Next forum meeting- Natural Resources and Waste Development Plan Document

The Natural Resources and Waste Development Plan Document (NRWDPD) which is part of the Leeds Local Development Framework: a collection of documents which guide decisions on planning applications and influences what will be built in Leeds and where (spatial land use planning).

The document covers a wide range of issues of immense importance to the environment and sustainable development in Leeds. Including:

- Natural resource flows and the ecological footprint of the city

- Renewable and non-renewable energy and climate change

- Household and commercial waste, waste treatment technologies and waste-resource management

- Minerals and aggregates (extraction and recycling)

- Contaminated land

- Water resources and flooding issues

- Air quality

The NRWDPD is currently out for public consultation. It is vital we support this document through our consultation responses in order to help Leeds manage natural resources and waste more sustainably. We can help to strengthen and improve the document through our responses to the consultation.

It is suggested you have a quick read through the sections of the document that most interest you prior to attending the meeting. The document can be found on the link below.

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/Business/Planning/Local_development_framework/natural_resources_and_waste_dpd_
%E2%80%93_issues_and_alternative_options_%28ldf%29.aspx

‘Keeping an Eye on Leeds’ Environment Forum
19:00 – 21:00 3^rd June 2008
Leeds Civic Hall

1.0 Welcome and introductions

2.0 Coordinators Update
JH to briefly update on ‘Access to Nature’ funding application.

3.0 Introduction to the Natural Resources and Waste Development Plan Document (NRWDPD)
“It is important that Leeds is able to manage its natural resources in a sustainable manner. The NRWDPD will explain the key issues affecting Leeds’ natural resources. It will provide a policy framework and guidance on themes relevant to the whole of the Leeds City Council area for the future management of existing natural resources.” Text taken from document.

4.0 Group Discussion and Question and Answer Session
We will discuss any aspect of this document which forum members take an interest in, this could include:

- Natural resource flows and the ecological footprint of the city - Renewable and non-renewable energy and climate change - Household and commercial waste, waste treatment technologies and waste resource management - Minerals and aggregates (extraction and recycling) - Contaminated land - Water resources and flooding issues - Air quality

5.0 Responding to the consultation
We will discuss how we will make a formal response to the consultation- either forming a focus group to work up a forum response, or using the minutes of this meeting to form the basis of a forum response or responding to the consultation as individual organisations. The deadline for responses is 5pm on 19/6/08.

6.0 Brief updates from the forums representatives on Aire Action Leeds and the Climate Change Strategy Group.
JH to feedback on Climate Change Strategy. IM, KS, DV, JH, RB to feedback on Aire Action Leeds. Reps: If you have feedback but cannot attend the meeting please forward your written feedback to me by 28^th May.

Next meeting: Tuesday 1^st July 2008. 19:00-21:00 Leeds Civic Hall.
Environment Forum Coordinating Group. Detailed reps feedback and action planning. We will discuss our Terms of Reference, Vision (work programme) and other issues related to the operation of our forum. All welcome.

Biofuels (Agrofuels)- The false solution

Recieved via LUU Green Action email list.

There will be an anti agrofuels (biofuels) demo on May 2nd at 3pm at a location in Leeds as part of the May Day of Action on technofixes and false capitalist solutions.

The simple message is 'food not fuel' and 'greenwash/false solutions' so be creative with banners and placards

We hope to have street theatre with a cardboard car being fed food! plenty of banners and publicity and some hilarious 'greenwashing' action.

You can find out more in person at the climate camp yorkshire neighbourhood meeting on the 30th, or be at WHSmith at leeds train station at 2pm on May 2nd where there will be someone to meet you.

Climate Camp- Yorkshire meeting

Please forward far and wide to groups you are in and lists that youare on that you think might be interested.

Hello All,

On 30th April there will be a meeting in Leeds for all those hoping to be at the Climate Camp in the summer who want to be involved in Yorkshire's very own corner of the camp: The Yorkshire Neighbourhood. We'll meet between 7.15 and 7.30 at the Common Place, but we'll be moving to a nearby pub, as No Borders have the building.

