An update from CFWI Climate Ambassador, Pippa Stilwell
Cornwall Climate Ambassador Pippa Stillwell, NFWI Vice-Chairman Anne Jones and Essex Climate Ambassador Jill Bruce at the Now to Net Zero event at Portcullis House
In November, I was invited by the Climate Coalition to an event in Westminster called Now to Net Zero, celebrating 10 years of the Climate Change Act. Speakers included Farhana Yamin, a lead author of the recent report of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change, the actor and model Lily Cole, (prominent in the Extinction Rebellion movement), and the CEO of Anglian Water.
The opening talk was given by Anne Jones, NFWI Vice-Chairman, who spoke about the effects of climate change on her farm in Wales: first the Beast from the East, followed by drought, which destroyed crops and harmed livestock. The message is, that as the effects of climate change are felt more and more deeply, more action is being taken, but it’s still not enough. However, Bristol City Council has just committed the city to net zero emissions by 2030! That’s wonderful news.
Currently the Conference of Parties 24 (COP24) is taking place in Poland to discuss the technical details of the Paris Agreement. David Attenborough spoke at the opening ceremony saying that “climate change is humanity’s greatest threat in thousands of years”. For a useful summary of what will be discussed at the talks you can read this BBC article. The BBC also has 7 charts to explain what is happening with climate change and what you can do to help.
Don’t forget to apply for tickets for our Show the Love for Cornwall event which takes place on February 15th at Chy Noweth an Conteth. Your WI secretary has the application form; the closing date is 7th January. Speakers from the RSPB, the Woodland Trust, the Eden Project, and Falmouth University will be talking about the effect of climate change on local wildlife. Derek Thomas MP will tell us about the cross party letter to the Government from MPs, asking for a commitment to net zero emissions – i.e., all carbon emissions either offset or completely phased out – on or before 2050. There will be plenty of time for discussion, and a cream tea, and there is no cost to the event.
So far 160 MPs have signed the cross party letter – but we need more signatures. Do you want to get your MP onside in the great Climate Change debate? How about sending him or her a Christmas card, wishing them a happy Christmas and asking them to make climate change a priority in 2019?
Finally, if you want to host your own Show the Love event in February, you can download the new Show the Love Community Pack from the NFWI website and from My WI.
-Pippa Stilwell, CFWI Climate Ambassador