Presentation at Newham’s Citizen’s Assembly for Climate Change

On the 22nd of February 2020 we gave a presentation at the Citizens Assembly for Climate Change, after being contacted invited to by Newham Council.

The assembly was created from a cross-section of our communities, with the express purpose of educating members of the public on the climate crisis, so that they can advise on the council on appropriate measures which they feel should be taken using their diverse perspectives,

We were part of a morning of presentations being given on sustainable building, Earth care and faith-based responsibility towards tackling climate change, fossil fuel divestment, the impact on and opinions of the youth of today in respect of the climate crisis, plus our thoughts on the role of community-based education.

Presentations were given by the University of East London’s Head of Architecture, sustainable community self-build housing organisation: Ecomotive, fossil fuel divestment campaigners: Fossil Free Newham, a Franciscan Brother from the Friary of St. Francis with a passion for tackling climate change, a Newham resident representing youth views on the climate crisis and ourselves.

This was followed by round table discussions with the Citizens’ Assembly participants. We visited each table of Assembly residents who asked us relevant questions.

We used the work we have been doing to inform our perspective, with emphasis laid on how Newham Council can expedite the speed by which local people can learn about climate change within their communities. Having seen the work the council has been doing on recruiting and training community ‘Air Quality and Health Champions’ we advised using the same approach to create a grass roots Climate Change Champions programme.

Before arriving at our recommendation, our presentation focused on contextualising the climate crisis to help the audience not only understand the real World consequences of the crisis already being experienced across the globe but the problems awaiting our communities if we don’t act with great haste.