includes notes on the forum meeting of 24 Jan about group development and capacity building with Stuart Melvin of the Group Development team at Friends of the Earth (FoE) – notes, summaries and video on the website. Next meeting is 21 March. Other news: community share offer (see article above), job opportunity with Stroud Valleys Project, GFirst sustainability survey – SMEs, community project DIY video-making workshop, council climate Scorecards – Stroud District Council (see below).

 

News from Tewkesbury

Tewkesbury Friends of the Earth are organising an event at Tewkesbury Town Hall on Saturday 16th April 2022.  The focus is to share practical ideas and tips on how to reduce your own carbon footprint and live sustainably.  There will be stalls, talks, demos and walks in and around the hall its garden.  We welcome anyone who would like to have a stall at our event with the same focus.  The next Friends of the Earth meeting is Thursday 3rd February, 7.30pm at The Cross House Pub by the Cross in Tolsey Lane and the meeting will be focusing on this event.  For further information, or to join, email catecody99@gmail.com who will put you in touch with the chair. 

Tewkesbury Repair Café – Next session is planned for Saturday 19th February, 2-5pm at the Baptist Church.

Tewkesbury Nature Reserve – Volunteering  Contact volunteers@

‘Toads on the Roads’ volunteers. Contact catecody99@gmail.com for further details.

Community speed watch group.  Full training given. monitoring during March. Contact catecody99@gmail.com 

Cheltenham & Tewkesbury Cycling Campaign – For further details and to become a member, see http://www.

 

Tewkesbury Green Party Talk

We are delighted to welcome Jenny Jones
(otherwise known as Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb)
Thu, 17 Feb 2022, 18:00

Jenny has represented us in the House of Lords since 2013, having been chosen in a ballot of all Green Party members. She has spent many years raising awareness of environmental issues and climate change as well as being involved in projects concerning social and welfare issues, civil liberties, transport and employment policies. Book Now

 

Show The Love Green Hearts Campaign – The Climate Coalition

We have updated our Comms Pack for the Green Hearts campaign – which kicks off very soon at the beginning of February. We would love to see lots of posts from members on social media in the run up to the campaign!

A reminder that there are a number of ways to get involved in the campaign, such as:

• Encouraging supporters to take part in our craftivism action by sending a postcard or email to their MP;

• Booking Monday 14 February in your social media calendar to share your ‘For The Love Of’ stories – make sure to use #TheFightThatUnites and/or #ShowTheLove so we can amplify them across TCC’s channels;

• Inviting your celebrity ambassadors to share their ‘For The Love Of’ stories;

• Sharing our great heart animation on your channels any time in February (this will be available from the 7th February). 

You can also find our Community Action Pack here. Do let us know if you have any questions or ideas for getting involved. 

 

Looking back on Great Big Green Week 2021 – the Climate Coalition

I am pleased to share with you two evaluations that we have carried out from Great Big Green Week (GBGW) 2021. The first is an overall evaluation, which was informed by surveys, interviews and focus groups, and looks at how well GBGW met its objectives and what could be done differently in the future. 

The second is a diversity and inclusion evaluation, which consisted of 5 case studies with specifically identified organisers of GBGW to draw out lessons and learning for our ongoing diversity and inclusion strategy.

These evaluation documents will feed into all our planning for the next Great Big Green Week – taking place 24th September to 2 October 2022 – so do have a read through.

 

CEE Bill Zero Hour Posters

Our supporters asked for them, so we made them!  Zero Hour posters are available now, and you can get yours here. Donate £5 (or more) and we’ll send you 6 posters to stick in your windows and share with your friends and neighbours. Supplies are limited for now, so make sure to get your order in quickly so we can guarantee you’re the first to get some.

 

Stroud District Council climate climate progress

Stroud District Council has achieved equal 17^th position in Climate Emergency UK’s assessment of local authority climate actions, with a score of 77% compared to an average of 46% amongst English councils.  See the Guardian exclusive here, and SDC’s detailed score card here.

 

GlosCAN Newsletter

December 2021

Contents – News and Events

UK holds COP Presidency for the year until COP27 in Nov 2022

Stroud District CAN Forum

Road-building still the county council’s main priority?

Improving the county’s bus services

Campaigning for the CEE Bill / Zero Hour

Climate Coalition forthcoming events

Climate Coalition member updates

UK Government Report Card for 2021

Should I Bake?

Tewkesbury Repair Cafe Dates

Tewkesbury Green Party – Come and meet Jenny Jones!

Severn Trent Community Fund – grants for environmental projects

 

UK holds COP Presidency for the year until COP27 in Nov 2022

The UK continues to hold the COP Presidency for the next year until COP27 in Egypt. It has a vital role in driving progress in this period and beyond across mitigation, adaptation and finance. This in turn will support the UK’s climate goals at home.

The UK should maintain a strong COP team and should support strengthened global climate action through all available channels. See more at the Climate Change Committee.

 

Stroud District CAN Forum

The next CAN Forum is on Monday 24th January (1900-20.45).  The theme is on ‘group development and capacity building’, which was flagged in the recent survey findings as a key topic for guidance and discussion.  We’ll be joined by Stuart Melvin, from the Grassroots Development Coordination team at Friends of the Earth.  Stuart will speak to the theme, including group culture, team working, recruiting and involving new people and revitalising groups (and we’ll have discussion in breakout rooms).  Please register by return of e-mail! https://canforum.transitionstroud.org/

 

Road-building still the county council’s main priority?

A public consultation has been launched to finalise improvement plans for a major motorway junction. Gloucestershire County Council plans to connect junction 10 on the M5 to West Cheltenham via a new road and widen the A4019 Tewkesbury Road. The council said the plans will boost transport links to the local area and will facilitate planned housing. The consultation will end on 15 February and the results will be included in a planning application. BBC: Plans for M5 Cheltenham junction ‘progressing’

 

Improving the county’s bus services

Gloucestershire County Council wants residents to have their say on the future of bus services in the county. Gloucestershire’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) (PDF, 2 MB) follows the National Bus Strategy (NBS) that aims to dramatically improve bus services in England through greater local leadership and joint working with bus operators, the public and interest groups. The survey closes on 30 January, 2022. Documentation here.

 

Campaigning for the CEE Bill / Zero Hour

Campaigns for local councils to support MPs in taking climate action nationally – the CEE Bill / Zero Hour – here are some good resources and ideas from other counties:

Oxfordshire https://www.facebook.com/OxfordshireClimateAlliance/

South Hams, Devon https://www.sh-can.org/

https://www.facebook.com/SouthHamsCAN

 

Climate Coalition forthcoming events

Show The Love in February 2022 is now just around the corner, and we’ll be coming together again to show decision makers that we want to see real and rapid action on the climate and nature crisis. Take a look at our Community Action Pack for ideas on how your supporters can get involved and share their green hearts with their MPs and on social media, and our communications pack with suggested copy for sharing the campaign with your supporters. 

Our next All-Coalition meeting will take place on 26th January and we’ll be joined by Angela Terry, Founder and CEO of One Home, who will be talking about keeping climate change coverage in the media after COP26 this year. Looking forward to seeing many of you there.

 

Climate Coalition member updates

The Proof is in the Pudding. Last Wednesday, climate campaigners dressed as Christmas puddings and delivered a giant Christmas card to Downing Street, calling on the Government to keep the promises made at COP26. Organised by Tearfund, Christian Aid and the ONE Campaign, and hosted online by TCC, the Christmas card was signed by more than 50,000 people and demanded justice for the world’s most climate vulnerable communities. 

 

UK Government Report Card for 2021

On Monday, we released a report card that awarded the Government a ‘C’ for their work on climate change this year. The report card assesses both the UK’s record on “leading on the world stage” and “leading by example at home”, as well as their policies on protecting nature, reducing emissions and supporting people affected by climate change. 

 

Should I Bake?

For those supporters who bake, this site https://shouldibake.com/ recommends baking when more than a third of Britain’s electricity is coming from wind, solar and hydro power, so we can put the oven on with a lesser likelihood of using fossil fuels when we do.  Of course, it could also apply to when we use washing machines, (dishwashers and tumble driers if people have them), charging phones, iPads, laptops, other gadgets etc.

 

Tewkesbury Repair Cafe Dates 8th January 2022, 19th February 2022, 19th March 2022, 16th April 2022. These are all Saturdays, 2-5pm at the Baptist Church. Bring things that need fixing (toys, electronics, gadgets, clothes etc etc) and tools that need sharpening.  

 

Tewkesbury Green Party – Come and meet Jenny Jones!

Hosting Jenny Jones (Baroness Jones) by Zoom on 17th Feb. Jenny is a very experienced Green Party of England and Wales member and has represented us in the House of Lords since 2013. Register at

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/  All welcome. 

 

Severn Trent Community Fund – grants for environmental projects

Severn Trent Community Fund is launching a one-off grant round in January to support community projects tackling climate change. The Project themes will be:

Green Spaces: Projects that create and enhance green spaces and offset carbon. Examples include creating new natural habitats, like ponds and wildflower meadows.

Recycling and making the most of resources: Projects that help to reduce the carbon footprint of community spaces and activities. Examples include recycling and energy saving initiatives.

Water saving heroes: Projects that preserve water and reduce water use. Projects like this will limit the amount of carbon used for water production. Examples include grey water recycling and rainwater harvesting.

Not-for-profit organisations with an income of less than £500,000 based in the Severn Trent region can apply. This includes constituted community groups, charities, town & parish councils, schools and social enterprises. You don’t need match funding – Severn Trent would want to be the majority stakeholder (supporting at least 51% of costs). Eligible organisations can apply for £5,000, £10,000 or £20,000 of funding. 

Applications open Monday 10th January 2022 and close Sunday 20th February 2022. A Customer Panel will review and shortlist the projects. The finalists will then go to a public vote in April with successful projects being awarded in May.  

For more details see: https://www.stwater.co.uk/

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

 

GlosCAN Newsletter

November 2021

 

Stroud Climate Cairn Nov 2021

Contents – News and Events

Climate actions we can take

– The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty

See the ‘COP26 Reportback’
An individual person, a company or organisation or local council can endorse the Treaty.
‘Sydney, Los Angeles, Barcelona, Toronto and many other cities have endorsed the Treaty already.
Are you a councillor, mayor or grassroots organisation interested in supporting your city to endorse the Fossil Fuel Treaty? Contact our Cities Team to find out more and access resources and a draft endorsement motion.’ A Gloucestershire council could follow this lead too.

– Zero Hour, the CEE Bill, Climate & Ecological Emergency Bill

Parliament declared a Climate Emergency back in 2019 – but actions haven’t matched their words. An emergency requires strong, decisive action to reverse the climate and ecological crisis – the Climate & Ecological Emergency Bill. Join the Campaign

118 MPs are supporting the CEE Bill so far. Provisions include:

– instead of having a date as a target it is based on a carbon budget, which means keeping within the CO2 emissions that remain to us before we exceed 1.5 deg C, not setting an arbitrary future date;

– instead of emissions produced within the UK only, it is based on the total of all emissions from consumption and transport, which are much higher;

– it contains public consultation in the form of a citizens’ assembly, as took place in 2020 https://www.climateassembly.uk, but with a brief to include all emissions.

Please note that this not the same bill as the Environment Bill, which is not a climate bill. More information, from a CAN in Devon, here.  Zero Hour resources page is  here, which also includes materials produced by local campaigns around the UK (including sample letters to MPs and orgs).

Please contact GlosCAN if you would like to learn more.

– The Climate Coalition – upcoming actions

Tell your MP to keep 1.5C Alive; make your voice heard by sending a Christmas card to the Prime Minister – https://www.theclimatecoalition.org/take-action

COP26 to COP27 Webinar. Registration is now open for a webinar we will run on 7th December from 1pm – 2:15pm.

