Climate emergency community action network is launched
A new network has been set up to tackle the climate crisis at a local level by helping communities support each other in green schemes.
Cambridgeshire Climate Emergency is aimed at effective disaster response to global warming.
It will create a network of ‘emergency control centres’ across Cambridgeshire to coordinate community action and drive forward rapid action on climate change.
The network is the brainchild of Cambridge tech consultant Stefan Haselwimmer. He said: “It’s been almost four months since Cambridge City Council declared a climate emergency, and one month since Cambridgeshire County Council did the same. If we’re serious about responding to the climate emergency, where are the emergency control centres?”
The plan from Cambridgeshire Climate Emergency (CCE) is to create a network of community-driven emergency control centres with “situation maps” that show the latest data, such as CO2 emissions and possible flood risks.
The goal of the maps will be to provide focus, drive urgency and increase public engagement. CCE also hopes to coordinate community-driven action to reduce carbon emissions so that best practice is shared and different regions can collaborate to deliver large-scale low-carbon projects.
The idea for CCE was inspired by Stefan’s experience launching the Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign in 2015.
He explained: “At the height of the refugee crisis, we helped bring the community together to achieve practical action on refugee resettlement. The idea behind Cambridge Climate Emergency is to build a similar ‘people power grid’ that empowers communities to achieve rapid action on climate change.”
CCE is asking individuals across Cambridgeshire to register with CCE as ‘climate leaders’ in their communities. CCE will provide training and support.
Rosy Moore, executive councillor for climate change at Cambridge City Council, said: “His project looks very interesting. It is vital that we can get local community support for any work to help reduce climate change.”
CCE is also working on a ‘Regional Citizens Assembly for Cambridgeshire’. To register with Cambridgeshire Climate Emergency, go to camemergency.org.