It's the area where folks from across Yorkshire camp together, in the middle of which is the Yorkshire Kitchen tent, where we all the cooking, eating and neighbourhood meetings go on.

Moreover, the neighbourhood needn't just be a bit of the camp, it can also be a process of engaging people within our region, coordinating our contacting of local groups and a chance for would-be and might-be campers to meet people before heading to Kingsnorth, and for us to organise mass-transport. If we want to see Yorkshire thoroughly represented in this
year's camp, nows the time to do something about it.

Yours,
Graham Martin
Neighbourhoods and Regions Working Group
Camp for Climate Action.

Climate Bill- Have you called for a strong climate bill?

The time of decision is at hand as to whether we will have a strong climate bill that addresses emissions from air travel or a weak climate bill that ignores the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Climate Change Bill - Leeds MPs

The Climate Change Bill is coming to the Commons, and at present, it still doesn't include aviation emissions, the fastest growing source of UK GHG.
All the Leeds MPs, bar Hilary Benn, have signed up to a Parliamentary petition (Early Day Motion) calling for the inclusion of aviation, but it's votes, not signatures, that count.
We need to put pressure on our MPs to keep their promises, and vote to get aviation in the Bill

An easy way of doing this is to email your MP today:
· thanking them for supporting EDM 736 calling for the inclusion of aviation emissions in the Climate Change Bill
· and urging them to stick to their guns, and vote for aviation emissions to be included, when the issue comes before the Commons

If you want to check out the Early Day Motion for yourself, you can do so here: http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=34898&SESSION=891

If you're not sure who your MP is, or how to get in touch with them, you can use this site: www.writetothem.com/

Info recieved via Green Action (a student environmental group based at Leeds Uni).

Yorkshire and Humber Climate Change Scrutiny

now availible are the emerging findings of the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Scrutiny Board looking at how Yorkshire Forward, the regional (economic) development agency, has performed in relation to climate change.

There is an opportunity for you to comment and encourage Yorkshire Forward to invest more of it's money in tackling climate chnage and sustainability issues. see:

http://www.yhassembly.gov.uk/Get%20Involved/Meeting%20the%20Climate%20Change%20Challenge%20Scrutiny%20Review/

Give your views before 21st April.

Climate Change Strategy Group Update

The Climate Change Strategy Group met on 7th April.

We discussed data on the responses to the consultation- I'm pleased to report 17 responses were recieved from voluntary and community groups and charitable organisations. 10 responses were recieved from private individuals- some of these responses will have been as a result of voluntary sector activity. Respondants were supportive of meaningful action.

The response rate was quite high but not enough people answered the questions about how they or their organisation can contribute to delivering the strategy. While this is disappointing it presents an opportunity for us in the 3rd sector to step into the gap and gain increased recognition of the work we already do and highlight that with support we could deliver more work to help tackle climate change.

We agreed that the new target for greenhouse gas emissions reductions would be 80% (from the 1990 baseline) by 2050 in line with government targets.

The final version of the strategy will be published around september time. Each of the 8 themed subgroups (natural environment, built environment (domenstic and non-domestic), planning and development, education and awaresness, procurement, waste, and transport) will be arranging a meeting in the near future to discuss the consultation responses relevant to their chapter and to finalise amendments to their chapters.

It was agreed that more work needs to be done on the Education and Awareness chapter because each of the subgroups has an education and awareness or communications element to their priorities. Work will continue to develop climate change education and awareness activities that get key messages to key target audiences using every channel of communication possible.

Climate Change Bill Week of Action- please get involved.

Text taken from Stop Climate Chaos Leeds circular emails.

Saturday 5^th April, 11am

Climate Bill Week of Action Demonstration

This week, April 1-5, is a week of action on climate change. Campaigners across the country are taking action to publicise the importance of including international aviation emissions in the Climate Change Bill.