Centre for Alternative Technology, CAT.org

What does the phrase ‘net zero’ mean? Read about When Net Zero is NOT Zero

A pre-summit view of COP26 from ‘Nature’

COP26 climate summit: A scientists’ guide to a momentous meeting

 

Stroud CAN Forum

Latest newsletter is at http://gloscan.org/stroud-district-can-forum/

 

GlosCAN and ‘Geological Net Zero’

GlosCAN was pleased to have assisted in the publication of a proposal for COP26 about fossil fuels and ‘geological net zero’. The proposal is based on the principle that ‘for every amount of fossil carbon extracted, the same amount of carbon must be geologically sequestered in the same year.’ It belongs therefore to the group of ideas that are being advanced for reducing the actual source of carbon emissions.

Read the short summary article on the author Patrick Portolano’s LinkedIn page: “Geological Net Zero”​ – A proposal for a simple and effective resolution at COP26
Read the full working paper on LinkedIn, ‘COP26: Now is the time for an effective climate action’: “Geological Net Zero”: A proposal for a simple and globally effective international agreement on fossil carbon or, alternatively, at ResearchGate here.
Update Nov 2021 – COP26 : Put out the Climatic Fire NOW! please make the right resolution THIS WEEK

Stroud Climate Cairn Nov 2021

Camino to COP26

GlosCAN’s own correspondent on the Camino to Glasgow, Jim Pentney, tells the story, with photos. Follow links to the pdf format version:  http://gloscan.org/camino-to-cop26/

 

Stroud Climate Cairn

The Climate Cairn, mentioned in ‘Camino to COP26’ above has its own webpage.

 

News from Tewkesbury

Global Day of Action for Climate Justice 6th Nov, Tewkesbury 

Around 500 COP26 awareness events took place worldwide and Tewkesbury was one of 70 locations in the UK.  It was a really good turnout with lots of adults, children and babies and we had a peaceful rally around the town which received a lot of support from shopkeepers and assistants and a few passers by who joined in too. 

Here are some of those who took part, including a woman who cycled from Newent to join us.  We also took lots with us in spirit who wrote to say they would have liked to have attended too. 

GlosCAN Newsletter

October 2021

 

(Image from the Climate Coalition)

Contents – News and Events

Clang for the climate
1-3 Nov Climate Action Lab, Hawkwood, Stroud
6 Nov, COP26 Awareness march in Tewkesbury and Gloucester
Sat 6 Nov 12.00-12.30, Vigil for the Planet, Stroud
GlosCAN and proposal for COP26 [addition to newsletter]

. . . . .
News from Stroud CAN Forum:
Pre-COP26: Friends of the Earth
Post-COP26 – recruiting new members: FoE
Clock ticking on CAN survey
Food survey: GRCC is conducting a public survey
Heat pumps in the news

. . . . . .
News from Tewkesbury:
Open call for land – trees need you!
Greener Gloucestershire
Funding to help communities tackle climate change
GCC COVID-recovery grant scheme for community projects
Tewkesbury Repair Cafe is back!  
Exciting news from Tewkesbury Nature Reserve (TNR)
Fill up your milk bottles at the B Natural Shop!

. . . .
Camino to COP26: GlosCAN Supporter in Scotland
Planned fossil fuel output ‘vastly exceeds’ climate limits, says UN
UN Production Gap Report
Three COP outcomes we can’t live without – supporting the CEE Bill
The Fossil Fuel Treaty
Introduce charges on carbon emissions to tackle climate crisis and air pollution
Climate Coalition
Climate Outreach at COP26
Solar farm planning application, Iron Acton
Speech on climate by the Prime Minister analysed

Sat 30 Oct Clang for the climate

Clang for Climate is a simple, high-impact action that anyone can take part in at 6pm on Saturday 30 October – just before COP26 starts on 1 November. All you need is a pot, pan, bucket, bell or anything else you can use to make a loud noise.

1-3 Nov Climate Action Lab, Hawkwood, Stroud

Hawkwood’s Climate Action Lab is on Monday 1 November – Wednesday 3 November. It’s online and it’s free, with excellent sessions, networking and chance to make your own personal action plan.

6 Nov, COP26 Awareness march in Tewkesbury and Gloucester

UK wide marches are taking place on 6th November, to raise awareness for COP26.  Groups and individuals in Tewkesbury are organising something in the morning.  For more information look out for social media posts or contact catecody99@gmail.com  A larger event is taking place in Gloucester in the afternoon.   

Sat 6 Nov 12.00-12.30, Vigil for the Planet, Stroud

Join Stroud’s VIGIL FOR THE PLANET on Saturday 6th November from 12 noon to 12.30 in Stroud High Street/corner with Kendrick Street. Bring banners and placards.
This is part of a World Day of Action for Climate Justice called  by the COP26 Coalition, where towns and cities across the world will be demonstrating and marching calling on world leaders to make bold commitments at COP26.
For more information contact whiteside@gn.apc.org
Please help publicise this by circulating the flyer

GlosCAN and proposed international agreement for COP26 [addition to newsletter]

GlosCAN has been involved in the preparation of a proposal for COP26 “Geological Net Zero”: A proposal for a simple and globally effective international agreement on fossil carbon, as reported last month. Read the latest update and the full proposal.

. . . . . 

News from Stroud CAN Forum

Clock ticking on CAN survey: thanks to folk from Berkeley Vale, Bisley, Chalford, Nailsworth, Stonehouse and Wotton groups who have submitted survey responses!  The survey aims to build a picture of the coverage and scope of CAN activities across the district, and to inform discussion about future support to the network.  There’s an online form for submission of survey responses.  Please submit by 31 October.

Food survey: GRCC is conducting a public survey on behalf of ‘Gloucestershire Food Partnership’ to learn more about how it can help overcome barriers to accessing ‘good’ food.  The Partnership would like as many people as possible to take part by 31st October. The survey can be found here.

Heat pumps in the news: the Government is publishing its Heat and Building Strategy, including news of a new grant scheme for heat pumps.    The Government claims that it will “drive down the costs of clear heat”, but campaigners say it lacks ambition.  We’ll be taking a closer look over coming weeks.

. . . . . .

News from Tewkesbury

Open call for land – trees need you!

Gloucestershire County Council is looking for land in the county to help plant trees, to increase woodland and tackle climate change.  The county council has recently been awarded £300k from the Woodland Trust’s Emergency Tree Fund Grant Scheme for planting trees in the county and developing a programme to maintain them. The council is now looking for landowners to come forward and offer land to plant approximately 360,000 trees over the next three years.

As trees grow, they help to reduce the impact of climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the air which is driving global warming and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere.  Are you a landowner who can help? Contact the county council’s climate change team by emailing glosclimate@gloucestershire. To read more about GCC’s approach for trees please visit https://www.gloucestershire.

Greener Gloucestershire

You can sign up to receive the new ‘Greener Gloucestershire’ newsletter to keep up to date on local activity and receive hints and tips on how you can reduce carbon emissions and take action to protect the future of our environment.

Funding to help communities tackle climate change

The National Lottery Community Fund is offering grants between £1,000 to £10,000 to support communities across the UK to take action on climate change. Projects should reflect what matters to your community and can be small in scale. They could cover an area like: Food, Transport, Energy, Waste and consumption and / or The natural environment.

Voluntary and community groups, charities, not-for-profit organisations, schools, and town and parish councils can all apply. The closing date is 18th November 2021. See Together for Our Planet | The National Lottery Community Fund (tnlcommunityfund.org.uk) for more details.

GCC COVID-recovery grant scheme for community projects

All the County Councillors have a COVID-recovery grant scheme for community projects launched by GCC, with £40,000 (total) available across each division over the next four years.

Get in touch with your County Councillor to discuss.  Applicants may be community / voluntary / sports / faith groups, schools, CICs or local councils. Relevant projects include those which: Promote and encourage community health and wellbeing; Improve digital inclusion; Promote nature and/or the environment; Promote healthy lifestyles; or Encourage safer neighbourhoods

In view of the climate and ecological emergency, whatever the subject matter, the Green Councillors will be looking most favourably on those which also deliver a net environmental benefit.

Full grant details here: https://www.gloucestershire.

When you’re ready, contact your councillor to discuss your project.   https://glostext.

Tewkesbury Repair Cafe is back!  

Saturday 16th October, 2-5pm at the Baptist Church.  November date tbc, contact: admin_team@.  Bring things that need fixing (toys, phones, hoovers, clothes, tools etc etc)

Exciting news from Tewkesbury Nature Reserve (TNR)

TNR has just recruited Robyn Kinnersley as its new Learning and Outreach Officer for the ‘Green Lung’ project, funded under DEFRA’s Green Recovery Challenge.  Robyn will be designing learning activities for schools, lively outreach activities for adults and a new training programme for volunteers, developing its participation in citizen science projects and working with partners like The John Moore Museum.  It is exciting to utilise the reserve as an educational environment that benefits community wellbeing and wildlife in the process. Robyn is based at Priors Park Neighbourhood Project and can be contacted at: learning@

Fill up your milk bottles at the B Natural Shop!

Another great provision from B Natural – They now have a refrigerated milk dispenser from Cotswold Dairy, offering semi-skimmed milk refills. Bottles are available for people to purchase, or you can also bring in any bottle yourself.

Alongside this, the following will be available in glass bottles (people can bring the glass bottles back for Cotswold Dairy to reuse). Whole Milk (non Homogenised), Organic Whole Milk (non Homogenised), Oat Milk. If there is enough interest for an Oat Milk Refill Station, this may be a possibility too, so go into the shop and let them know! They are at 74 Barton Street. 

. . . . .

Camino to COP26: GlosCAN Supporter in Scotland

Jim Pentney, a GlosCAN supporter is taking part in the Carlisle to Glasgow section of the Camino. He crossed the Scottish Border with the Camino walkers from Carlisle to Gretna last week. He is carrying a scallop shell from Stroud Climate Cairn with him.

Planned fossil fuel output ‘vastly exceeds’ climate limits, says UN

Despite pledges of action from many nations, almost none have policies to wind down production, report says

https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/10/1103472

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/20/planned-fossil-fuel-output-vastly-exceeds-climate-limits-says-un

UN Production Gap Report

https://productiongap.org/

https://productiongap.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/PGR2021_ExecSummary_web.pdf

https://productiongap.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/PGR2021_web.pdf

The red lines show the world’s current plans for fossil fuel production!

Three COP outcomes we can’t live without – supporting the CEE Bill

COP26 is just days away, and as the eyes of the world turn to Glasgow this is a critical moment for the Zero Hour campaign. Ask your MP, local business leaders, community champions and councillors to sign-up at ceebill.uk/cop26-cop15
https://www.ceebill.uk/cop_actions?utm_campaign=aa_cop_buildup&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ceebill

The Fossil Fuel Treaty

Fossil Fuel Treaty news is here.  Individuals as well as organisations and councils can endorse the treaty and join the mailing list.

Introduce charges on carbon emissions to tackle climate crisis and air pollution

If you signed this petition, parliament is going to debate it, scheduled for 1 Nov – “Introduce charges on carbon emissions to tackle climate crisis and air pollution”. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/574678 Once the debate has happened, you will be emailed a video and transcript.
The Petitions team, UK Government and Parliament

Climate Coalition

Great Big Green Week wrap-up film.

Climate Outreach at COP26

Placing people at the heart of climate action. Our own focus is on putting public engagement at the heart of the conference… More

Solar farm planning application, Iron Acton

Elm Solar Farm, Iron Acton, South Gloucestershire: the planning portal for this project is here if you would like to express a view on this project (input planning application reference number: P21/04721/F).

Speech on climate by the Prime Minister analysed

Guardian article by Fiona Harvey. The article includes a link to the Prime Minister writing on the subject in 2015.

