The discussion following our viewing of the People’s Emergency Briefing screening prompted a number of ideas for community and individual actions. These had the aim to spread the film’s message and respond to the climate emergency.
The following list summarizes the main points developed and presented by the audience. You can read our report of the event here.
Points relevant to the People’s Emergency Briefing screening and spreading its message
- Support and promote further local showings of the People’s Emergency Briefing film. (At least 4 more screenings are planned locally at present, see National Emergency Briefing screening map).
- Push for a local showing of the People’s Emergency Briefing to all local councillors together.
- Write to your MP and local councillor (or even better go and meet them). Ask that they urgently support actions that encourage a transition to a low carbon economy. Also that they communicate the urgency of the climate emergency and the economic opportunities available in a properly managed green transition.
- Demand that the People’s Emergency Briefing be shown nationally on television, and ask if your MP has seen it.
- Much of the transition to net zero will require regulation and clear legislation for businesses and individuals. It is important to make both the economic and the scientific case and press for the necessary government and council actions.
- Connect with people locally, and support each other in calling for action and taking action. Join campaigning groups locally and nationally that are actively seeking to build resilience, be more sustainable, to rewild, and support net zero initiatives. Current ActForEaling partners are listed here: https://actforealing.org/connecting-local-partners/
- Join the ActForEaling mailing list (if you haven’t already) to ensure regular information, advice and connections.
Points relevant to wider actions and legislative action
- Reduce the demand for diary, and therefore free up agricultural land for rewilding. This can be done by encouraging schools and businesses to offer plant based dairy alternatives as standard, with cow’s milk as an ‘alternative’ option.
- Provide more and better-maintained drinking water fountains in public areas to reduce demand for plastic water bottles.
- Ask the council and other local institutions to sponsor a pledge to not use plastic bottles.
- Push for ban on advertising for climate-damaging goods, including fossil fuels, plastics and unhealthy foods.
- Install more solar panels on public buildings, including car parks.
- Support community energy and insulation schemes, and projects such as solar streets. We can provide more information about benefits, installation, and trusted providers with support from the Council.
- Support the development of more cycling infrastructure especially for school travel.
- Push for ‘sponge city’ measures to reduce flash flooding from rain. Install ‘rain gardens’ as well as regular flower and plant beds and other soil borders for soaking up rain water, and stabilising the ground.
- Where possible, encouraging the return of private gardens to nature. Raise awareness of the benefits to biodiversity, and the negative impacts of the poor management of surface water and rain caused by over-paving.
- Praise and support actions already taken by the council and community to address these issues.
Specific actions requested by the film
The film suggested a number of possible calls to action. All of these are intended to spread the word about the film and its message, and begin a dialogue between society and the government to organise a proper all-of-society response. To take action, you can:
- Spread the word about the film.
- Put on your own screening : https://www.nebriefing.org/host-the-film
- Write to your MP and local councillor and ask them to join the parliamentary call for a national televised screening.
More information about can be found on the National Emergency Briefing website here: https://www.nebriefing.org/take-action
Summary
The People’s Emergency Briefing revealed that according to polls 83% of the UK public want more effective action to address the Climate Crisis, but that established interests (legacy technologies and businesses) often have the loudest voices defending against the adoption of new cleaner technologies. Negative messages can distort real views.
Since support for the transition to net zero is often underestimated by those in government, it is extremely important both to acknowledge and champion existing wins, and communication to those in power the desire for climate and environment-positive change.