Friends of the Earth Leeds group will now be holding a lobby/photo stunt on Briggate in Leeds of Saturday 5th April - If you're free please pop along, the more people that turn up, the bigger the effect!

The details are as follows...

We'll be meeting outside the Leeds church institute (www.leedschurchinstitute.org/) in Leeds city centre at 11am on Saturday morning.

We'll sort ourselves out, take the photos, hopefully with the press in tow, and it will all be done by noon! Please bring banners/leaflets/action cards, etc.

For more information contact James McKay on 07968854696 or email j.mckay690@btinternet.com

FoE have the mask, and the planes, and I am more than happy to dress up in a dark suit and red tie to play Gordon, unless anyone else is very keen! I will also be bringing things to hand out to the public, if we have lots of people, and a digital camera, so we can take our own photos.

The more the merrier!

All the best,James

Tell Gordon and David to make the Climate Change Bill Count

With your help and support we won at getting the government to concede on annual milestones – one of our top 3 changes to the Climate Change Bill! So that’s one down and two to go – and there’s still time to see our two remaining changes made to the bill, which are…

- an increase in the emissions reductions target to at least 80% by 2050

- the inclusion of the UK’s share of international aviation and shipping emissions.

Go to http://www.icount.org.uk/personal_actions/459.asp

(To check who your MP is go www.theyworkforyou.com and type in your postcode)

On a related theme:

Wednesday 9^th April – Climate Chaos Café

Leeds/Bradford Airport expansion (Leeds/Bradford Airport Campaign)

The Common Place, 23-25 Wharf Street, LS1 7ED. Climate Chaos Cafe is all about discussion, information, food, chat and action on climate change in friendly and informal surroundings. We open at 6.45pm, with then about an hour of talk/open discussion from 7pm with a cheap, delicious (vegan) meal.

For more about what is currently happening on local action on climate change see:
http://www.leedstidal.org/sccleeds/sccnewspage.php

Transition Town Leeds- 19th April.

Leeds Climate Change Strategy Consultation- LAST CHANCE TO RESPOND

If you haven't yet taken the chance to give your feedback on Leeds City Council's draft Climate Change Strategy, now's your last chance. The deadline is on Monday.

Remember, only 50 returns are expected. So your response could make a big difference.

If you only have 2 minutes, just edit and copy and paste this message:

The draft Climate Change Strategy is to be welcomed insofar as it is based on the best scienctific understanding to date. In respect of this:

- the headline target of 60% by 2050 is out of date and will not help to mitigate the worst effects. The overall target should be at least 80% by 2050.
- 550ppm should never be associated with "stabilisation" as it represents less than a 10% chance that warming will remain under human control.
- The headline target should be worded in such a way as to respond to scientific understanding and never give us less than a 50% chance of avoiding "runaway" warming.

Many of the headline actions are excellent and the draft is comprehensive in its range, however
- a far more urgent and radical educational programme will be needed if any of these measures are to avoid being undermined by an ignorant electorate.
- I would also question the involvement of any private companies in the consultation process who are unwilling to sign up to the pledge to cut their own emissions. In particular, it is very clear that the financial interests of the newly privatised airport are directly contrary to the needs of the people of Leeds in the light of the science of climate change.

And send it to climate.leeds@leeds.gov.uk

PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO YOUR CONTACTS NOW!

And thanks for taking the time to do this

Matt Carmichael and Mary Keynes
Stop Climate Chaos Leeds

The Climate Bill- Week of Action

The Climate Bill campaign is hotting up! Annual milestones have been added to strengthen the Bill. We need to keep the pressure up (we've got two more demands, see below), and I hope that you will be taking part in iCounts Climate Change Bill Week of Action: Sunday 30th March - Saturday 5th April.