—————————————————————————————

 

GlosCAN Newsletter

September 2021

 

Contents – News and Events

Climate Coalition – Great Big Green Week
Centre for Alternative Technology – CAT.org
Camino to COP26
Stroud Climate Cairn
News from Stroud CAN Forum
“Space to Talk – About the Climate” Saturday 25th September, 10.30am-12.30pm at St Laurence Church, Stroud
Proposal for a simple and effective resolution at COP26
Ideas for COP26 – Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty
CEE Bill
Gaia dance – EcoSongs

——————

GlosCAN Newsletter

August 2021

Contents

Conservative Environment Network publication on future of UK fossil fuel industries, with contributions from Gloucestershire MPs – ideas for COP26

Tracking fossil carbon – a responsible circular approach – ideas for COP26

Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty – ideas for COP26

Proposed solar farm and battery storage facility in Moreton Valence and Whitminster

Camino to COP – pilgrimage, September

Getting MPs to the Great Big Green Week – the Climate Coalition

CEE Bill campaign

Change to greener banking

Summer Reading Challenge Event, Tewkesbury – Tuesday 24th August, 2pm – 4.30pm

‘But Beautiful’ – Sustainability film showing at the Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury – Tuesday 24th August, 7.30pm

Tewkesbury Friends of the Earth ‘Green Event’ on Saturday 18th September

Stroud District CAN Forum news and meeting on Mon 6 Sep

Petition to introduce charges on carbon emissions to tackle climate crisis and air pollution

Quotation

News and Events

Conservative Environment Network publication on future of UK fossil fuel industries, with contributions from Gloucestershire MPs – ideas for COP26

On 6^th August, the Conservative Environment Network (CEN) published an essay collection entitled “North Sea Transition”, in which 11 authors (including a Ministerial Foreword by Anne-Marie Trevelyan and two essays by Gloucestershire MPs) give their perspectives on the future of the UK’s fossil fuel industries (excluding coal), broadly framed as a transition from today’s oil and gas extraction industries to various low carbon energy sources including offshore wind and “blue hydrogen¹”.

Most of the essay authors explore aspects of the transition that reflect their own interests in terms of policy and/or their particular constituencies. Stroud MP Siobhan Baillie’s contribution is entitled “Skilling up: why levelling up and the North Sea Transition needs a net zero workforce”, reflecting her interest in further education and training. Gloucester MP Richard Graham has written about “Global Britain and the North Sea: embracing new trading opportunities”, reflecting his position as Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to the ASEAN Economic Community, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, while also referring to his role as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Marine Energy². Others have written about financing the transition, preserving the Union (of Scotland with the rest of the UK), “levelling up”, the future of industries in Aberdeenshire and Teesside, and opposition to onshore fracking in newly Conservative-voting areas of Northern England.

The only contribution to go outside the essay collection’s focus on the UK and its offshore industries, and to consider global climate policy, is by Sir Bernard Jenkin, entitled “A fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty: learning from other forms of international cooperation in the battle against climate change”. In this he is following up on a brief statement of support for the idea of “a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty” (FF-NPT) in the March COP26 debate in parliament, noted in a recent GlosCAN blog-post. His essay does not explicitly support the specific FF-NPT campaign proposals that GlosCAN has recently endorsed (see June 2021 Newsletter), but it does support that campaign’s proposal for a global registry of fossil fuels.

1^ “Blue hydrogen” is created by onshore steam reforming of methane from (fossil) natural gas, followed by sequestration of the resulting carbon dioxide, most likely in deep geological formations offshore. “Green hydrogen” is created by using low carbon electricity (principally renewable) to electrolyse water into hydrogen and oxygen.

GlosCAN Newsletter

July 2021

Contents – Events and News

Supporting the CEE Bill – Friday 23 July, 3 p.m.

Jonathon Porritt – ‘Hope in Hell’ – Zoom meeting Tuesday 20 July 6 p.m.

Camino to Cop – pilgrimage, September

Tewkesbury Friends of the Earth ‘Green Event’ on Saturday 18th September

‘But Beautiful’ – Film showing at the Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury – Tuesday 24th August, 7.30pm

 

Supporting the CEE Bill

Friday 23 July, 3 p.m. Stroud

Many thanks to all those GlosCAN Supporters who have been contacting their MPs in support of the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill – the ‘Climate and Ecology Bill’. Your efforts do make a difference!

CEE Bill. Come and visit our tea-table in King Street Stroud at 3 p.m. where we are supporting the CEE Bill if you live in Stroud constituency.

If you are in another Gloucestershire constituency, please look for any updates at http://gloscan.org/cee-bill/

If you would like to get involved, please contact info@gloscan.org. 

 

Jonathon Porritt – ‘Hope in Hell’

You are invited to hear Jonathon Porritt talk about his latest book “Hope in Hell” which confronts today’s climate emergency. There will be time for your questions too.

Tuesday 20th July, 7pm (by zoom) Tickets by donation from £1

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/jonathon-porritt-hope-in-hell-tickets-161197499059?keep_tld=1

• opportunities to walk with the pilgrims from Wotton-under-Edge to Stroud on 11th September (12 miles) and from Stroud to Gloucester (11 miles) on 13th September;
• offers of overnight accommodation for individual pilgrims on 11th and/or 12th September; and
• offers of practical assistance with events, including publicity, catering & stewarding.

Please send any expressions of interest in getting involved with the Stroud stop-over to info@gloscan.org, who will forward to the relevant organisers.

We hope to have further information about the other stop-overs in Gloucestershire in next month’s newsletter.

					Distance
9th Sept	Thur	1	Bristol	Frampton Cotterell	9.3
10th Sept	Fri	2	Frampton Cotterell	Wooton Under Edge	10
11th Set	Sat	3	Wotton Under Edge	Stroud	12
12th Sept	Sun	4	REST	REST
13th Sept	Mon	5	Stroud	Gloucester	11
14th Sept	Tues	6	Gloucester	Tewkesbury	10
15th Sept	wed	7	Tewkesbury	Upton on Severn	7
16th Sept	Thurs	8	Upton on Severn	Worcester	8
17th Sept	Fri	9	Worcester	Stourport	12
18th Sept	Sat	10	Stourport	Stourbridge	11
19th Sept	Sun	11	REST	REST	12
20th Sept	Mon	13	Stourbridge	Birmingham	9

GlosCAN Newsletter

June 2021
 

Contents – Events and News

Supporting the CEE Bill – a “GlosCAN CEE Bill Advocacy Group”, meeting Fri 25 June

Fossil-Fuel Non-proliferation Treaty – ‘Fossil Fuel Exit Strategy’

The Climate Coalition – Great Big Green Week, September

Climate Outreach.org – climate assemblies

New musical composition by Penny Squire: ‘This Beautiful Planet’

Proposed new solar farm and battery storage facility

 

Supporting the CEE Bill – a “GlosCAN CEE Bill Advocacy Group”

 

A “GlosCAN CEE Bill Advocacy Group” (working title) is being formed to support people in Gloucestershire to advocate for the ‘Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill’ (‘CEE Bill’; formally titled the Climate and Ecology Bill), especially by engaging in a non-partisan and constructive way with local MPs.  Two formation meetings (involving nine people in all) have already taken place by Zoom, and the next is to be on Friday 25^th June, 4:00 to 5:00 pm.  If you would like to attend the next meeting or otherwise get involved, please contact info@gloscan.org. 

The size, form and purposes of the group are still being worked out, and they may well continue to evolve.  Potential purposes range from supporting and sharing experience between individuals who are engaging with their MPs, local councillors, academics or other public figures, to perhaps planning more structured campaigns and events, especially in the lead-up to COP26.  If you are not familiar with the aims of the CEE Bill, there are extensive resources on the CEE Bill Alliance website, for example a 2-minute explainer video and Caroline Lucas MP sharing tips on engaging with MPs.

Please pass on the above details to others by sharing this link http://gloscan.org/invitation-to-join-gloscan-cee-bill-advocacy-group/

We have had the following encouragement from Jonathon Porritt: ‘It’s so important that we keep on building the pressure for a Net Zero economy – which will need to be secured long before the current target date of 2050. And that means building support locally all over the country . . . I hope everybody in Gloucestershire will be able to lend their support to this critically important initiative.’

 

Fossil-Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty – ‘Fossil Fuel Exit Strategy – an orderly wind down of coal, oil and gas to meet the Paris Agreement’.

A new report, 10 June,  finds the world has more than enough renewable energy potential to replace fossil fuels and meet 1.5ºC target – #FossilFuelExit.

GlosCAN has endorsed the Fossil-Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty and it is open to any organisation or individual to do so. This is a global initiative to phase out fossil fuels and support a just transition.

 

The Climate Coalition – Great Big Green Week, September

TCC have launched MP action to help supporters contact their local representative and call for both a meeting as part of the Great Big Green Week, 18-26 September, as well as asking them to act now in Parliament. (Social media pack here.)

Also Hope for the Future have organised a number of training sessions taking place in July – more information here. This online workshop will give you the skills and techniques to successfully build partnerships with your MP on climate change. Based on over 6 years of research and first-hand experience.

 

ClimateOutreach.org

Climate Outreach reports on a new network to share best practice on design & implementation of climate assemblies. The report is quite specialised, but contains more insights into ways of talking about climate change.

 

New musical composition This Beautiful Planet

A new composition This Beautiful Planet – 15 minutes of music with film showing that we live on a beautiful planet with a rich diversity of life. Music by Penny Squire. The string quartet is played by professional musicians. Penny is a GlosCAN supporter from Stroud. See her latest blog, with link to the music and film.

 

Proposed new solar farm and battery storage facility

GlosCAN has received an email communication on behalf of JBM Solar  about a proposed new solar farm and battery storage facility in Moreton Valence and Whitminster, reproduced in edited form below.

If you would like to take up the offer of engagement, please could you send a brief e-mail to info@gloscan.org with the subject line ‘JBM Solar’?  Given sufficient responses, we would convene a meeting to work out how best to respond.

JBM Solar: Proposals for Moreton Valance and Whitminster

I am writing to you on behalf of JBM Solar, which submitted a planning application for a new solar farm and battery storage facility in Moreton Valence and Whitminster earlier this year.

JBM Solar has a proven track record of developing solar farms across the UK and Ireland and is seeking to develop a 49.9MW solar farm and a 49.9MW battery storage facility across the two sites. If approved, the plans would provide sufficient renewable energy to power approximately 15,000 homes and reduce CO₂ emissions by 20,000 tonnes a year. The proposals would also deliver an on-site biodiversity net gain of 18.5%.

Further details of the application can be found on Stroud District Council’s (SDC) planning portal using the reference: 21/0465/FUL.

Following the submission of the application, JBM Solar’s team is continuing to work closely with officers, consultees and the local community as the application progresses through the determination process.

The project team is also committed to engaging with local stakeholders to better understand their views and, as such, would be keen to meet with representatives of GlosCAN to get its thoughts on the current plans.

If you would be interested in a meeting with the team or have any initial questions at this stage, please get in touch.

Yours sincerely,

…….
(For and on behalf of JBM Solar)

——————————————————————————————-

 

GlosCAN Newsletter May 2021
 

Contents – Events and News

GlosCAN endorses Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty
CEE Bill campaign guide
Hope for the Future – effective MP engagement
Climate Outreach – new lessons for building climate change engagement
Stroud District CAN Forum – 14 June, nature-based approaches
Nailsworth Climate Action Network NCAN – stall Saturday 22 May
Tewkesbury Friends of the Earth 22 June
Stroud District Council Climate Emergency – masterplan
The Campaign for Better Transport – new campaign

———————————

GlosCAN endorses Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty

 

Just as 50 years ago the world needed a treaty to defuse the threats posed by nuclear weapons, today we need a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty #FossilFuelTreaty.
GlosCAN has endorsed this initiative. An individual may also endorse it.
See GlosCAN blog “A ‘polluter pays’ treaty to control global fossil carbon extraction – a big idea for COP26 to get talking about now”

CEE Bill

 Read the Climate and Ecological Emergency Campaign Guide.
 Can I really make a difference? Find out how you can join the campaign.

Hope for the Future
Your pathway to effective MP engagement webinar – training on effective political engagement around climate change.
The Big Climate Teach-in for MPs. A webinar with lively short presentations on different aspects of climate. Surprising facts for all, not just MPs.

