Climate Change
The dangers of climate change have perhaps never been so stark. In February 2021, Sir David Attenborough addressed the United Nations Security Council, and gave a grim warning of the severe consequences of climate change and urged the need for global action. In August 2021, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published a report warning that climate change was widespread, rapid and intensifying.
We will be hearing more about the issues during the the United Nations Climate Change Conference which is being hosted by the United Kingdom in Glasgow. This global event, also generally referred to as COP 26 (Conference of the Parties), will take place between 1 and 12 November. It aims at accelerating action in working towards the goals and targets agreed at the previous conference held in Paris in 2015.
Local action is also being taken in our area. Leeds City Council declared a climate emergency in March 2019 and Wetherby Town Council has established a climate emergency group under the Chairmanship of Councillor Connor Mulhall. A number of initiatives have been introduced by the Boston Spa, Wetherby and Villages Green Group, including the Close the Loop/Plastic Free initiative
Efforts are also being made by the Better Wetherby Partnership to promote green issues and help protect our local environment.
To learn more about climate change, a simple guide can be found on the BBC website .
A recent consultation took place regarding Climate Change initiatives in Leeds. Better Wetherby members participated and the council has approved a plan to more than halve carbon emissions by 2025
The dangers of climate change have perhaps never been so stark. In February 2021, Sir David Attenborough addressed the United Nations Security Council, and gave a grim warning of the severe consequences of climate change and urged the need for global action. In August 2021, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published a report warning that climate change was widespread, rapid and intensifying.
We will be hearing more about the issues during the the United Nations Climate Change Conference which is being hosted by the United Kingdom in Glasgow. This global event, also generally referred to as COP 26 (Conference of the Parties), will take place between 1 and 12 November. It aims at accelerating action in working towards the goals and targets agreed at the previous conference held in Paris in 2015.
Local action is also being taken in our area. Leeds City Council declared a climate emergency in March 2019 and Wetherby Town Council has established a climate emergency group under the Chairmanship of Councillor Connor Mulhall. A number of initiatives have been introduced by the Boston Spa, Wetherby and Villages Green Group, including the Close the Loop/Plastic Free initiative
Efforts are also being made by the Better Wetherby Partnership to promote green issues and help protect our local environment.
To learn more about climate change, a simple guide can be found on the BBC website .
A recent consultation took place regarding Climate Change initiatives in Leeds. Better Wetherby members participated and the council has approved a plan to more than halve carbon emissions by 2025
Better Wetherby at the Eco Fair
In the run-up to the start of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow on the 1st November, an Eco Fair, part of a ‘Going Green Weekend,’ took place in Wetherby on Saturday 2nd October 2021. Given that the recently published report of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), gave a blunt warning that climate change was widespread, rapid and intensifying, the event was particularly timely.
Several Better Wetherby Steering Group members were involved in the planning and organisation of the event, along with representatives of the Boston Spa, Wetherby and Villages Community Green Group, Churches Together, Wetherby Town Council, Wetherby Methodist Church and U3A. The 30 displays, including one from Better Wetherby, in the Wetherby Methodist Church and Town Hall, attracted considerable interest from the large number of visitors.
In addition to highlighting the dangers of climate change, the Eco Fair, also attended by the Deputy Mayor of Wetherby, Councillor Dawn Payne, provided practical advice on steps that people can take to reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to helping combat climate change. The Eco Fair also featured craft activities, demonstrations showing how to use recycled materials to make various items such as eco-bricks, purses, rag rugs, corsages, bird boxes and bug hotels.
In a thought provoking presentation, underwater film maker, Mark Barrow, who earlier this year featured in a BBC Panorama special report on the state of British rivers, warned how littering and pollution is affecting the water in the River Wharfe. Adrian Balcombe outlined some practical and easy changes that can be made to reduce the family household carbon footprint. Visitors also heard from Alan Bell about how climate change is affecting poorer nations and how the organisation, Tearfund, is working to help turn the tide on the climate crisis.
A raffle, with prizes generously donated by local shops and businesses in Wetherby, was drawn by Leeds City Councillor Helen Hayden, Lead Officer for the climate emergency in the city.
On Sunday, 3rd October, the ‘Going Green Weekend’ concluded with a ‘Wetherby Town Guided Walk’ arranged by the Wetherby Civic Society and led by their Vice Chair, Peter Catton. This provided a fascinating insight of the history of town and how it has evolved over the centuries.
Event organiser, Ingrid McLaughlin of the Boston Spa, Wetherby and Villages Community Green Group and also a Steering Group member of Better Wetherby said, ‘The historic walk, organised by the Civic Society, illustrated how the town has coped with many challenges over the centuries. We are now faced with the immense challenge of climate change. It affects us all, so it is pleasing that we had such a good turnout for the Eco Fair. Hopefully people will have gone away with some new ideas in how we can all play our part in helping to make a positive difference.”
For more information, please contact:
Ingrid McLaughlin – email: [email protected] or Brian Taylor – email: [email protected]
In the run-up to the start of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow on the 1st November, an Eco Fair, part of a ‘Going Green Weekend,’ took place in Wetherby on Saturday 2nd October 2021. Given that the recently published report of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), gave a blunt warning that climate change was widespread, rapid and intensifying, the event was particularly timely.