1. WHY A WEEK OF ACTION
Piling the pressure on MPs to publicly pledge their support for a 'Climate Bill with Bite' is what the Week of Action is all about. We've produced everything you need to take part including Action Guides, Pledge Cards, Sample Letters and icount.org.uk

2. WHAT YOU CAN DO
We'd love to see as many activities as possible. Whether it's lobbying MPs, organising a photo stunt, public meeting, or letter writing, it all counts and adds up to more pressure on MPs, and therefore a higher chance of us winning the changes we want to the Bill, and helping to stop climate chaos.

3. ACTION GUIDES
Attached is an Action Guide full of top tips on how to get your MP to publicly support a Climate Bill with Bite. Even if your MP has already signed the EDM (EDM No. 736), please follow up and get them to sign the Pledge Card.

4. PLEDGE CARD: 'I love a Climate Bill with Bite'
The Pledge Card is the tool you need to use to draw out your MP's support. What's key is that your MP signs it, going public with their support for our demands. Once your MP has signed the Pledge Card please send it to us at the address below. We want to see lots of signed Pledge Cards!

5. ICOUNT.ORG.UK
The site is jam packed with everything you'll need to get active on the Bill (and if there's anything you'd like us to add, let us know). Log on and you'll find:

- a fantastic map showing every single event that's planned for the Week of Action. If your event isn't up there yet, please add it!

- Action Guides & Pledge Card
- Bill background & latest news
- I Count's very own podcast
- and coming soon, a viral film…

6. I COUNT COMMUNITY GROUPS MAP UPDATE
Since we launched the map in September 2007 we've made a few changes to it based on your feedback. We've hidden the message boards - sadly they seemed to be a greater source of frustration than of use! (They are still accessible if you were a fan: http://forums.icount.org.uk/forum) More positively we've added a whole brand new layer for events. Whether you're organising an event for the Week of Action or another time, post details of your event to publicise what's going on where you are. We hope that you like these changes.

A massive thank you to everyone who's getting active on the Bill. Our campaign success shows we really can make a difference. Now we need to keep the pressure up on our remaining two demands to it (see above). If you have any questions please don't hesitate to get in touch.

I Count is the campaign of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition which brings together over 70 organisations, from environment and development charities to unions, faith and women’s groups.

I Count backs a Climate Change Bill which commits the UK to at least an 80% reduction in CO2 by 2050.

Make the Climate Change Bill count

www.icount.org.uk

Climate Change- convincing sceptics and the basics

How to convince sceptics and answer some of the frequent (and often amusing questions) that people ask....

http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/climate_change/problems/cause/climate_sceptics/index.cfm

The BBC have a good basic guide: http://www.bbc.co.uk/climate/

Yorkshire and Humber Assembly - Climate Change Scrutiny

If anyone from Leeds plans to go please let me know. I am attending a 'key stakeholdr' focus group on 3rd March so will be feeding in to the consultation. If you have a question or comment please contact me to raise it on your behalf.

Whose responsibility is it to tackle climate change in the region?

Are we making the right interventions at a regional level? And are they having an impact on hitting the regional target?

What else could/should we be doing?

What do you think are the challenges and opportunities that climate change presents to the region's economy?

The Yorkshire and Humber Assembly would like to hear your views about tackling Climate Change and the role that Yorkshire Forward and the Regional Economic Strategy can play. The Assembly's Scrutiny Board, supported by regional Sustainable Development expertise, will be reviewing the progress that has been made in achieving the regional greenhouse gas emission target of 20-25% between 1990 and 2016. They will look at the role that Yorkshire Forward plays and focus on the challenges and opportunities that Climate Change can offer the region. Your involvement is vital to the success of the scrutiny.

Over the next month the Assembly's Scrutiny Board will be speaking with key partners in the region and would like to hear your views. There are a number of ways to do this:
*Come to the public discussion and pose your questions to Yorkshire Forward on Tuesday 18 March 2008, The Courtyard, Boothferry Road, Goole 10.30- 3pm. Booking online at http://www.yhassembly.gov.uk

*Write to us or email us with your views and experiences to mailto:scrutiny@yhassembly.gov.uk by Thursday 20 March 2008.

