Feelings of frustration, anxiety, determination and hope were the dominant audience reactions to an Ilkley showing of a newly-released film last Friday evening.
Climate Action Ilkley organised the screening of 'The People’s Emergency Briefing' at Ilkley Grammar School, with attendees including Robbie Moore MP, two of Ilkley’s newly-elected Bradford City Councillors, local politicians, Christian ministers, senior staff from a number of Ilkley’s schools.
There were also representatives from many local organisations such as the Ilkley BID, Ilkley Civic Society, Ilkley Town AFC, Ilkley Golf Club, Girlguiding Wharfedale, the Ilkley Round Table, Ilkley in Bloom and a number of local businesses and local environmental groups.
Mike Daw from Climate Action Ilkley who chaired the event said:
“One of the main aims of the meeting was to encourage MPs to support the parliamentary call to demand that the UK Government and national broadcasters commit to a televised briefing, so that the whole country can be fully-informed on the facts of these emergencies. We were very pleased to hear Robbie Moore say that he will sign this call, which also had the support of all but two of the 200 or so people attending. These issues goes way beyond party politics so we hope to see many more MPs, from all parties, doing the same and signing the open letter to government.”
The film features specialists in climate, nature, health, national security and economics explaining what is happening to our climate and nature. It describes the impact this is already having on crop yields, human health and consequent migration. It explains the growing threats to UK food security, and the increasingly high risk of triggering irreversible catastrophic tipping points, such as the collapse of the Atlantic Ocean currents that determine the UK's hospitable climate.
Robbie Moore MP said:
“It was great to attend the briefing organised by Climate Action Ilkley alongside other key local environmental groups. We all know that our climate is incredibly fragile. Our collective actions are massively important if we are to seriously address the increased pressures a changing climate is exposing through escalating risks, such as increased floods, fires, and heatwaves. Our food, water, nature, energy, and economic security is all finely balanced, and at risk if pragmatic and realistic solutions are not progressed which brings the nation with us and is affordable for all.
“It’s vital that not only UK legislators, but global leaders, private businesses, industry bosses and indeed all of us understand the current challenges, which is why I fully support the call for increased awareness. Likewise, I would be delighted to hear from constituents on the policy direction they feel government should take.
“Locally, we have a very live and real threat. Our precious peatlands on Walshaw Moor are about to be severely damaged if the Calderdale Wind Farm is approved, a project I am firmly against for this very reason. Peatlands are one of the world’s most powerful cardon stores, storing up to 26 times more carbon than forests. Any damage caused to them through infrastructure development is irreversible. I do hope Climate Action Ilkley and other local environmental groups will join me in opposing this wind farm scheme, as it is a clear case of chasing net zero, with zero sense.”
This event was one of over nine hundred happening all over the country that build on a National Emergency Briefing held last November in Westminster where hundreds of MPs, faith and business leaders and celebrities were presented with the latest evidence on the threats facing our country from environmental breakdown.
Professor John Marsham of University of Leeds and Ilkley resident, said:
“We are facing catastrophic risks in our children’s lifetimes, most people want more action to be taken, and the solutions are win-win for our economy, national security and energy security.
"Meanwhile, much of our media and many politicians are using misinformation about climate change to turn it into a divisive issue. This makes it vital that we have proper discussions, based on facts, and this film is a great start. To me, one of the most uplifting moments in the evening was listening afterwards to one of the youngest members of the audience saying to our MP that action on climate should be something that brings our country together.”
One good news message from the film is that phasing out fossil fuels to reach "net-zero" will save the UK billions and is now the cheapest option for the UK. It will create thousands of new jobs and cut household bills, and moving faster is cheaper than delaying. The total cost of net-zero is less than a single fossil-fuel crisis (and we've had two of those in 4 years). As the 2023 report led by former Conservative Energy Minister Chris Skidmore said “Net-zero is the economic opportunity of the twenty-first century". Notably, climate action cuts the cost of living. Inflation would have been significantly lower if we had decarbonised power, heat and food systems earlier; delay has already made households poorer.
The film was followed by discussion covering the impact it had made on those watching and ideas for how more action can be taken, both here in Ilkley and nationally.
Anyone can add their own support by signing the open letter here National Emergency Briefing and writing to their MP (see NEB Website - National Emergency Briefing).
Attendees were also encouraged to consider whether they could arrange similar events and 10 volunteers came forward for further showings of the film.
Climate Action Ilkley is holding a follow-up meeting taking place on Monday 6 July at the Clarke Foley Community Hub and further details once available will be on its website.
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