Amid coronavirus crisis, don’t forget about climate change

Although coronavirus is a serious threat to communities and countries worldwide and is rightly the issue of the day, we must remember that climate change presents an even more serious threat to our world if it is not tackled urgently in the next few years.

So I was very pleased that I attended the recent’ Zero 2030’ conference in the town hall organised by the environment and community groups Worthing Climate Action Network & Transition Town.

A total of 300 people were treated to a day of workshops and speakers with opportunities to find out more about climate change and have their questions and concerns answered.

The conference, opened by council leader Dan Humphreys, explained that a climate emergency had already been declared by Adur & Worthing last year and that their Sustainable Framework Policy is helping to reach the target of zero carbon across the two councils by 2050. We then had a full morning session consisting of speakers from various organisations including The New Economics Foundation, the Knepp Estate, WBC, and it was good to see a group of children from Chatsmore Catholic School with their teacher, who all emphasised the effect that climate change will have on their lives if urgent action is not taken.

In the afternoon there were many individual workshops on conservation, biodiversity, developments in clean energy, water and transport, and others methods of carbon reduction. Many of the town hall and Assembly Hall rooms had groups exchanging ideas & information and hearing from experts in the relevant areas.

After returning to the main hall at the end of the afternoon the highlights from these workshops were presented and summarised.

Afterwards we were invited to join the organisers and speakers in the Assembly Hall bar for an informal networking session–and a drink. It was a very interesting and informative day. Many thanks to all involved.