*Log onto the Assembly website to access key documents and feed in your
views - http://www.yhassembly.gov.uk

What Jon is planning to ask:

Can we simultaneously aim for economic growth and greenhouse gas emission reductions?- what takes priority?

How are we going to decouple economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions increases?

How have the findings of Stern Review informed regional economic decision making? (I think Stern is overly optimistic- but embedding the findings would be better than business as usual)

Can we refocus on quality of life and sustainable development (sustainable livelihoods and 5 types of capital) as a measure of success/as a goal instead of economic growth?

I've got papers for the 'key stakeholders' meeting in Barnsley if anyone wants me to forward them please get in touch.

Transition Town Leeds.

Fowarded via Leeds Ecovillage yahoo group.

Hi everyone,

We are a group organising a public meeting to launch Transition Town Leeds - an umberella project for supporting, creating and networking between all sorts of local initiatives aimed at creating a sustainable future for Leeds.

The idea is to hold a full day public event - we hope to attract about 200 people - where people can learn about how they might be affected by the problems of climate change and peak oil, and then take part in open space discussions to explore how they can be part of creating local solutions, and develop ideas about how to take the transition town idea forward.

Our ideas for the day are quite ambitious, & to make it work really well it would be brilliant to have a team of helpers to provide food and clear up whilst the event is going on, and also to help rearrange chairs as we move into the different parts of the day. We will have the use of a kitchen at the venue, so we could either bring food in ready made and heat it up, or make it on site. We thought of serving soup made from locally-sourced produce as the main part of lunch. We will also need to serve drinks at various points, and it would be good to have a range of snacks on offer too.

The meeting will be from 10am to 5pm on Saturday 19th April, at Centenary House, which is at the top of Vicar Lane We will need people there at all times (not necessarily the same people!), and it woud also be great if a few people could help set up beforehand, or the night before, and stay to clear up afterwards.

If anyone is willing to help with this and can spare time on that day, or even help with food preparation beforehand, can they please give me their contact details; perhaps we can then set up a short meeting nearer the time to sort out the logistics of the day.

Thanks ever so, & sorry to anyone receiving multiple copies of this!

Ellen

Ellen Robottom contact: ellenrobottom@hotmail.com

For More on the Transition Town see: http://transition-city-leeds.wikispaces.com/

Low Carbon Cities Event- Jon attending

I'm going to this event as one of a handfull of Leeds representatives. If you have anything in particular you want me to talk about (e.g. a successful project/ campaign from Leeds) or find out about (e.g. what are poeple in other cities doing to develop CHP networks) then please get in touch jon.holland@leedsvoice.org.uk.

Low Carbon Cities Event: City Wide Opportunities
Core City Event: 5th March 2008, London
A cross-sectoral and community-wide approach to carbon reduction is essential if we are to make a success of the climate change indicators in the Local Government Performance Framework. The Low Carbon Cities Programme (LCCP), co-developed by the Carbon Trust and Energy Saving Trust, is an innovative city-wide approach to carbon reduction. Three cities – Bristol, Leeds and Manchester – are developing plans with outputs which could be utilised by the other core cities and councils in general. The outputs include a city-wide carbon reduction ‘toolkit’; carbon emissions benchmarking software for the city; and other tools and events to enable and drive a true cross-sectoral approach to reducing carbon emissions across a city.

As part of the Programme, we are running two events for all 8 of the Core Cities, to enable sharing of experiences and cross-fertilisation of ideas. The first of these events is being held on Wednesday 5th March at the Holloway Road Resource Centre, Islington, London.

We would like to take this opportunity to invite you to this meeting. The event is aimed at a cross-section of stakeholders from the Core Cities – including the health sector, universities,
transport, housing, businesses and the voluntary/community sector, as well as the City Council itself. Participants should be owners / implementers of strategies within these organisations, and at a suitable level of seniority to influence the direction your organisation takes in contributing to a truly city-wide approach. CEOs and elected representatives will have an opportunity to attend our second ‘all city’ event, which will take place in mid-May.

