The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) launched their third report on 5th April 2022, UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ said: “We are on a fast track to climate disaster. Major cities under water. Unprecedented heatwaves. Terrifying storms. Widespread water shortages. The extinction of a million species of plants and animals. This is not fiction or exaggeration. It is what science tells us will result from our current energy policies.”
This is frightening, but the IPCC report also lays out the clearest path yet to implementing a successful strategy in climate mitigation – the immediate, rapid and managed transition away from the burning of fossil fuels.
Amberlouise Everitt one of the co-founders of the project explained “We recognise that we can only succeed against existential threats – such as climate change and ecological collapse – if we work across political divides, viewing threats of an existential nature as a shared problem, which must be faced together, as a community.
Once we acknowledge this, the diversity of our communities becomes a strength, allowing us to reach a powerful consensus which keeps fairness at its heart, protects the most vulnerable in our community, and allows us to view our differences as a crucial aspect in delivering projects and policies that help us survive as a strong, resilient community.”
Sean Hellett fellow co-founder went on to say “Of course, we need Governments across the world to take bold actions to halt emissions and move to a sustainable economy. However, we can influence and even hasten some of this change by collaborative behavioural change and by pioneering ways that we can put human and planetary health at the core of everything we do. Indeed, communities might be our best hope.
So, our plan is to bring together as many local charity/interest groups as possible to work together in building a more sustainable future. That might be active travel, reducing carbon footprints, energy/retrofit/insulation advice, reducing plastic use and food waste, rewilding and well-being, through art, live music, film and workshops.”
There are similar centres currently being run out of Lewes, Seaford, Godalming and Guildford.
CREW will partner, evolve, collaborate and embrace community participation through outreach and peoples assemblies to find solutions to the crisis by working together. It will be a central hub for the benefit of People and Planet.
CREW is funded through grants and donations, and getting local businesses involved. We are currently in the process of looking for town centre property to use and have had over 70 responses regarding volunteering to run the centre. If anyone is interested in helping or donating in any way please contact us.
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For reference: Latest Climate Change Report April 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sixth-assessment-report-working-group-3/
For reference: CEC website for groups across UK https://climateemergencycentre.co.uk/