Factory Farmed Chicken
Warning:- Don’t read this if you think you might be eating factory-farmed chicken again.
Alison Caffyn from Cardiff University reveals the the true cost of these horrific systems.
Ilkley Town Council Declare Climate Emergency
At the December 2nd 2019 meeting the Council declared an emergency.
Read Declaration
Mayor Mark Stidworthy explains the background to the declaration in a series of video interviews which you can watch here
Ilkley Sustainability Plan
This sustainability plan was commissioned by Ilkley Council’s Neighbourhood Development Plan working group in November 2018.
The plan has been drafted by Climate Action Ilkley with input from a number of local organisations all of whom have endorsed the document. They are listed on the opening page. Climate Action Ilkley are now calling on the Town Council to formally adopt the plan before the the referendum on the Neighbourhood Development Plan in May 2021.
You can read the plan here
Food System Impacts on Biodiversity Loss
Note the new report by Chatham House (Tim Benton) Food System Impacts on Biodiversity Loss | Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank which demonstrates that nature cannot be restored unless we change what we eat. It confirms the importance of our Food Choices campaign – contact Steve Peel if you’d like to help.
Ilkley Neighbourhood Development Plan
It is hoped that the plan will be the subject of a referendum in May but a final decision has yet to be taken.
These are the latest Reg 16* Documents as of February 2021:-
Reg 16 INDP 2021 Policies Map Final
Reg 16 INDP Consultation Statement 140121
Reg 16 INDP Local Green Space Assessment 020221
*Reg 16 refers to Regulation 16 in the Neighbourhood Plan Process Timetable which says
“As soon as possible after receiving a plan proposal that includes all of the relevant documents, the local planning authority must (a) publicise the following on their website and elsewhere as appropriate…”
Air Pollution Presentation
At our meeting on 18th January Amy Stidworthy of CERC (Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants) gave a talk about air pollution and its measurement, harmful effects, etc. to inform our deliberations about what we might do next on this front. She included thoughts on air pollution in Ilkley particularly around the Brook St/Leeds Rd area.
Her presentation is now available to view or download 20210118_CAI_IntroductionToAirPollution
Communicating Climate Change
Climate Outreach is an Oxford based organisation set up to promote the effective communication of climate change and therefore very relevant for us.
Quoting from their website they focus on:-
“finding ways to talk about climate change across the political spectrum; changing the way millions of people see climate change; accelerating understanding of how to mainstream low-carbon lifestyles; ”
If you follow these links you will find your way to reports like “Communicating effectively with the centre-right about household energy efficiency”
One of these reports Climate-Outreach-CASPI-Mainstreaming-low-carbon-lifestyles has a case study on page 8 “engaging centre-right audiences around reduced flying”. In the case study they suggest the words you should and shouldn’t use for an audience with centre-right values.
Climate Change talk by Steve Peel
Steve Peel explains the background to climate change and its likely effects on all of us. His talk starts with reference to a poll of the audience. The result of this was:-
83% very concerned
17% fairly concerned
Ideas for Insulating your Home
Andy Walker, home insulation specialist, visits a Victorian/Edwardian property in York to explain how the insulation of the house can be improved.
List of councils who have declared Climate Emergency
If you are researching what other towns are doing about climate emergency this MySociety list is a good place to start. I have added Ilkley to the list(Ed).
List of Towns
Best Climate Change Books
Interviews with eminent scientists discussing climate change and the best books to learn more
Links to the Bigger Picture
Thanks to Rob Knipe for these links:-
Following last night’s discussions from Steve’s question about the ‘bigger picture’ – below are a few links to the projects I mentioned.
Please let me know if I can help with more.
- Divestment and New Investment Idea: Jeremy Leggett – Early stage idea to set up a company, called ‘ZeroCarbon Revolution’, Recent Cambridge Lecture: https://climateseries.com/home-blog/52-ccls2020-jeremy-leggett
- H21 The Hydrogen Economy Project for the NE: This is a link to the section that highlights the Leeds City planning part (there are more general H21 Project links as well): https://www.h21.green/projects/downloads/
Hydrogen in your gas supply
Keele University are running a pilot project to research the acceptability of injecting hydrogen into your gas supply – with positive results. Read about it here
The Royal Society issued a paper “Options for producing low-carbon hydrogen” in 2018. Read this paper (or at least the conclusions on page 27) here
The All Party Parliamentary Group on Hydrogen says:-
“Hydrogen will play a key role in shaping our future economy and our ability to meet our net-zero targets, the only question that remains, is when.”
Their report is well presented and provides a good background to the issues including how hydrogen can be produced – Blue v Green. It’s 32 pages but worth a read if you are interested. You can view or download it here 20.07.15 Hydrogen-APPG-Report-2020