The meeting is being held in the London Borough of Islington, and we will be hearing from members of their Climate Change Partnership on the progress they have been making in bringing a wide mix of stakeholders together to deliver real partnership action on climate change.

At the meeting you will be able to:
• Discuss the key learnings of the three cities participating in the Programme and
explore how they could impact on your city
• Get inspiration from colleagues in all of the Core Cities, and from further afield
• Work with colleagues to identify city-specific opportunities to work together to deliver
action on climate change
• Learn about technological opportunities and other support programmes that are
already available to cities, and how you can take advantage of them
Places are strictly limited, and so we are looking for a core team of about 7-8 stakeholders
from each city to attend.

Groundwork- Young Persons Climate Change Volunteering

Future Footprints is an exciting new youth volunteering opportunity taking place in Leeds and Calderdale. If you are aged between 16 and 25, this is your chance to get involved in this new project that places you at the centre of action on Climate Change. You could become a member of the Climate Change Steering Group or just volunteer on one off activities.

If you want to know more check out
www.groundwork-leeds.org.uk/futurefootprints

or contact Katherine, the Future Footprints Coordinator at
katherine.myles@groundwork.org.uk
0113 238 0601

Environmental and Climate Justice e-seminar

A very interesting idea this e-seminar.

You are invited to join the EcoRes Forum from 11-24 April 2008 for "Environmental (In)Justice: Sources, Symptoms, and Solutions", the second in a series of online dialogues focusing on the ethical, political and socio-cultural aspects of climate change.

As experts call for swift action in response to accelerating climate change, the words "global warming" have become commonplace. Headlines and commentators tout the latest technological developments, politicians focus on greening their platforms, and concerned citizens in MDCs check their house insurance and consider relocating to higher ground. Adaptation is underway.

But what about those who can't make that choice? Those forced to cope with changes they can least afford, changes to which they contributed little? As the data continues to pour in, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer's warning is being confirmed – over and over again: "The most
vulnerable communities in the poorest countries, those who have contributed nothing to climate change, will be the worst affected by its impact."

As the growing numbers of unemployed, displaced and dis-eased climate refugees and victims of injustice outpace projections, one thing is clear: Our task, our ethical responsibility, is to ensure that this indefensible discrimination does not continue. What will this require?
Nothing less than incorporating fully the interrelated principles of environmental and climate justice across the board, at all levels, in all decision-making platforms, throughout all societies.

The purpose of this dialogue is to raise awareness among participants about environmental and climate justice: what these concepts mean, underlying causes and symptoms of EJ/CJ injustice, how this injustice may be rectified, and related elements ranging from national immigration
policy and internaional contraction and convergence proposals to xenophobia and racism.

PANEL OF EXPERTS: Joining the Forum panel will be Drs. Julian AGYEMAN (USA), Patrick BOND (South Africa), Robert D. BULLARD (USA), Michael DORSEY (USA), and Shirley THOMPSON (Canada), internationally known and respected leaders in their fields. Additional panelists are being announced throughout March.

BREAKOUT DISCUSSIONS: Proposals for self-directed breakout discussions and presentations on related subjects may be submitted to forum@eco-res.org. Each selected presentation will be provided with a stand-alone webpage and unlimited discussion threads within the Forum
website, with limited server space provided for presentation materials.
Deadline for proposals: 18 March 2008.

NEW FORMAT!! EcoRes is pleased to introduce its new web-based e-conference format, which will be hosted on the Forum website. Registration is required for participation, with materials accessible as read-only for non-registrants.

The EcoRes Forum e-conference series brings together academics and activists, scientists and social critics, researchers, journalists, community leaders and members from around the world, offering a unique opportunity to learn from and network with like-minded citizens. By
offering the series free of charge, crossing cultural, disciplinary and geopolitical borders, and removing the financial and logistical barriers to participation often encountered by those whom climate change threatens most, EcoRes continues to encourage wide-ranging stakeholder
participation, with registrants from over 90 countries taking part in previous issue discussions.

