As Governments meeting at COP27 this week are criticised for having climate change policies inadequate to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees C, the national charity Carbon Copy is urging communities to take the initiative and develop projects that tackle climate change at the grassroots level.
It is highlighting the Herefordshire Natural Flood Management project as an inspiring example of how local projects are finding ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, make lifestyles greener and to protect residents from the worst effects of climate change – without having to wait for governments to honour their promises.
The Herefordshire Natural Flood Management project uses natural techniques to slow the flow, store more water upstream, increase the amount of water being absorbed by the soil, and reduce the risk of flooding to Herefordshire communities.
It’s moving away from traditional, artificial flood defence techniques and mimicking nature. Led by Herefordshire Council, the project is working with landowners, communities, local flood action groups, parish councils and organisations such as the Environment Agency in 7 river catchment areas.
More project info here.
This project was one of just 27 outstanding community-led projects selected by Carbon Copy to form the backbone of the Running Out of Time climate relay route when it passed through the UK.
It was the world’s longest non-stop relay and thousands of volunteers ran, cycled or sailed stretches of the total 7,767km/4,826mile route from Glasgow to Sharm El-Sheikh where COP27 is being held. The volunteers passed a baton from hand to hand containing a message from young people – signed online by over 800,000 people – calling on governments to provide the resources, skills and quality education that communities need to tackle climate change in their locality.
Ric Casale, co-founder and trustee of the charity said:
“The Herefordshire Natural Flood Management project is an outstanding example of what communities, companies and partnerships at the local level can and are achieving right now. We want projects like these to inspire other communities and give them the confidence that they can do the same.”
He continued: “Collective local action is too often overlooked in discussions and decision-making about how to address the climate crisis. National projects are too large-scale for the public to get involved and individual action alone is not enough. Community-level action is a vital middle ground where individuals can pool their efforts, knowledge and energy, and together take significant greener and fairer strides quickly.”
As well as this inspiring local project, over a thousand, big-thinking local climate projects have been published on Carbon Copy from around the UK, tackling a wide range of sustainability issues from renewable energy to food waste, sustainable fashion to eco-construction, nature restoration to energy efficient homes.
