Community action on Climate Change – local responses to a global challenge
30 June 2009
An event to inform and inspire local community action against climate change has been organised by the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) and Hertfordshire County Council, and will take place at Hertfordshire Development Centre in Stevenage on 28th July from 9.30am – 1.00pm.
This event brings together specialists from across the East of England, and organisations such as the Community Development Agency for Hertfordshire, who develop sustainable transport plans for the community, Big Barn, the virtual farmer’s market, and Groundwork, who have developed practical solutions to climate change. These speakers and more will share their experiences in providing a local response to the global challenge of climate change.
Delegates at the event will include members of local community groups, local strategic partnerships, Parish and town councillors, local authorities, voluntary organisations, residents associations and members of the public.
Michael Allen, Chair of EERA’s Environment and Resources Panel and Chair of the event said: “It is the actions of those within our local communities that will have the most profound effect in our fight against climate change. This event is part of an action plan to deliver the Regional Social Strategy which includes an objective to support the development of sustainable communities.”
Cllr Derrick Ashley, Executive Member for Environment, Planning & Waste at Hertfordshire County Council, said: “The conference will inform and inspire people to tackle climate change in their local community. Whilst the Government’s Climate Change Bill has set a new national framework, we really need to galvanise our local communities to initiate their own local response.”
For further information about this event, contact Sue Houlder on 01284 729427 or email: sue.houlder@eera.gov.uk. The fee is £60 + VAT to public sector organisations and free to Voluntary and Community Organisations (sponsored by Hertfordshire County Council).
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Notes to editors
For further information on the Regional Social Strategy or to arrange an interview with an EERA spokesperson, please contact: Claire Sefton on 01284 729427 or email: claire.sefton@eera.gov.uk or Selina Westcott at Hertfordshire County Council on 01992 556277 or email: selina.westcott@hertscc.gov.uk
East of England Regional Assembly
1. The East of England Regional Assembly is independent of Government and is not a Government agency or quango. It represents the regional interests of people living and working in the East of England.
2. The Assembly has 105 members of which two thirds are elected councillors (from the 52 local authorities in the region) and one third are stakeholder representatives. Its meetings are open to the media and general public.
3. The Assembly is the designated Regional Planning Body for the East of England until March 2010 when it will cease to exist.
4. During 2008/09 EERA’s work included:
- £1 billion bid for investment in public transport and roads across the region including final stretch of A11 dualling
- Campaigned against a second runway at Stansted Airport
- Held EEDA to account at six Economic Summits
- Influenced European funding programmes worth £500 million to support employment, skills, climate change and low carbon economic growth
- Delivery of 328 training courses to develop thousands of local authority employees and councillors in the region
For more information on EERA, see the website at www.eera.gov.uk
EERA Environment and Resources Panel Group Leaders
Michel Allen (Chairman), Community Stakeholder, 01223 742007
Cllr Nigel Aldis, (Panel Group Leader), Liberal Democrat, 01767 223086
Cllr Michael Gibson, (Panel Group Leader), Conservative, 01525 840345
Cllr Paul Kirkman, (Panel Group Leader), Labour, 01268 474528
Cllr Derek Redhead, (Panel Group Leader), Independent, 01440 820441