Join us as we discuss this urgent need for widespread political and societal transformation: For more information or to register for the April event, visit the EcoRes Forum at http://www.eco-res.org.

We look forward to sharing this thought-provoking discussion with you!

The EcoRes Forum Team
http://www.eco-res.org

Online Registration Now Open: http://www.eco-res.org/register.html

Film Showing: Everything's Cool....

'EVERYTHING'S COOL'
The incredible story of a handful of global warming messengers speaking out in a time of disinformation.
Tuesday 16th February at 6.30pm in Leeds University, Parkinson Building Room B.09 "EVERYTHING'S COOL is a toxic comedy about the most dangerous chasm ever to emerge between scientific understanding and political action - Global Warming. While industry-funded naysayers sing their swan song of scientific doubt and deception, a group of self-appointed global warming messengers are on a life-or-death quest to help the public go from understanding the urgency of the problem to creating the political will necessary to push for a new energy economy."

Leeds Climate Change Strategy

The Leeds Climate Change Strategy is out for consultation until 17th March. It aims to reduce Leeds' greenhouse gas emissions and to help us to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

To download the strategy go to: www.leedsinitiative.org/environment

The Environment Forum will be holding a workshop for voluntary, community and faith sector groups to share ther views on the startegy with one another and George Munson Leeds' Climate Change Officer who has led the Climate Change Strategy Group. Please come along, everyone is welcome.

Date: Tuesday 4th March
Time: 19:00-21:00
Venue: Leeds Civic Hall
Meeting name: Keeping an Eye on Leeds

When the agenda is ready it'll be posted on: http://www.leedsvoice.org.uk/Theme/Environment/MinutesAndAgenda.htm

As some background to our involvement with the strategy:
We have representatives from the forum on the Climate Change Strategy Group and subgroups including: Natural Environment Subgroup, Planning and Development Subgroup, Built Environment Subgroup and Jon, the forum coordinator, chairs the Education and Awareness subgroup and attends the Climate Change Strategy Group. George Munson came to one of our monthly meetings to explain Leeds was preparing a climate chnage strategy becasue it is a signatory to the Nottingham Declaration. The forum held a workshop to collate and input ideas into the decision making process. We have been fully engaged as an equal decision-making partner at all stages of the strategy preparation process.

(apologies for any typos but my spell checker isn't working)

Climate Change and Conflict Transformation Lecture

Climate Change and Conflict Transformation
Senator George Mitchell Centre for Peace & Conflict Resolution Seminar Series

Wednesday 13 February, 6.30pm, Lecture Theatre E , Leeds Met Headingley Campus

Hugh Miall, Professor of International Relations, University of Kent.

Humanity faces a double crisis: the depletion of fossil fuels and climate change. Both of these will become severe over the next half century. Conflicts of interest between rich and poor, fuel producers and energy consumers are impeding a collective response. This lecture explores ways out, drawing on the tradition of thinking about conflict in peace and conflict research.

This is the second event in the Senator George Mitchell Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution lecture series. To register please contact:

Hannah Massarella
0113 812 5263
h.massarella@leedsmet.ac.uk
http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/international/age

Stop Climate Chaos Ice Rink Meltdown Party 2nd March

Sunday 2nd March
ICE RINK MELTDOWN PARTY
with Radio Aire & Stop Climate Chaos Leeds
12-4pm, Millenium Square, Leeds The last day of the ice rink will be marked by the Radio Aire Meltdown Party and draw attention to the issues surrounding climate change. Including: Ice Skating, Fancy Dress, Climate Change Speakers and Radio Aire Outside Broadcast Volunteers needed for - ideas and organisation, running a stall, publicity, photography, dressing up as a polar bear and climate change speakers. If you would like any more information or to volunteer please email: info@sccleeds.org or call 07723 352097 or 0113 3917917 (Wednesday)