Climate and Community Action Working Group (CCAWG)
The primary Council-Community engagement forum on Climate issues.
Climate & community action working group meeting
4 December 2023, 4-5.30pm, MS Teams
Attended: Les Gunbie, Mita Patel, Julie Harris, Maria Antoniou, Steve Peake, Athol Halle, Mark Earthey, Mark Strong, Cat Fletcher
Optional: Keely McDonald, Nicky Lumb, Magda Pasiut, Kirsten Firth, Amelia Lupson, Melanie David-Durand,
Apologies: Neil Younger, David Allen; Simon Maxwell
Chair: Maria leading (Athol co-chair)
Notes from the meeting
Welcome, introductions and actions since previous meeting
Mark E: Progressing actions with the Saltdean Climate Action Network, including identifying land for biodiversity, carbon credits and working with Saltdean Lido on their carbon footprint ahead of the grand opening. Raised concerns about news of possible cuts to funding nationally for climate change measures.
Julie: Put together information about council projects starting or about to start that the group could help shape and deliver. Updated carbon neutral officer working group. Funding locally difficult too because budget shortfall more severe than previous years.
Steve: Continuing to source funding, has been talking to the Chalk Cliff Trust and progressing plans for a Climate Action Centre with the Revaluit hub.
Cat: Continuing waste prevention work and running the Free shop at the Open Market, exploring a community hub focused on waste.
Mark S: Transport and public realm rep; highlighted People, Planet, Pint event in Brighton, held as part of response to COP 28.
Les: Has been connecting up people, for example the Creative Climate Cafes organisers and Sussex University with Julie and the community leaders carbon literacy toolkit webinar with Lauren and others.
Athol: Attended latest Climate:Change think tank event which focused on a Green New Deal, inclusive economy and green jobs. Redrafted the Terms of Reference for this group.
Mita: Taking part in the consultation for the next economic strategy; continuing to look for opportunities in council services and linking people up.
Maria: Working on a programme to reduce Community Works’ carbon footprint – energy, waste, travel. Learning will support communication with the wider community.
Agreeing terms of reference (ToR)
Agreed to Mark S suggestion to have climate risk and actions to address it reflected in the Terms of Reference. Action to add this in.
Les asked whether we should consider inviting in other groups – eg businesses, NHS to extend representation. ToR allow for this and agreed to revisit the idea of new members in two meetings’ time (ie in March, which should be half way through the initial 6 month period). The group also agreed that it can form project groups to focus on specific subjects and involve relevant people & organisations in the city as part of that work.
Terms of Reference were agreed.
Political involvement
This group is not political; Mark E confirmed that he is attending as a representative of the Climate Alliance and the Saltdean Climate Action Network.
Agreed to seek an informal meeting with relevant committee chairs and lead councillors - planning as well as environment and sustainability.
Maria has contacted lead councillors, some of them have responded already, all positively. Dates in January being sought to agree a date and time.
Action to look at who will go and the messages the group wants to take to councillors.
Meeting would be to talk about how the group is focused on creating balanced and meaningful engagement process, building positive relationships, provides an opportunity for community dialogue with politicians and involvement with their strategy for climate action. How we can move forward together in partnership and that we’re working to the same ethos – collaboration, co-production etc
Selecting a project to work on
Maria: We are now ready to start on a project, but capacity and resources are tight for all of us
The following list of projects identified at the previous meeting were discussed
- Shape and collaborate on a waste minimisation campaign for the city
- Progress information/support on energy
- Decarbonisation Pathways Study (This group can help involve the city in how to translate targets into actions).
- Group could help to inspire optimism, especially towards younger audiences e.g. 24 hour comics challenge from University of Sussex [see update below]
- Progress policies around single use plastics and sustainable/ethical advertising
- Work with communities on how to adapt to climate change (Report Climate Risk & Vulnerability Assessment goes to councillors in new year)
- Climate Action Centre – supporting it to establish and run
- Community consultation on city’s climate action response
- Carbon literacy / similar training for community leaders
Julie and Mita went through projects about waste minimisation, nature and decarbonisation pathways.
A bid for the City Downland Estate Plan for engagement has been submitted to Defra – result expected in January. If successful it would provide resources for much wider engagement than is currently possible.
Discussed BHESCO’s community energy project. Les reported that they have chosen 4 streets in Hove, but wider challenge is more inclusive and wider offer for energy projects.
Les: Carbon Literacy toolkit can be highlighted as a resource that is available at no cost to community organisations. What would be most helpful to community organisations and what do they want to make progress? (Action: Julie/Mita to take up with Lauren)
Climate Action Centre: Currently in Revaluit hub but needs a much larger space to accommodate more people
Cat highlighted importance of waste minimisation being about re-use and the circular economy and that circular economy is not just about waste.
Circular economy is about improving lives and standard of living without impacting on the planet. It also supports vulnerable people and builds resilience, so has much broader aspirations and outcomes.
Steve: Information and where to find it about what can and can’t be recycled would be helpful.
Discussion around what communities can do to raise effort and resources, some of the funding applied for (eg National Lottery Community Fund) can focus on communications, design and delivery of outreach.
Opportunity to change people’s view of consumption – wider message of wellbeing and health (consuming more doesn’t make us happy)
Julie & Mita explained it was difficult to pin down exact timelines at this stage (meeting on waste minimisation with cllr Rowkins took place on 1 December and circular economy action plan being reviewed now alongside the economic strategy)
Group agreed to work on waste minimisation/circular economy and meet in January to shape further actions.
AOB and date for next meeting
Date of next meeting scheduled for Monday, 5 February 2024, 4-5.30pm
Project meeting – Waste/Circular Economy – to be scheduled in January. Julie has set up a doodle poll and is in the process of inviting David Greenfield (Tech Take Back), Steve Creed (co-founder Circular Brighton & Hove) and Susie Deadman (Sew Fabulous) for their expertise in this area.
Agreed to have resources on the agenda for next time – what other resources (funding) can we draw on?
Additional information/action
Creative Climate Cafes
Following Les’ introduction, Julie met with the organisers of the creative climate cafes, funded by the Rampion Wind Farm, on 9 November. They were interested in linking up with this group. Below is a blurb from them:
“Creative Climate Cafes are open, inclusive spaces for people to talk and act on climate change, everyone is welcome to join the conversation and get involved. In these workshops, we use art as a way to explore our feelings and discuss ways we can move from eco-anxiety to positive actions, whether they are big or small."
If there is anywhere you can share the link(s) to our upcoming events it would be greatly appreciated! You can also find update on the Magnetic Ideals Instagram or Twitter/X account.
Here is the Eventbrite link to all of the upcoming Creative Climate Cafes: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/magnetic-ideals-8356623738 and some information about the recent launch event.
We are also looking to branch out and run climate cafes with other organisations and have some further information about that on the Magentic Ideals website, please share with anyone you think would be interested: https://www.magneticideals.org/home/reconnect/creative-climate-cafes/
Heather McKnight (Magnetic Ideals) and Kirsty Lumm (Arts for Life)
Terms of reference attached
Project descriptions attached
Update and invitation from the 24-hour comic project
Following this meeting, Chris Sandom from the University of Sussex got in touch about the 24-hour comic proposal (the 4th project on the list above). Attached is a one page summary describing their idea in a little more detail. They are about to submit an application for a small pot of funding to design the process and pilot it somewhere.
Does this group want to be included as an interested organisation/group? This would involve a representative to join a workshop to help shape the pilot.
The plan is to apply for further funding and run a larger event if the pilot is successful.
