Green Zone Community Climate Action

Green Zone Community Climate Action is a charitable unincorporated association formed in November 2016. Based in Broomfield, Essex, this organisation delivers climate change awareness at a grass roots level to improve public understanding of Global warming and promote individual actions that can help to address this. The charity works with Marks & Spencer through the project Neighbourly [1] among other retailers to reduce food waste and share unsold food within the community. The charity also supports climate education for primary school children through clubs. The charity took part in the worldwide 24 Hours of Reality campaign broadcast by The Climate Reality Project. Working alongside additional community charities [2] Green Zone Community Climate Action is one of many new projects created to assist the UK in meeting the United Nations global Sustainable Development Goals [3]

History

The UK Government created a Department of Energy and Climate Change in 2008 which addressed the country's policies on this global issue. Following the appointment of Prime Minister Theresa May, the department was abolished. An Environmental Audit Select Committee [4] chaired by Mary Creagh Labour MP for Wakefield reviews governments' policies and programmes within government departments and public bodies on their effort to address climate change.

Current initiatives

Feed-in tariffs in the United Kingdom are financial incentives that pay for the electricity generated and fed back into the National Grid to encourage the purchase of renewable energy through Solar panel on residential and business properties. The tariff rates have gradually reduced [5] making it less desirable to purchase renewable energy.

The National Curriculum in the UK briefly covers climate change in Key Stages 3 and 4.[6] Children in earlier years are taught about the topic recycling when looking at different materials. Traditionally information and education on climate change is saved for those who take an active interest in their later education and courses are available to adult learners.[7]


Prince Charles Ladybird Book on Climate Change

Role of the voluntary sector

In the interim until the current UK government prioritises climate change it is necessary for charities and the voluntary sector to contribute to the necessary work in keeping global warming well below 2'c. Charities around the globe are joining the cause with founders such as Al Gore of The Climate Reality Project and Leonardo DiCaprio of The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. In the UK larger charities such as Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace continue their successful campaigns, often developing petitions and lobbying for change in the private and public sector. Smaller scale charities are being developed to support change at a local level. Green Zone Community Climate Action is one of these.

Royal contributions to climate change

Prince Charles has spoken out about the threat of Climate Change and has helped write a Ladybird series book on the subject to be released in 2017.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "Food Sharing for Green Zone Community Climate Action". Neighbourly. January 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  2. ↑ "About Us". Ideas Hub. 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  3. ↑ "Sustainable Development Platform". United Nations. 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  4. ↑ "Environmental Audit Committee". Parliament. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  5. ↑ "FIT Tariff Rates". Ofgem. 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  6. ↑ "National Curriculum". Department for Education. 16 July 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  7. ↑ "Climate Change". The Open University. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  8. ↑ "Prince Charles pens Ladybird book on Climate Change". International Business Times. 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
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