Climate Outreach
After the lockdown? New lessons for building climate change engagement in the UK – report and webinar recording.
This guide provides insights into the climate narratives that unite us and the narratives that divide us when talking about climate change in the context of Covid-19. The survey applied the Britain Talks Climate model to segment respondents into one of seven groups, in order to understand how to maximise the effectiveness of climate engagement strategies and which messages have appeal across the UK population.
8 Recommendations:
1 Talk about climate change as a sign of a world out of balance.
2 Root discussions of climate policy in the economic circumstances and everyday concerns of people’s lives.
3 Stress the need for both individual and government action.
4 Use communal language, and speak in terms of ‘we’ in order to build a sense of collective agency with regard to addressing climate change.
5 Provide information about the actions people can take to reduce their contribution to climate change.
6 Stress the co-benefits of climate action, such as a clean and healthy environment and a restoration of the natural world.
7 Where possible, get to know the values of your audience and speak directly to those values, as some messaging is deeply divisive.
8 Use COP26 as an opportunity to demonstrate UK leadership on climate change as part of global efforts to protect our common future.

Stroud District CAN Forum
The next online meeting of the district-wide CAN Forum is on Monday 14 June, 1900-2100 – nature-based approaches to climate resilience, and discussing how to increase the number and scale of local projects. To that end, it would be great if your group could complete this short survey about local tree planting and rural Sustainable Drainage projects. More . . .

Nailsworth Climate Action Network NCAN – Saturday 22 May
NCAN are having a stall at the Farmer’s Market.

Tewkesbury Friends of the Earth
Next meeting 22 June, venue in Tewkesbury to be confirmed. Contact Steve Goodchild mannscourt@orpheusmail.co.uk

Stroud District Council Climate Emergency
The final Masterplan from the Council is now available: ‘Stroud District Council, the 2030 Strategy Limiting, Adapting, Recovering and Responding in a Changing Climate’.

The Campaign for Better Transport
A quarter of households in England do not have access to a car, so for many people public transport is key to living a full life, and without that key lockdown won’t fully end. Campaign details.

 

GlosCAN Newsletter April 2021

Contents

Events

A Fossil Fuel Non-proliferation Treaty – can you help?

Help the CEE Bill

CEE Bill and Twitter

Stroud Climate Cairn

Earth Day 2021

The Climate Coalition – Great Big Green Week in September

Stroud District CAN Forum

Our future planet: global greenhouse gas removal

News

New Radio 4 series – programme on the ‘Polluter Pays’ principle

Global climate leaders criticise the UK ahead of COP26 (Guardian article)

Climate Outreach guidance

‘Climate cairn in Stroud highlights crisis’ – Stroud News and Journal

Community Energy England survey

Events

A Fossil Fuel Non-proliferation Treaty to control global fossil carbon extraction – can you help?

A new blog-post, and a potential new campaigning focus – Hugh Richards has written a new blog-post

“A ‘polluter pays’ treaty to control global fossil carbon extraction – a big idea for COP26 to get talking about now”,

prompted by, among other things, some interesting cross-party support in the COP26 debate in Parliament on 10 March.

The blog-post includes the thought that GlosCAN Supporters may wish to propose that GlosCAN should join Mary Robinson, 350.org and other climate leaders and organisations in endorsing a specific set of proposals called the “Fossil Fuel Non-proliferation Treaty” and/or encourage our elected representatives to endorse it.

If you support this suggestion, please contact info@gloscan.org.

 

Help the CEE Bill

Local election candidates across England are canvassing for support, making it a great time to ask them a direct question..

..will they pledge to support the CEE Bill?

. . . Local authorities, devolved governments and mayors can all play a critical role in placing pressure on Westminster. . .

The opportunity is huge … So how can you help? We’ve put together this action plan to help you get candidates on board. All they need to do is sign our pledge, committing to supporting the CEE Bill should they be elected. Simple!

CEE Bill and Twitter

CEE Bill banner in Tewkesbury

It’s not too late to get involved. If you have a Twitter account, search #CEEbill to find the brilliant banner pictures and videos uploaded by campaigners.

Find your favourite and retweet it to your local MP asking if they will back the #CEEbill. Check here first to see if your MP already backs the Bill. If they don’t, find your MP’s Twitter handle here and tag them in your tweet. 

Stroud Climate Cairn

Capels Mill, off Dr Newton’s Way, Stroud (a canal side site near the centre of Stroud, accessed from Waitrose carpark, and over pedestrian crossing – or along the canal)

The cairn is a collective landscape feature with a message to the future: It is the building of a real stone feature, and at the same time recording people’s ideas, actions and policies to protect the earth’s climate and living ecosystems.

To interact with it:

Please place a stone or a pebble on the cairn
and
Photograph a ‘virtual stone’

More. . .

Earth Day 2021

As the world returns to normal, we can’t go back to business-as-usual.

From April 20-22, join the world’s leaders for Earth Day 2021. Together, we can prevent the coming disasters of climate change and environmental destruction. Together, we can Restore Our Earth™.

Come back on April 20 for the start of the event, and follow our platforms to join the discussion. The theme of Earth Day 2021 is Restore Our Earth™.

 

The Climate Coalition

Everything’s live now for the Great Big Green Week in September.

If you’re thinking of organising anything during the week, it’s worth adding something to the events listing so that others in your area know to work with you. 

There are also guides to getting involved and a few webinars in the week of 19th April, including a couple by the organisers of Sust Fest St Albans. 

 

Stroud District CAN Forum

A reminder that the next online meeting of the Stroud district-wide CAN Forum is on Monday 19 April at 1900. Topics are: the new parish carbon foot-printing tool https://impact-tool.org.uk, the Forum’s own Low Carbon Mapping Project, and carbon savings from community projects (CSE).

 

Our future planet: global greenhouse gas removal

Science+Industry Museum – online talk series

As well as reducing our CO2 emissions, capturing carbon from the atmosphere could be another way to limit climate change. Hear leading scientists and environmental journalists explore the many aspects of carbon capture, including reforestation and rewilding, as well as a range of industrial methods.

News

New Radio 4 series – programme on the ‘Polluter Pays’ principle

On Monday 19 April at 13:45, BBC Radio 4’s excellent series “39 Ways to Save the Planet” resumes, with programmes subsequently available as a podcasts on BBC Sounds.

The programme going out on Wednesday 21 April (13:45) is called “Polluter Pays”, focusing on ‘carbon takeback obligation’, one of the proposals discussed in Hugh Richards’ blog-post.

 

Global climate leaders criticise the UK ahead of COP26 (Guardian article)

“Major figures in the global climate talks, including veteran diplomats, scientists and respected campaigners, have expressed concern to the Guardian that while the UK is making progress on agreement at Cop26, a series of missteps by the government is in danger of undermining the UK’s leadership and the success of the talks.

Christiana Figueres, the former UN climate chief who led the 2015 Paris climate agreement, warned: “There have been recent decisions in the UK that are not aligning with the ambition of the net zero target. It is worrisome. There are raised eyebrows among world leaders watching the UK.” Full article.

 

Climate Outreach guidance

Guidance for UK climate advocates in the lead-up to COP26: webinar & briefing paper.

‘We run a number of events to share and discuss practical, evidence-based insights on how to drive public engagement with climate change. Our events are all currently online. Can’t join us live? Sign up anyway and we’ll send you the recording.’

‘Climate cairn in Stroud highlights crisis’ – Stroud News and Journal article (see also details in Events section above)

A STONE ‘climate cairn’ is being built at Capels Mill, in Stroud on Dr Newton’s Way. The cairn embodies the conservation of the planet as a living system, in which humans and all other life can thrive. The stones represent the interlocking actions and policies that will protect the earth’s climate and ecological habitats.

Community Energy England survey

recently launched their 2021 State of the Sector Survey to help better understand the state of community energy in the UK. The data will underpin their work to support the sector and lobby for more supportive policies, as well as being influential with policymakers and sector stakeholders. If you’re involved in community energy, please do fill it out.

———————————————

 

GlosCAN Newsletter March 2021

Contents

Events
Stroud District CAN Forum
CEE Bill Twitter storm
The Climate Coalition and MPs
Preparing for COP26 – Climate Coalition, Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, Mock Cop for young people, Oxford Friends of the Earth, Government COP21 website

News
New GlosCAN constitution
Report on meeting with Stroud’s MP Siobhan Baillie
New group in Cirencester
Updates from Tewkesbury – recycling, volunteering, wildlife, plastic
Website recommendations from GlosCAN Supporters – Client Earth, MyEcoPledge, Hope for the Future
Measure your own carbon use – Carbon Savvy
Climate Outreach rural report
Articles from the press – a carbon tax would be popular, wood smoke pollution, incinerating recycling, local grassroots green initiatives

——–

Events

Stroud District CAN Forum
The next online meeting of the Stroud district-wide CAN Forum will be on Monday 19 April at 1900, not 12 April as previously advertised. We have another great line-up of speakers:
· Rachel Coxcoon, Director of the Climate Emergency Support Programme at the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) in Bristol. Rachel will introduce and demonstrate the new parish carbon foot-printing tool, and answer questions. Note that the tool is now live and ready for use at https://impact-tool.org.uk.
· Paul Hofman and Sam Munton from our very own Low Carbon Mapping Project. Paul and Sam will introduce and demonstrate the new mapping site, and outline plans for its growth, promotion and use.
· Nick Stromberg, from the Local and Community Empowerment team at CSE. Nick will provide advice and point to resources on ways of estimating carbon savings from community projects.

Other news from the CAN Forum
The second round of the National Lottery Climate Action Fund is now open.
‘We’re closing the Electric Car Club survey at the end of the day on Monday 22nd March. This provides a great opportunity to do some ‘countdown’ social media posts to get as many people as we can to complete the survey’ – social media materials are available, please contact the Forum. [See last month’s GlosCAN newsletter.]
· Nailsworth CAN is wondering if you would be interested in collaborating with the group in setting up a ‘Five Valleys Retrofit Fair’ in September? The vision is to book an outdoor space in Stroud and invite contractors to set up stalls to engage the public with various aspects of energy efficiency and sustainable heating/ microgeneration. While the central focus of the fair would be retrofit, there would be the opportunity for CANs to set up stalls themselves to promote their local projects/ideas. This project would require a small, committed team to drive it through. Please let Kat Parker (kat.yatesfield@gmail.com) know if you would be interested in getting involved!
· Chalford CAN have developed and piloted an online event called Climate Walk. Conducted main in breakout rooms, the walk enables participants to see how local choices impact on the climate, raises awareness of possible futures and helps us understand what needs to be done. See the brief overview attached. For information and advice about how to run the event, contact Peter Wormington (petergwormington@mailbox.org).

26 March CEE Bill – Banner drop and Twitter storm

– see full details and instructions for taking part. ‘Climate change and the ecological breakdown doesn’t seem to feature in the Government’s plans. Instead they have pushed back their own Environmental Bill which isn’t strong enough in itself to keep us below 1.5 degrees . . .’ Resources available here.  Read the
Executive Summary of the CEE Bill.

The Climate Coalition and MPs  – Get your MP to a climate classroom!

Hope for the Future and Teachers for Climate Action are organising a really, really cool event this April 16th to bring together teachers, parents, students and their MP in an online classroom around climate change! The aim is to help foster relationships and explore the climate crisis, lifestyle choices, climate anxiety and crucially, how education can be part of the solution. To get involved, follow the instructions here to invite your MP and sign up for the event.

Preparing for COP26
– The Climate Coalition – The 10-point plan for a green, healthy and fair recovery
‘We have launched our own 10 Point Plan, together with 70 organisations. This plan sets out a programme of action to get the UK on track to net-zero emissions and show global leadership ahead of hosting COP 26, the United Nations climate summit due to take place in Glasgow next year.’ 
Also includes a score card of how the government is performing on these points.
– COP26 – Who will attend and why does it matter?
– Infographic on COPs over time plus COP26.
– Mock Cop – for young people.
– Oxford Friends of the Earth
– HM Government COP26 website ‘Together for our Planet.

Climate Coalition – dates for the diary: 18-26 Sep Climate Festival, launched 23 March; 22 April (Earth Day) to 11 June (G7 meeting) – paperchain mobilisations.

