A chance for you to show your commitment to tackling the world’s environmental problems comes with taking part in the first B&NES-led Climate & Biodiversity Festival
The festival will run from 13-26 September and aims to showcase what is happening at a local level to support the Council’s commitment to reach net zero carbon by 2030.
It also enables the area to tie in with the national and international debate ahead of COP15 in China in October and COP26 in Glasgow in November.
The two-week programme includes several events organised by local community groups and businesses such as 3SG, the Friends of Broadmoor Lane Community Orchard, Energy Sparks, FACE (Families Acting on Climate Emergency) and Greener Matters, but organisers are hoping more groups and individuals will come forward to discuss running their own activities as part of the festival.
The Business Hub at 15 Cheap Street, Bath will be hosting community run face-to-face events on Thursday 16, Saturday 20, Thursday 23 and Saturday 25 September.
Key themes for the festival are about positive, practical action related to reducing carbon emissions and restoring nature.
Councillor Sarah Warren, deputy leader, Climate Emergency and Sustainable Travel said: “The festival will help to highlight all the fantastic work that is going on throughout Bath and North East Somerset to reduce carbon emissions, restore nature and improve biodiversity.
“We’ve had a great response so far from people wanting to get involved. This is an opportunity for all those community groups, Parish Councils, and individuals to tell everyone what they have been doing to bring about change and inspire others to take action.”
The organisers are promoting several events that are running alongside the festival such as the Somer Valley Walking Festival, Bathscape Walking Festival, Shoscombe Eco Day and Keynsham Eco Day.
Please get in touch if you are interested in organising an event in your community or local group. You can find more information about the festival and register to take part on the website. Or you can email sustainability@bathnes.gov.uk.
Interesting letter in yesterday’s ‘Telegraph’, which puts all this in context:
‘We were in China on holiday just before the pandemic, flying between cities shrouded in smog and travelling for part of the time along the Yangtze. We saw hundreds of coal barges passing all day, each about 100ft long and so heavily laden that only a sliver of freeboard was visible. The number of coal-fired power stations in China is set to increase – and, with the enormous cities spreading across state-owned farmland, demand for electricity can only rise. Britain’s emissions pale into insignificance.’