Several Better Wetherby Steering Group members were involved in the planning and organisation of the event, along with representatives of the Boston Spa, Wetherby and Villages Community Green Group, Churches Together, Wetherby Town Council, Wetherby Methodist Church and U3A. The 30 displays, including one from Better Wetherby, in the Wetherby Methodist Church and Town Hall, attracted considerable interest from the large number of visitors.
In addition to highlighting the dangers of climate change, the Eco Fair, also attended by the Deputy Mayor of Wetherby, Councillor Dawn Payne, provided practical advice on steps that people can take to reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to helping combat climate change. The Eco Fair also featured craft activities, demonstrations showing how to use recycled materials to make various items such as eco-bricks, purses, rag rugs, corsages, bird boxes and bug hotels.
In a thought provoking presentation, underwater film maker, Mark Barrow, who earlier this year featured in a BBC Panorama special report on the state of British rivers, warned how littering and pollution is affecting the water in the River Wharfe. Adrian Balcombe outlined some practical and easy changes that can be made to reduce the family household carbon footprint. Visitors also heard from Alan Bell about how climate change is affecting poorer nations and how the organisation, Tearfund, is working to help turn the tide on the climate crisis.
A raffle, with prizes generously donated by local shops and businesses in Wetherby, was drawn by Leeds City Councillor Helen Hayden, Lead Officer for the climate emergency in the city.
On Sunday, 3rd October, the ‘Going Green Weekend’ concluded with a ‘Wetherby Town Guided Walk’ arranged by the Wetherby Civic Society and led by their Vice Chair, Peter Catton. This provided a fascinating insight of the history of town and how it has evolved over the centuries.
Event organiser, Ingrid McLaughlin of the Boston Spa, Wetherby and Villages Community Green Group and also a Steering Group member of Better Wetherby said, ‘The historic walk, organised by the Civic Society, illustrated how the town has coped with many challenges over the centuries. We are now faced with the immense challenge of climate change. It affects us all, so it is pleasing that we had such a good turnout for the Eco Fair. Hopefully people will have gone away with some new ideas in how we can all play our part in helping to make a positive difference.”
For more information, please contact:
Ingrid McLaughlin – email: [email protected] or Brian Taylor – email: [email protected]
Greening the Centre of Wetherby - St. James Church project
St James Church, Wetherby, has won a grant to commission a consultant to undertake an assessment of its church and ancillary buildings. It is hoped to include all the other community buildings in the heart of Wetherby, particularly those close by. There will be community participation in the project explaining the project aims and progress. The aim is to find out how best to achieve a Carbon Neutral situation for everybody in 9 years’ time.
The Church of England’s target is to be Carbon Neutral by 2030, and it is hoped that others will follow suit.
Central government’s Rural Communities Energy Fund, managed by the North East, Yorkshire and Humber Energy Hub and administered by the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority, is handing out grants to help encourage rural communities to improve their energy use. That means less reliance on oil and gas and more on ‘green’ energy such as wind and solar power.
The biggest energy use at St James’ is heating, but lighting and kitchen appliances with be looked at as well, possibly car charging points!
The feasibility study will look at possible sources of renewable energy including solar panels and heat pumps. Smart control systems will be important and methods to store and reuse energy will be looked at too.
This study will also look at the financial viability of proposed new options. It will assess life cycle costs – how they save money as well as non-green fuel in the long run. We will be hoping to consolidate the planning position on any options considered.
Robert Haskins, who is leading the project on behalf of the church project team, says, “It’s great news but now the hard work starts. And we need to think how we are going to pay for any of capital investment recommended. We’ll be asking the consultant and the community about that!”
In a Community Open Meeting held at St. James Church on Wednesday, 8th September 2021, details of progress and future plans for the project were outlined.
St James Church, Wetherby, has won a grant to commission a consultant to undertake an assessment of its church and ancillary buildings. It is hoped to include all the other community buildings in the heart of Wetherby, particularly those close by. There will be community participation in the project explaining the project aims and progress. The aim is to find out how best to achieve a Carbon Neutral situation for everybody in 9 years’ time.
The Church of England’s target is to be Carbon Neutral by 2030, and it is hoped that others will follow suit.
Central government’s Rural Communities Energy Fund, managed by the North East, Yorkshire and Humber Energy Hub and administered by the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority, is handing out grants to help encourage rural communities to improve their energy use. That means less reliance on oil and gas and more on ‘green’ energy such as wind and solar power.
The biggest energy use at St James’ is heating, but lighting and kitchen appliances with be looked at as well, possibly car charging points!
The feasibility study will look at possible sources of renewable energy including solar panels and heat pumps. Smart control systems will be important and methods to store and reuse energy will be looked at too.
This study will also look at the financial viability of proposed new options. It will assess life cycle costs – how they save money as well as non-green fuel in the long run. We will be hoping to consolidate the planning position on any options considered.
Robert Haskins, who is leading the project on behalf of the church project team, says, “It’s great news but now the hard work starts. And we need to think how we are going to pay for any of capital investment recommended. We’ll be asking the consultant and the community about that!”
In a Community Open Meeting held at St. James Church on Wednesday, 8th September 2021, details of progress and future plans for the project were outlined.
Photos from Eco Fair: 2-Oct-2021
Photos from Wetherby Festival: 4-Sept-2021
Photos from Wetherby Festival: 4-Sept-2021