A climate summit can be a great way of bringing local environmental groups together to show the strength of feeling for climate change action – as Wiltshire found out, we are stronger together.

It can also be a platform to raise awareness of Climate Income and collate views for your MP to feed back into the UK’s approach to the UN’s COP26, later this year in Glasgow.

Making a climate summit happen

Ask your MP to call one in your county – show them what Wiltshire did.

Ask other environmental groups in your area to do the same thing.

Write to the other MPs in your county, encouraging them to join in.

Suggest they host a range of speakers – Wiltshire hosted the chair of the Farmer’s Union, the MOD, young people, county and parish councillors, a representative from the UK’s COP delegation, and the former chair of COP26.

Maybe you know of, or are involved in, a local group which has succeeded in implementing a grassroots scheme such as electricity generation or flood defences. Examples of successful action and I hope, CCL’s positive message, should help steer MPs who are uncertain of engaging with the issues, away from “it’s not in the job description” negativity!

It is well worth checking if your MP is already on the list of MPs endorsing the Local Electricity Bill, which received its first reading on the 15th January. Support for the bill would suggest that the MP may well be very open to hearing more from local environmental activists and setting up a summit. You may be surprised to see an MP you have considered highly unlikely to support such a bill to be on the list, it is attracting all sides!

Need help or advice? Contact Gina.

Featured image: Lt General Nugee, Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy Lead for the Ministry of Defence, appearing at the Wiltshire Climate Summit, February 2021