News

New GlosCAN constitution
No objections were raised by any Supporters further to our e-mail of 8 February about the changes made at the Steering Group meeting. Our new constitution, adopted on 17 February, can be viewed here.

Report on meeting with Stroud’s MP Siobhan Baillie Members of Stroud Green Christian Group (including some GlosCAN Supporters) met with Siobhan Baillie MP (SB) by Zoom for half an hour on 19 February 2021.  This was almost a year on from a previous (in person) meeting just before lockdown in March 2020.  The topics covered were as follows:
• The UK greenhouse gas emissions reduction objective of the Climate and Ecology Bill (parliamentary name) – publicly known as the Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) Bill;
• The proposed new deep coal mine in Cumbria;
• The possibility of a second railway station in Stonehouse (giving direct connections to Bristol) – raised at the previous meeting in March 2020; and
• The Dasgupta Review for HM Treasury on The Economics of Biodiversity.
Other topics also came up in the discussion. A summary of the meeting has been provided by one of the attendees and is found here.

New group in Cirencester
Cirencester Environmental Action group (CEA)

Updates from Tewkesbury
– Bicycle inner tubes recycling at Auto Spares, Barton Street. If yours are puncture resistant, ‘slime’ filled, they will need to be cut open and emptied first.

– Recycling Electricals (WEEE Waste)
A recent change in the law should make it a lot easier to recycle old electrical items. When you buy a new electrical item, the shop you buy it from is now required to recycle the item you’re replacing, on a like-for-like basis, free of charge. If you buy a new toaster, take the old one to the shop with you and hand it over to be recycled. If you forget, or can’t take it when you buy the new one, you have 28 days to take your old one back. Companies that sell large quantities of electronics (Currys PC World, B&Q, supermarkets etc.) are required to offer recycling points for small electrical items, (less than 25 cm on the longest side), for anyone who has something they no longer use. Items include electric toothbrushes and small hairdryers. Some companies have been doing this for some time. Please check with the shop before visiting or ask when you go in. Remember that if your old item is in working order, it could be offered to someone else via Freecycle, or if it’s broken, it’s well worth trying a Repair Cafe to get it fixed before buying a replacement. Electrical items can also be taken by appointment to one of the recycling centres (formerly known as ‘the tip’).

– Volunteer to help others get digitally connected in Gloucestershire
Could you volunteer as a Digital Champion and help change someone’s life? ’TECH Connect’ are seeking tech-savvy residents to help locals get online to combat loneliness and isolation. Receive free online training, develop digital skills and improve your CV. Get support from a huge network. Contact: jenny@itschoolsafrica.org

– Young Wildlife Rangers
Coming Soon on Saturdays in Tewkesbury. Volunteer and learn about how to help nature. Activities will include species monitoring, soil sampling and specific planting and maintenance skills. Depending on the interest, possible age groups will be 11-14, 15-18 and 18 to 24. Contact Cate or further details or to register interest catecody99@gmail.com

– Tewkesbury Toads on the Roads
Our patrollers have recorded over 100 amphibians now and volunteers have been out 114 times. Contact volunteer coordinator (catecody99@gmail.com) to join us if you are in Tewkesbury.

– Plastic-Free Community – We will have a website going live soon – it will feature our Plastic-Free Champions and Allies as well as lots of information regarding local recycling. Please get in touch if you are a local business and would like details of how we can help you to reduce single-use plastics: plasticfreetewkesbury@gmail.com. See Plastic Free Tewkesbury’s Facebook Group

Tewkesbury also has a (private) Facebook page Green Minded People in Tewkesbury.

Websites recommended by GlosCAN Supporters:
ClientEarth.org ‘We are an environmental charity with a unique approach – we use the law to create powerful change and a future where people and planet thrive together. ‘
Recent article – Plastics: A carbon copy of the climate crisis.

Make a climate pledge MyEcoPledge.co.uk
‘Myecopledge is a way in which all of us, no matter how busy we are, can join our own small pledges together and shout about them.’

Hope for the Future – ‘a climate charity which works to equip communities, groups and individuals across the country to communicate the urgency of climate change with their local politicians. Meeting net-zero targets is fundamentally about transitioning to low carbon infrastructure, and so many of the daily decisions around new and existing infrastructure—such as new buildings, roads and utilities—are made at the local level. By engaging with your local representative, you can work with them to support the government’s legislation on reaching net zero emissions by 2050. We offer training and support to help you do this, aiming to transform your elected representatives’ hearts and minds on climate change.’

Carbon Savvy – measure your own carbon use.

Climate Outreach report – rural attitudes to climate change
Equipping rural councillors to engage effectively on climate change – ‘What we know about rural attitudes to climate change. Do’s and don’ts for communicating climate change to rural citizens. Rural ‘Britain Talks Climate’
More reports.

Articles from the press
– Carbon tax would be popular with UK voters, poll suggests- Levies on flying, imports and other high-carbon services could raise £27bn a year by 2030, says Zero Carbon Campaign
Zero Carbon Campaign – Most polluters aren’t paying for the damage they do. It’s time we made things a little fairer with a policy that says if you pollute, you pay.

– Wood burning at home now biggest cause of UK particle pollution – Fires used by just 8% of population but cause triple the particle pollution of traffic, data shows.
Burn wood better.

– Revealed: why hundreds of thousands of tonnes of recycling are going up in smoke – Investigation questions eco-friendly claims of incineration industry.

– How grassroots schemes across UK are tackling climate crisis – Thinktank calls for more support for local initiatives ranging from heating to flood schemes.

———————————————-

Links to other organisations in Gloucestershire http://gloscan.org/links/

Previous GlosCAN newsletters (searchable) on-line at http://gloscan.org/newsletters/

If you have enjoyed reading this newsletter, please pass it on. If you would like to subscribe, please sign up as a Supporter of GlosCAN at http://gloscan.org/supporters/

…………………………………………………….

 

GlosCAN Newsletter

January 2021

CONTENTS

EVENTS
Stroud CAN Forum meeting on Zoom Mon 8 February (1900)
The Climate Coalition – Show the Love 2021
Other events and resources from the Climate Coalition
– COP-26 Participation
– Volunteer at the COP
– Eco Action Families
– Useful newsletters
– Britain Talks Climate toolkit
– Today for Tomorrow campaign
– Students for Global Health webinars on climate justice
– CarbonCopy local areas map

NEWS
A carbon fee and dividend – ‘There’s a simple way to green the economy – and it involves cash prizes for all’ – Henry D. Jacoby, MIT
Climate change: Biggest global poll supports ‘global emergency’
Book by Dale Vince – ‘Manifesto’
The Reith Lectures 2020, Episode 4 of 4 ‘Mark Carney – How We Get What We Value – podcast
39 Ways to Save the Planet BBC R4 series – podcast
Bill Gates .. . in bid to buy British private jet services firm

EVENTS

Stroud CAN Forum meeting on Zoom Mon 8 February (1900)
The focus will be on ‘Food and Climate Change’ including: development of a Gloucestershire Food Strategy – emerging strategy being prepared under the auspices of GFirst’s Agri Food and Rural Group with focus on a programme of work to encourage and enable a transition from conventional to regenerative agriculture, and on how we can help shape new programmes on food justice and awareness raising; and the work of the Long Table on building community-based food resilience – Long Table’s activities and plans, and how local CANs can provide support,

The Climate Coalition – Show the Love 2021
Beautiful things are possible when we work together. This February, people from all walks of life are coming together to show the love for everything we want to protect from the climate crisis. We may not be able to join together in person, but that doesn’t mean we can’t continue to raise our voices together. Whether you have a couple of minutes, an afternoon, or all the time in the world, this page will show you that there are lots of different ways to take part – and we have lots of resources to help you!

Other events and resources from the Climate Coalition
– COP-26 Participation – How to get involved – event/creative installations/exhibition space.
– Volunteer at the COP.
– Eco Action Families‘ video on #TheRippleEffect. Do you want to become part of a powerful, rising wave of change? You can take ACTION by joining #TheRippleEffect challenge…
– Feedback’s Gleaning Network, which to date has rescued over 560 tonnes of surplus produce, is going to be featured on BBC 4 charity appeals on the 21st and 28th February.
– Useful newsletters: Energy and Climate Intelligence and Carbon Brief.
– Britain Talks Climate toolkit
– The Big Issue have launched their new Today for Tomorrow campaign in support of their Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill which is currently going through Parliament – (second reading in Commons Fri 22 Jan).
– Students for Global Health have put together a series of 4 webinars on climate justice, with topics including how climate justice intersects with gender and how youth activists can fight for it at COP26. The first one starts on the 28th January from 6-7pm and running weekly after that. Sign up here!
– CarbonCopy have launched this brilliantly designed map. Explore what’s happening locally, from places that have not yet declared a climate emergency to places targeting net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.

NEWS

A carbon fee and dividend: ‘There’s a simple way to green the economy – and it involves cash prizes for all’ Henry D Jacoby
The ‘carbon dividend’ is so elegant that it seems too good to be true. Governments should make it a post-pandemic priority
Letters. The barriers to a carbon fee and dividend policy.
Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

Climate change: Biggest global poll supports ‘global emergency’.

Book by Dale Vince – ‘Manifesto’

From Climate Crisis to Real Prosperity – The Reith Lectures 2020.
Mark Carney – How We Get What We Value – episode 4 of 4. Podcast.
Mark Carney, former Governor of the Bank of England, argues that the market can be redirected to alleviating climate change.’
Includes ideas on: net zero at the top of the hierarchy of values, ‘values drive value’, rapid societal change; company reporting, risk management and returns (commercial opportunities of net zero); ‘what gets measured gets managed’; TCFD – Task Force on Climate-Related financial disclosures; effect of net zero expectations on companies; livelihoods, employers’ net zero plans; investment company transparency on climate risks; where people should place their savings; banks and climate risks.

39 Ways to Save the Planet. BBC Radio Four, in partnership with the Royal Geographical Society, presents 39 ideas to relieve the stress that climate change is exerting on the planet – podcasts.

Bill Gates in bid to buy British private jet services firm
Gates’ Cascade Investment fund teams up with US private equity firm on offer for Signature Aviation’.

 

GlosCAN Newsletter

December 2020

EVENTS

Climate Action Conference, Cheltenham 12 Jan 2021, Vision 21
CEE Bill (Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill) – How to lobby your MP
Crowd Justice appeal, Update on Citizens sue Government for safe Climate Target

NEWS

Climate cairn – Stroud
Stroud District CAN (Climate Action Networks) Forum meetings
Film by Stroud composer Penny Squire
Paris Agreement NDC (Nationally Determined Contributions) updates
Production Gap Report 2020
Electric vehicles and lithium
From BBC Radio 4
– Dr Mark Carney on climate change
– Dr Gail Bradbrooke of Stroud, co-founder of Extinction Rebellion
– Climate comedy
– Talking about climate change

EVENTS

Climate Action Conference, Cheltenham 12 Jan 2021, Vision 21, see www.vision21.org.uk
Vision 21 is pleased to announce that in collaboration with Cheltenham Borough Council a Climate Action Conference will take place early next year. It will be in two parts, the first for Cheltenham’s businesses and the second for Cheltenham’s community organisations.
The conferences are the very first step towards the formation of CheltenhamZero – a cross-sector collaborative partnership between local government, businesses, education and community organisations from across the borough, all working to achieve a net zero carbon Cheltenham by 2030. More information from pclegg@vision21.org.uk.

The CEE Bill (Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill)
How to lobby your MP
https://www.ceebill.uk/resources
Visual campaign tools and FAQ for campaigners.

Crowd Justice appeal, Update on Citizens sue Government for safe Climate Target
Young People vs UK Gov
‘We are three young British Citizens, who are from and have families in West Africa and Abya Yala (the Americas, including the Caribbean and Latin America). We are working together with the Stop the Maangamizi campaign: We Charge Genocide/Ecocide! and the climate litigation charity Plan B, which brought the legal challenge against Heathrow expansion.
The Government knows this is a climate emergency, but has made no emergency plan. It keeps us locked in to the carbon economy with billions in bailouts for polluters, £27 billion for UK roads and export finance for a new liquid natural gas project in Mozambique (compared to just £4 billion new money under Boris Johnson’s 10 Point Plan). It backs the City of London as a leading international hub of fossil fuel finance . At this time of global crisis, the Government plans to cut its legally guaranteed support for the world’s most vulnerable people. . .’
FAQs

NEWS

Climate cairn – Stroud
The climate cairn in Stroud is continuing to take shape.

Stroud District CAN (Climate Action Networks) Forum meetings
Here is the website of Stroud District CAN Forum.
Minutes of meetings are available. Download the latest minutes from the Forum.
The meeting included: transport planning at GCC; electric car hire schemes; A419 Golden Valley inspiration study; NailsworthCAN transport survey.
These minutes contain good weblinks to further info. Join the Forum by e-mailing networksupport@transitionstroud.org
Next zoom meeting is 8 Feb.

Film by Stroud composer Penny Squire – new blog
Read Penny Squire’s blog about the story behind the creation of the music and film.

Paris Agreement NDC (Nationally Determined Contributions) updates
Worth looking out for a summary of how things will look in comparison to projections based on existing NDCs.
The UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2020 published this month, with video, reflects existing NDCs.

Production Gap Report 2020 – ‘World’s governments must wind down fossil fuel production by 6% per year to limit catastrophic warming’
Report recently issued. See also executive summary.
‘Last year, the first Production Gap Report sounded the alarm on the disconnect between countries’ energy plans and climate commitments.
This year’s special issue of the Report finds that the COVID-19 recovery marks a potential turning point, where countries must change course to avoid locking in levels of coal, oil, and gas production far higher than consistent with a 1.5°C limit.’
See the key graphic below, or download it from GlosCAN.

 

Electric vehicles and lithium
‘The curse of “white oil”: electric vehicles’ dirty secret – The race is on to find a steady source of lithium, a key component in rechargeable electric car batteries. But while the EU focuses on emissions, the lithium gold rush threatens environmental damage on an industrial scale’.
‘. . . A more immediate solution would be to rethink how we get around. As Thea Riofrancos at Providence College pointed out, if everyone were to adopt “rational forms of transport” – such as trains, trams, e-buses, cycling and car-sharing – then demand for passenger vehicles of all kinds would shrink overnight. . .’

From BBC Radio 4 in December
– Reith lectures: lecture 4: ‘From climate crisis to real prosperity’ (includes contribution from Dr Gail Bradbrooke of Extinction Rebellion). Dr Mark Carney turns his attention to climate change and the link to a crisis in values.
On Woman’s Hour:
– Gail Bradbrooke of Stroud, co-founder of Extinction Rebellion, 8 Dec, min. 1.
– Climate comedy with environmental filmmaker Franny Armstrong, 17 Dec, min. 27.
– Talking about climate change, 15 Dec, min. 31.
– From 14 Jan 2020, but available for over a year, Word of Mouth: Communicating Climate Change – Michael Rosen talks to George Marshall about how best to communicate climate change.

 

GlosCAN Newsletter November 2020

EVENTS
Stroud CAN Forum meeting
A supply-side climate treaty? Proposal for the virtual climate summit 12 Dec
Stroud District Council 2030 Plan consultation by 16 Dec
CEE Bill

NEWS
Climate Outreach webinar ‘Britain Talks Climate’
Gloucestershire composer Penny Squire composition – A New Way
Jonathon Porritt interviewed for Stroud Book Festival
University of Gloucestershire Mission Net Zero webinar of October
Gaia Event, Gloucester Cathedral Oct-Nov
Government’s plans for measures to 2050
Government’s plans – articles from the press
The Climate Coalition – Ten-Point Plan
Campaign against Climate Change
350.org news

EVENTS

Stroud CAN Forum meeting
The next online CAN Forum is on Monday 7 December, 1900-2100. The focus is on the decarbonisation of transport and there is an exciting line up of speakers. Please register by e-mail for log-in details networksupport@transitionstroud.org
Web pages for the CAN Forum here.
Convenor – Fred Barker 07803 905 430.

A supply-side climate treaty? Proposals for the virtual climate summit 12 Dec
‘Mark the date: 12 December “COP26 Launchpad” – Time for the UK to show real global leadership’
This blog by Hugh Richards, Chair of GlosCAN, is about persuading the UK Government ‘to come up with new climate policy initiatives befitting its self-appointed global leadership role as host to the COP26 UN climate conference in Glasgow in November 2021. . .’
It contains what Hugh hopes will be a useful tool for engaging with MPs in the run-up to 12 December.

Stroud District Council Draft 2030 Plan consultation
Limiting, adapting, recovering and responding in a changing climate.
The Council ‘is committed to a fast paced target of the entire district being carbon neutral by 2030.
We’ve set out how we think this can be achieved – but we need you to tell us whether we’re heading in the right direction by filling out a short survey.
It’s a big topic so there’s lots of background information to help set the scene (but if you’re short of time you can just fill in the survey if you choose.)’
Deadline is 16 December. See the Draft 2030 Strategy webpage, which includes the print version 2030 Strategy and the 2030 Strategy Master Plan.
Please encourage as many others as possible to take part as well!

CEE Bill
Join the campaign. Keep writing to your MP. We need to persuade as many MPs as possible to get behind the bill in order to make it law.

NEWS

Climate Outreach webinar
Britain Talks Climate: a toolkit for engaging the British public on climate change, from Climate Outreach. The Britain Talks Climate webinar was held on 18 Nov. The recording of the webinar can be accessed here and you can explore the full Britain Talks Climate toolkit here.

Gloucestershire composer Penny Squire composition – A New Way
15 minutes of music with film showing that by living sustainably we can enjoy our lives on a healthy planet.
String quartet played by professional musicians.

Jonathon Porritt interviewed for Stroud Book Festival
Watch interview. ‘It’s not too late, but not for long.’
‘While we are close to passing ‘the point of no return’, there are still compelling reasons to remain hopeful about the climate emergency.’ So argues eminent writer, broadcaster and sustainable development campaigner Jonathon Porritt in his new book, “Hope in Hell: A Decade to Confront the Climate Emergency”.
He joins us to explain his reasons for optimism – as long as we act now – and outlines his compelling blueprint for post Covid-19 recovery across the world, taking in everything from new technologies and the power of innovation, to the mobilisation of young people and a sense of intergenerational solidarity.’
See also: Forum for the Future.
Buy the Book.

University of Gloucestershire Mission Net Zero webinar of 29 Oct
This film recording is the Mission Net Zero webinar led by the University of Gloucestershire for Gloucester Cathedral’s 2020 Hope for Creation series. There were expert speakers sharing net zero carbon delivery issues from Interface floor coverings, Forest Green Rovers & Ecotricity, Gloucester Cathedral and the University of Gloucestershire.
Total duration 2 hours approx. – speakers listed in order of appearance.
Two interesting podcasts on net zero agendas that were mentioned are:
Designing with the Climate in Mind from Interface.
Zero Carbonista from Dale Vince at Ecotricity/Forest Green Rovers.

Gaia event, Gloucester Cathedral, Oct/Nov
The Gaia event is a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram. Gaia measures seven metres in diameter and features detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface offering an extraordinary opportunity to see our home planet at scale.
A specially made surround sound composition by BAFTA award winning Composer Dan Jones is played alongside the sculpture. In Greek Mythology Gaia is the personification of the Earth.
You can find the 30 minute video of the Gaia installation and an interview with artist Luke Jerram.

Government’s plans for measures to 2050
PM outlines his Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution for 250,000 jobs.
See also: policy paper. Please let your MP know your opinions about the Plan.

Government’s plans for measures to 2050 – some articles from the press
Johnson seeks Downing St reset with ‘green industrial revolution’
Boris Johnson: Now is the time to plan our green recovery
The key areas of Boris Johnson’s ‘green industrial revolution’
Pressure grows on Boris Johnson over UK carbon emissions plan

The Climate Coalition – Ten-Point Plan
Climate Coalition Ten Point Plan for a Green and Fair Recovery.

Campaign against Climate Change
News.

350.org news
350.org: Fossil fuel companies to sponsor the COP26 climate talks?

GlosCAN Newsletter October 2020

EVENTS
CEE Bill Tea Parties, Fridays, Stroud
Climate cairn
Stroud District CAN Forum
Local electricity bill – Power for People
Planning White Paper, consultation ends 29 Oct

NEWS
GlosCAN blog – a supply-side climate treaty
Tewkesbury Borough Council – Climate Emergency Update
Tewkesbury Town Council – Climate Change Action Working Group
BBC Radio Three Counties interview with Cate Cody, Tewkesbury
Other news from Tewkesbury
Government commitment to publish Net Zero Strategy
Greenpeace campaign on transport

EVENTS

CEE bill tea parties on Fridays, Stroud
If you fancy a meet up in person, then come along to the CEE Bill Tea Party 12 to 2pm, 3 King St (next to Poundland), Stroud to promote the bill and chat to real people! See also https://xrstroud.org/

Climate cairn – work continues on Fridays. Contact GlosCAN for details. See http://gloscan.org/climate-cairn-stroud/

Stroud District CAN Forum
(Fred Barker, Convenor, 07803 905 430)
– Stroud District Council’s online consultation event for local climate action group discussion of the draft Carbon Neutral 2030 strategy is on 12th November, 1800-2000. Please put the date in the diary – details and how to register to be circulated shortly! See https://www.stroud.gov.uk/environment/draft-2030-strategy

– The Stroud District CAN Forum meeting on 26 October (fully booked) will feature presentations from organisations that can work with local groups on renewable energy projects (mainly rooftop PV). Presenters are: Andy Tunstall from the Green Group UK, who will talk about the Solar Streets initiative http://thegreengroupuk.com/solar-streets, which involves a collaborative approach with local groups and parish councils to deliver discounted rooftop PV installations on domestic properties; Aaron Yule from the Big Solar Coop, who will talk about the Coop’s pilot programme  https://bigsolar.coop/pioneer-programme/, which looks to empower and support local groups to deliver rooftop PV on non-domestic buildings (including public buildings and businesses); Peter Boait from Gloucestershire Community Energy Cooperative http://gloscommenergy.org.uk/, who will talk about the Coop’s current projects and how it could work with groups on different types of renewable energy project.

– Finally, just to re-iterate the request for feedback about local experience of the GHG Scheme https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-the-green-homes-grant-scheme#how-to-apply. If you have any feedback from local members/residents – particularly about barriers and challenges, and suggestions for ways of overcoming them – please do let us know. We can forward information to SWEA, which is collating feedback. Note also that SWEA’s dedicated advice line on the GHG Scheme is now live (01452 937996).

Local electricity bill: Power for People is a not-for-profit organisation, campaigning for the UK to rapidly transition to 100% clean energy and for local communities to benefit from this great transition. Our campaigns will only succeed if many people get involved and take action so we need your help! www.powerforpeople.org.uk/sign-up

Planning White Paper
Consultation ends 29 October. Good, clear 10 min explanation on the (highly complex and lengthy), Planning White Paper, by CPRE the countryside charity. Well worth a look. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6g6EORy4Rs

NEWS

GlosCAN blog on a supply-side climate treaty: ‘Mark the date: 12 December “COP26 Launchpad” – Time for the UK to show real global leadership’ by Hugh Richards, Chair of GlosCAN
‘There are now just over two months in which to persuade the UK Government to come up with new climate policy initiatives befitting its self-appointed global leadership role as host to the COP26 UN climate conference in Glasgow in November 2021. . . . Read the blog at http://gloscan.org/2020/10/03/mark-the-date-12-december-cop26-launchpad-time-for-the-uk-to-show-real-global-leadership/

Tewkesbury Borough Council – Climate Emergency Update
Last year a motion for TBC to declare a Climate Emergency was passed on 1st October 2019. A key part of this declaration was to include an audit of the Council’s current position; an action plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.
TBC has now had an audit and there is an approved plan of action.
Recommendations of all kinds extend from turning down the heating and smarter heat/cool controls to replacing end of life boilers and cooling systems with the latest Green technologies and the installation of PV and further rolling out of the EV fleet. The measures extend across council-used areas of the Council Offices building, The Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury Leisure Centre, Cold Pool Lane Sports Pavilion, Cheltenham, five domestic support homes, Tewkesbury Cemetery, TBC Fleet (including waste contractors Ubico) and TBC Grey Fleet (privately owned employee / Councillor vehicles used on Council business). Council related journeys by public transport and office waste will also be added in the near future.
Report in full:
https://minutes.tewkesbury.gov.uk/documents/s39699/TBC%20Baseline%20Emissions%20Action%20Plan%20-%20Final%20Report%20-%20June%202020%2012.6.2020.pdf

Tewkesbury Town Council – Climate Change Action Working Group
Web page with some of the things we’ve been doing: https://tewkesburytowncouncil.gov.uk/climate-change-action/

BBC Radio Three Counties Interview
Interview with Cate Cody of Tewkesbury about why David Attenborough is so loved and respected. Starts at: 2 hr 7 min, 39 sec., approx. 9 min.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08rjs8c

Other news from Tewkesbury area Froglife / Toads on the Roads, following success by the Tewkesbury Team this spring, sign up to join or start a group near you at glos.toads@gmail.com; Tewkesbury Nature Reserve is really thriving – to become a supporter of the reserve contact supporters@tewkesburynaturereserve.org.uk; Plastic-Free Communities (Surfers against Sewage) Tewkesbury has a Plastic-Free Group and are working towards accreditation, Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/plasticfreetewkesbury/

Climate Change Committee welcomes Government commitment to publish Net Zero Strategy, 16 Oct 2020
https://www.theccc.org.uk/2020/10/16/ccc-welcomes-government-commitment-to-publish-net-zero-strategy/ CCC Chairman, Lord Deben, said:
“We’re starting to see some of the cogs turning across central Government to get the Net Zero transition moving. There has been some progress in the last four months but much of what is promised in this document is just that: a promise. We’re pleased to see plans for a comprehensive Net Zero Strategy before next year’s COP confirmed, and new proposals in the works for hydrogen, industry and biomass. These must deliver alongside ambitious policies required from the Energy White Paper, the Heat and Buildings Strategy, the Transport Decarbonisation Plan and the Environment and Agriculture Bills. There’s clearly more work to do, and we’ll want to see the policies attached to these plans very soon.”

For comparison with other proposals being made, see, for example, Zero Carbon Britain https://www.cat.org.uk/info-resources/zero-carbon-britain/research-reports/zero-carbon-britain-rising-to-the-climate-emergency/

or the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill (CEE Bill) https://www.ceebill.uk/

or the UK Climate Assembly report of September 2020
https://www.climateassembly.uk/

Greenpeace campaign- ‘What if we funded transport like it really matters?’
Everyone benefits from better transport, and putting some extra funding into the system could make a real difference. Here’s how things would change if we invested £10 billion more every year into fair, sustainable and affordable transport. https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/news/transport-funding-buses-trains-walking-cycling/

 

GlosCAN Newsletter
September 2020

CONTENTS

Events

Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill
Friday 25 Sep – Sarah Lunnon – meet in Stroud about the Bill
Climate Week NYC 21-27 Sep 2020
School strikes locally – planned actions in view of Covid
Climate Vigil, Stroud
Climate cairn, Stroud
Planning proposal: Larks Green Solar Farm, Iron Acton
Climate Coalition – sign #thetimeisnow declaration

News

Updates from local Climate Action Networks
Ideas from Nailsworth CAN
Vision21, Cheltenham
Article in Politico.eu news about Stroud
UK Climate Assembly has reported

—————————————————————————————————–

 

Events

Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill
The Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill needs everyone’s help.
‘On the 12th August we launched the campaign for the Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) bill. This is a Private Members’ Bill, and taking it through parliament will be a hard-fought process but it has been done before with major climate legislation. This is an alliance bill that has been written by scientists, lawyers and activists; it is gathering support from a broad range of campaign groups, businesses, charities and individuals. The bill has the potential to become the most significant move forward since the Climate Change Act 2008.’
Article about the bill at TheConversation.com, The Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill is exactly what we need and here’s why.

**************

Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill

Overview

This document acts as a summary of the key aims and themes of the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill (‘the Bill’).

It has been prepared by the CEE Bill Alliance, which is a team of scientists, academics, lawyers and campaigners working together—and guided by current science—to call for urgent, far-reaching and necessary actions from the UK Government to tackle the climate and ecological emergency.

The full text of the Bill may be found here, online – here – alongside our accompanying briefing note. To contact the CEE Bill Alliance, email info@ceebill.uk and visit ceebill.uk for further information.

Aims

What will the CEE Bill do?

The Bill will set an emergency path for the UK to follow. It will see the creation of a Citizens’ Assembly that will put forward recommendations, contributing to the work of both the UK Government and UK Parliament in delivering an essential climate and ecological emergency strategy. This objectives of the Bill are to: 

1. Ensure that the UK plays its fair and proper role in limiting global temperatures to 1.5°C by:

• taking account of the UK’s entire carbon footprint domestically and internationally, necessitating real action on emissions reductions
• circumscribing reliance on speculative future carbon capture technologies

1. Actively conserve the natural world by:

• protecting and restoring the UK’s ecosystems, with a focus on biodiversity, soils and natural carbon sinks
• mitigating the damage to nature caused by supply chains, domestically and internationally
• accounting for the UK’s ecological footprint 

In order to meet the bill’s objectives, a (temporary) emergency Citizens’ Assembly will help the UK Government and UK Parliament decide the measures to include in the strategy. The Assembly will empower MPs to take the necessary decisions, and also allow people to have a real say in the pathway of a fair and just transition to a zero carbon society, enriched by a thriving, natural world.

**************

 

Friday 25 Sep – Sarah Lunnon – meet in Stroud about the Bill
From Sarah Lunnon: On Friday 25th September 12-2pm, 3 King St (& subsequent Fridays)
Bring a flask and cup, table and chair and we will have a cup of tea and call on Siobhan Baillie to back the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill.
Posters welcome.

 

Climate Week NYC 21-27 Sep 2020
Prince Charles on the effects of climate change
World split on urgency of tackling rising temperatures, poll suggests
UK kicks off Climate Week NYC with a series of ambitious climate commitments

School strikes – less planned actions in view of Covid

Website of Fridays for Future.
Local details from 2019: Youthstrike4climatestroud – Stroud – youthstrike4climatestroud@gmail.com – @Youthstrike4climatestroud
www.youthstrike4climatestroud.weebly.com/
UKSCN Gloucester – Gloucester city – ukscn.gloucester@gmail.com
Instagram: @ukscn_gloucester – Twitter: @ukscnglos
Guardian article: ‘Children urged to strike against lack of action on climate emergency  – Schoolchildren to protest on Friday in first such action since coronavirus pandemic struck’

Climate Vigil, Stroud
Vigils are continuing on Saturdays 11 – 1 outside the Subscription Rooms until 3rd October. See our August newsletter.

 

Climate cairn, Stroud
The location of the cairn has shifted slightly, to make it easier to get to and around it, and make it more visible, and on flatter ground. There will also be a sign. See details.

 

Planning proposal: Larks Green Solar Farm, Iron Acton
Planning proposal: Larks Green Solar Farm, Iron Acton, South Gloucestershire
If you would like to have input in the planning process or just learn more, please see details and public exhibition webinar of July.
South Gloucestershire planning website link.
For any further details contact:
jasmine.el-gabban@alpacacommunications.com
tel. 020 7499 2842

 

Climate Coalition – sign #thetimeisnow declaration
‘This Autumn the government is making crucial decisions about how to rebuild the economy. We know that building a strong, resilient economy goes hand in hand with tackling climate change, so we need to make sure the government sees the groundswell of support for a green and fair recovery package. 
We are bringing people together to raise their voices in support of a cleaner, greener future. There are three ways to get involved: by contributing to the Treasury’s Comprehensive Spending Review (by 24 Sep), by signing the Declaration, and through hosting or attending a local green jobs panel event.
Use your voice to tell politicians that you want a cleaner, greener, fairer future at the heart of plans to rebuild a strong economy.’
Read & sign our declaration now (official launch 28 September), send a message to Rishi Sunak, find resources to get involved, and more.

News

Updates from local Climate Action Networks
The Stroud District CAN forum of 14 Sep covered topics such as Stroud District Council’s Carbon Neutral 2030 Strategy, Domestic Retrofit – the Green Homes grant, Promoting Nature Restoration and Carbon Sequestration. Next meeting is 26 Oct. Further details from: Fred, Convenor, Stroud District CAN Forum, 07803 905 430 or see https://www.transitionstroud.org/climate-emergency/

 

Ideas from Nailsworth CAN
– items on virtual open edible gardens
– mobility and transport survey results
– blog on electric vehicles
– and the national campaign Build Back Better

 

Vision21, Cheltenham – updates and news
Details here.

Article in Politico.eu news about Stroud
Extinction Rebellion’s hometown pushes the radical into the mainstream
– Stroud has long served as a launch pad for fringe ideas that later caught on.
Article written by Sara Stefanini, a communications adviser for the climate campaign Mission 2020 who visited Stroud in the summer.

 

UK Climate Assembly has reported
Guardian: UK climate assembly: tax frequent flyers and ban SUVs as part of Covid recovery – Assembly made up of members of public says economic recovery should drive move to net zero carbon emissions

BBC (also features XR response): Climate change: Tax frequent fliers and get rid of SUVs, government told

The Guardian view on acclimatising democracy: deliberation, not confusion
Reneging on international deals does not put the UK in a good position to lead global initiatives in the run-up to UN climate talks

Comment on citizens’ assemblies.

 

GlosCAN Newsletter
14 July 2020

CONTENTS

A word from the Steering Group Chair

Events

July – dates t.b.c.– Climate Cairn, Stroud
Join a local climate action network – CANs in the Stroud area

News

Meeting with Stroud MP Siobhan Baillie
COP26 Glasgow Action Plan – letter to Boris Johnson, Climate Coalition, March
Virtual lobby of Parliament – the Climate Coalition, Tue 30 June
Ecocide and pandemics
Making the case for a supply-side fossil fuels treaty
Local zero waste successes
The Big Climate Teach-in
Zero Carbon Britain
350.org
XR
National press news on climate
– What MPs really think about climate
– Letters in response to article about MPs and climate change
– Other press news items
Video about training/lobbying

————————————————————————————–

A word from the Steering Group Chair

I’m very grateful to our Secretary Vaughan Webber for re-starting these newsletter emails as we come out of lock-down. As you can see, despite Covid-19, there has been a lot going on. Future editions will probably not be quite so extensive!

I hope you find the newsletter emails useful and that you will encourage others to ask to receive them. It’s not necessary to formally sign up as a GlosCAN Supporter to be put on the mailing list; just email Vaughan at info@GlosCAN.org.

Please email any feedback on these newsletters to info@GlosCAN.org.

And don’t forget, GlosCAN is a network that’s there to connect people to take actions they might not do on their own.

Hugh Richards

Events

Climate Cairn, Stroud
The climate cairn is set to resume building work
with suitable precautions, 2 m spacing and just six people at a time!
This project will build a physical feature in the landscape,
which will be a message of hope and a call to action for the future of our biosphere.

Location: Capel’s Mill wildlife site, Dr Newton’s Way, Stroud.
Further details to be announced. Please contact info@gloscan.org.

Join a local Climate Action Network – CANs in the Stroud area
Chalford Climate Action Network
Nailsworth Climate Action Network
Stonehouse Town Council, Climate Change Action Forum
Wotton Area Climate Action Network, and also on Facebook

If you would like to be linked up to an existing group, or are interested in a conversation about the possibility of setting up a local climate action group in your area, Transition Stroud might be able to help so please contact Noel at networksupport@transitionstroud.org.
Read more at transitionstroud.org/climate-emergency
and transitionstroud.org/action-group-on-community-energy/
and gloscan.org/local-climate-action-networks

News

Meeting with Stroud MP Siobhan Baillie
A newly formed Stroud Green Christian group organised a meeting about climate change between Siobhan Baillie MP and local Christians on 13 March, not long before lock-down started. Hugh Richards, Chair of GlosCAN, was one of those present. He says he found the new MP to seem receptive to the varied representations being made by those present, and sent a follow-up letter (pdf) to add to the growing calls to ‘build back better/greener’ after the Covid-19 crisis.

COP26 Glasgow Action Plan – letter to Boris Johnson, Climate Coalition, March
GlosCAN joined over 60 organisations to launch the #GlasgowActionPlan, featuring the five areas Prime Minister @BorisJohnson must prioritise to get us on track to a cleaner, greener future as soon as possible. #TheTimeIsNow. Read the Glasgow Action Plan and the Letter to Boris Johnson here #COP26.

 

Virtual lobby of Parliament – the Climate Coalition, Tue 30 June
Tue 30 June 2020, Virtual Mass Lobby of Parliament
See and listen to the main conversations of the day on the Climate Coalition facebook page

‘What a day! Yesterday we made history with the first-ever virtual lobby of Parliament. Thank you for taking yourself off mute – together we asked over 200 MPs (and counting) to champion a green and fair recovery that works for everyone #TheTimeIsNow thetimeisnow.uk

Thanks to your efforts over 13,000 people signed up to meet their MP over zoom and, as far as we know, over 200 MPs and counting were lobbied to push for a green and fair recovery that works for everyone. There were some incredible moments, all of which we’ve tried to capture in our wrap up video here.’

Making the case for Ecocide Law amidst the pandemic
View the short video.

Making the case for a supply-side fossil fuels treaty
Hugh Richards, Chair of GlosCAN, has written to the Climate Coalition (pdf) asking them to advocate that, while holding the Presidency of COP26, the UK should initiate the negotiation of a supply-side climate treaty to control the global extraction of fossil fuels, as advocated by Norwegian economists and possibly along the lines of a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty.

Local zero waste successes
Three Zero Waste stories in the national press in May – two of them from Gloucestershire (Stroud, Tewkesbury), including GlosCAN Supporter Cate Cody

The Big Climate Teach-in
took place on 4th July, but you can still view a recording of it on YouTube.
Possibly the biggest climate education conference ever, with educators and students from over 50 countries sharing skills about how to boost climate education.

Zero Carbon Britain
Webinars and online events available.

350.org
Stop fossil fuels campaign.

XR
July UK newsletter 16 ‘The Rebellion Returns 1 September’

National press news and opinion on the climate crisis

– What MPs really think about climate
‘I don’t want to be seen as a zealot’: what MPs really think about the climate crisis  In return for anonymity, MPs agreed to speak candidly about climate change. The difference between what they say in private and in public is striking – and shows us how we can make climate action central to post-pandemic politics. By Rebecca Willis
Rebecca Willis is a researcher in environment and sustainability policy and practice, an expert lead for Climate Assembly UK, and the author of Too Hot to Handle?: The Democratic Challenge of Climate Change (2020, Bristol University Press)

– Letters in response to the above article about MPs and climate change – Headline ‘Moving climate up the global political agenda’ – including letter from Hugh Richards, Chair of GlosCAN

Other news items, see GlosCAN press web page
BBC’s energy briefing (December) —- Will the coronavirus save us from climate change? —- Green new deal? —- Top 10 tips for reducing carbon footprint, BBC, a report of May 2020 —- Road to net zero: what the Committee on Climate Change recommends —- How to solve UK transport problem in the time of coronavirus —- Climate worst-case scenarios may not go far enough, cloud data shows —- UK’s net zero pledge – what has been achieved one year on?

Video about training/lobbying
Climate Advocate Training from Citizens’ Climate Lobby in the US.

GlosCAN Newsletter

8 February 2020

CONTENTS

Events
Thu 13 Feb 2020, Stroud – GlosCAN event – “UN climate negotiations: From Madrid 2019 to Glasgow 2020”
Show the Love this February – from the Climate Coalition
Build a climate cairn – Stroud, 21 Feb
News
Stroud – local low-carbon initiatives springing up
Form a climate trade union?
News from the Climate Coalition – Home Truths Report on flooding – report
Climate Coalition letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer about the planned March budget
Daily Mail article on flying
BBC: What is climate change? A really simple guide
Job vacancy – driver – sustainability charity

Events

Thu 13 Feb 2020, Stroud – GlosCAN event – “UN climate negotiations: From Madrid 2019 to Glasgow 2020”

You are invited to come to an interactive talk and discussion led by Skeena Rathor, entitled “UN climate negotiations: From Madrid 2019 to Glasgow 2020”

Details:  Thursday 13 Feb 2020, 7.30 p.m. at Stroud Congregational Church Hall, Bedford St, Stroud GL5 1AY, next to the Subscription Rooms in the centre of Stroud. If parking, please use public parking nearby – see details and map.
Doors open at 7 p.m. Admission free, but donations welcome.  Expected finish at 9.30 p.m.
All welcome.  Please publicise through your own networks. Details are also at GlosCAN.org.
This will be an informal event where everyone should have a chance to contribute.
If you would like to make a two-minute ‘pitch’ of your own, please contact info@gloscan.org.  Please note that we are not planning to have projection facilities.

Background:  Skeena attended the ‘COP25’ UN climate conference in Madrid in December 2019, and had personal meetings with major participants.  She will talk about her experiences and the inadequacies of the present process, and lead a discussion on what campaigners could do ahead of the crucial ‘COP26’ conference in Glasgow.  2020 is the year that the 2015 Paris Agreement will formally come into effect, and has been widely portrayed as a critical point.  As Sir David Attenborough recently put it in a BBC interview, “The moment of crisis has come”.

 

Show the Love this February – from the Climate Coalition

Show the Love by creating a voice for change that is impossible to ignore

Please help to spread the message by using resources below

Every February since 2015, people from all walks of life have joined the UK’s biggest conversation about climate change.

By taking part you’re joining with hundreds of thousands of people – from musicians to football clubs, community groups to businesses, astronauts to schoolchildren, teachers and faith leaders – to show the love for everything we want to protect from the climate crisis. https://www.theclimatecoalition.org/show-the-love

Beautiful things are possible when we join together. This year let’s continue to be a voice for change that’s impossible to ignore, video https://youtu.be/7_3rnPkYCcc

Schools update 

The Show the Love schools pack is available here. Please share with your school’s team and promote to your school’s network.

Digital update

The key element of the Show the Love digital comms this year are:

1. A groundbreaking report, highlighting the impact of climate change on our homes
2. A digital pledge action using an Instagram filter, and a quiz on our website
3. An inspiring film showing real people taking real actions

You can read more details here.

 

Stroud – local low-carbon initiatives springing up

News from the Climate Coalition: Home Truths Report on flooding

The report is about the impacts climate change is having on UK homes, and the solutions at our fingertips to end our contribution to the climate crisis. Top line stats from the report include:

The number of people in the UK facing floods during the winter is more than the population of Birmingham and Manchester combined, according to a new report.

• Around 1.8 million people in the UK living in an area with significant risk of flooding
• Nearly 100,000 properties flooded in England in past 12 years
• Flooding causing more than £1 billion worth of damage a year in the UK
• More than 2,000 insurance claims from homeowners after Yorkshire floods in November 2019

We would love for you to join in the conversation, and help us #ShowTheLove by sharing content from the report. Please see the social media pack here, and social sharegraphics to download here.

https://www.theclimatecoalition.org/home-truths-report

Climate Coalition letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer about the planned March budget

GlosCAN is one of the organisations signing a letter from the Climate Coalition which asks for much greater attention to be given to climate change measures in the Budget. The accompanying briefing explains the measures.

The content in this letter re-articulates the previously agreed spending asks, and the top line asks have been taken from the joint NGO spending report, which is endorsed by Cambridge Econometrics. It is also calling on the Government to require the UK financial sector to ensure its plans are aligned with Paris – this ask has been included from their COP 26 briefing.

Daily Mail article on flying

New Daily Mail writer John Humphrys – ‘I have given up air travel…In 2018 one in 12 of all international travellers was British. And we do it regardless of the damage to the planet and to our children’s future…… This is for real. Which is why David Attenborough says the planet is heading for disaster… air travel makes a massive contribution to climate change… [My friend] said they’ll be offsetting the C02 they’ll be spewing out with a tree planting scheme. He’s a well-meaning chap but I’m afraid that, like so many others, he’s been horribly misled. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7901205/Why-Im-planning-NOT-use-new-passport-think-says-JO

See other articles at GlosCAN’s press page http://gloscan.org/national-and-international-press-articles-on-climate-change/

BBC: What is climate change? A really simple guide

Read the simple guide here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24021772

 

GlosCAN Newsletter

24 December 2019

Job Vacancy – climate action – Transition Stroud

Transition Stroud – Climate Action Group Network Support Post

This is an important post in developing Stroud District Community’s response to climate change – and to achieving the 2030 carbon neutral target for the district.

Transition Stroud has secured funding for a self-employed, part-time, network support worker. The funding is £16,900 funding for a two year period (working an average of 2 days per week, at £12/hr).

TS has agreed that a programme of activities to encourage, enable and support local climate action groups across the District is a high priority. The Network Support Worker will play a key role in our work to enable groups to be set up, and to build and support an effective network. The main tasks will focus on administration, organisation of meetings and events, communications and relationship building, and input to programme development.

A copy of the job description is available here. To apply please send Fred (fbarker@gn.apc.org): your CV; a covering e-mail explaining why you want the job and are a strong candidate; and contact details for 2 referees. Contact Fred if you’d like an informal chat about the post. The deadline for applications is the 12th January. Interviews will be held during the week beginning 27^th January.

https://www.transitionstroud.org/transition2014/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/CAG-Support-Worker-Job-description-18-November.pdf

 

General News

 

Transition Stroud – Action Group on Community Energy – Updates and reminders

Dear CAG Forum contacts,

Here are some updates and reminders as the holiday season approaches:

·         Transition Stroud has submitted the ‘initial ideas’ bid to the National Lottery Climate Action Fund on behalf of our initial partnership group (linked to from here).  This follows discussion at the last Forum meeting and a process of feedback, review and revision of an initial draft.  Thanks to everyone who took the time to send in comments.  We will hear by 22 January whether we will be invited to develop more detailed proposals.

·         Gloucestershire County Council has published its proposed climate change strategy with a covering report for its Cabinet meeting on 20^th Dec.  This is available here, item 8, p159-250.  Amongst other things it includes recommendations to establish a £1m ‘Action Fund’ to “develop and incentivise the adoption of low carbon initiatives and improved resilience to climate change”.

·         The deadline for applications for the part-time freelance post of CAG Network Support Worker is 12 January.  Please see the advert (linked to from here) and promote in your networks as appropriate.

·         The Map Jam for entering details of your local carbon projects into the new District-wide mapping website is 18 January.  Venue, timing and registration details are here and a flyer is linked to from here.  Note that you don’t have to bring a laptop (but it would be useful to bring one if you want to contribute a lot), and that the website will be live from the start of the Map Jam event until the end of January (after that the site will be off-line for a short period for review).

·         Finally, the next meeting of the Forum will be on 2 March.  Further details in the New Year.

Best wishes,

Fred Barker, Transition Stroud

Convenor, Local CAG Forum

07803 905 430

 

Greening Tetbury

Election candidates’ climate debate of 5th December- video

… Although hopefully serving to help voters decide which candidate to support, we hope this debate prompts wider discussion that will continue long after the election and that the candidates and community that engaged in it can work together towards a better future.  Please use the website to make comments and ask further questions.

 

How to have Conversations on Climate Change – second video of webinar, from Climate Outreach.org

View on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyltf0YE_C0

The first video (from Climate Outreach), in the summer, was here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uznW6vQ1vsE&feature=youtu.be

 

Music – Walking with Nature
15 minutes of music with film showing ways we can help avert climate catastrophe
by Gloucestershire composer Penny Squire – https://pennysquire.com/