Online Newsletter: April / May 2011
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‘Now that we have [zerocarbonbritain2030], what can we do to bring it into reality? We can spread it around, enthuse about it far and wide, badger and lobby our elected local and national representatives with it, and at the local level, use it to underpin our thinking about where we see our communities going. Whether we choose to see the changes compelled by peak oil and climate change as a disaster, or as an historic opportunity to, as Thomas Paine put it, ‘build the world anew’ it is up to us.’
Next month will mark the one year anniversary of zerocarbonbritain2030 (ZCB2030). This newsletter aims to run though of some of the highlights since the launch in June 2010. Click on the highlighted text below to read the full news articles.
ZCB Highlights from 2010: Chris Huhne, Energy and Climate Minister, Department of Energy and Climate Change, (DECC) and Jane Davidson, Environment Minister, Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) received copies of the report whilst attending the official zerocarbonbritain2030 launches in Westminster and at the National Assembly for Wales. It has since been presented to academics, grassroots organisations, industry players and NGO’s across the UK, Europe and the globe. Read more about both launches and press highlights here.
ZCB ART Zero Carbon Britain 2030 is making an impact in the Arts, after featuring at a series of Artist seminars across Wales, and was the focus of a working seminar for Fellows at the Royal Society of the Arts in February called ‘Living in a Zero Carbon Britain: Rising to the challenges of the 21st Century’. The seminars explored, how the arts could play a part in influencing behavioural change and encouraging positive visions of a zero carbon future. CAT are Calling all Artists, animators, illustrators and filmmakers who are interested in creating a vision of 'Zero Carbon Britain by 2030' to get in touch. We are hoping to collect artworks from a range of artists that explore some of the themes in the report. A selection of our favourites will feature in CAT’s new ZCB2030 display area.
We are currently working on ways to integrate ZCB2030 into our Visitors’ Circuit here at CAT, where the ethos of ZCB2030 underpins much of our wider work via Education, our free Information Service and our numerous courses here at CAT. After a successful trial this Easter, daily presentations of ZCB2030 will be available free on the visitor circuit over the May/June half term and over the summer holidays. Each visitor to CAT will also receive the brand new ZCB2030 8 page pamphlet that you can also download free from our website.
Zero Carbon Europe: In October last year, CAT contributed to DECC’s energy calculator analysis with its own more ambitious version. DECC’s 2050 Pathways Analysis will be one source of evidence to determine the UK’s new carbon budget for 2023 – 2027. Our investigation shows that Britain can reach far beyond the government’s current target of an 80% reduction in green house gases by 2050, to a 100% reduction by 2030 with no need for new nuclear, or any continued use of fossil fuels. See CAT’s Consultation response here (under 'C').
Zero Carbon World: On the global scale Research Director Peter Harper lectured as part of the Zero Carbon Australia project in Sydney and Melbourne this April, whilst report contributor and Open University Professor of Renewable Energy Godfrey Boyle continues to lecture on how the world could be ‘Living off the Sun’ by 2050. See the Zero Carbon World section of the site.
Over to you - How you can help take zerocarbonbritain2030 from Report to Reality:
2) Organise your own Zero Carbon Britain Day on July 16th. Campaign Against Climate Change, Climate Alliance and CAT are organising a Zero Carbon Britain Day on 16th July: If you are interested in getting involved in your local area by hosting a Zero Carbon Britain event such as a Picnic, Presentation or Quiz then please get in touch with our new communications officer, Bruce Heagerty
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
4) Join our facebook group for news and event updates, and help to raise zerocarbonbritain2030’s profile by ‘liking’ our posts 5) Learn more about the Centre for Alternative Technology, become a member and check out our courses and masters programmes, or hold your event in the Wales Institute for Sustainable Education (WISE)
6) Donate to the zerocarbonbritain2030 project to further communication, research and interpretation of ZCB2030
As our track record demonstrates, zerocarbonbritain2030 has gained widespread support and engagement on a national and international scale. As we enter our next phase of communication and further research, we ask individuals, policy makers and industry to be brave: our evidence shows that zerocarbonbritian2030 is a convincing scenario for a positive, healthier decarbonised society. “The science says we must, technology says we can, it’s time to say we will’.
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Time to say we will zerocarbonbritain2030 is a positive, realistic policy framework to eliminate emissions from fossil fuels within 20 years. |
Next month will mark the one year anniversary of zerocarbonbritain2030 (ZCB2030). This newsletter aims to run though of some of the highlights since its launch in June 2010.
We would like to welcome any supporters who have recently signed up and apologise to anyone who has not received our past newsletters due to a technical hitch, that has evidently been resolved. Our past newsletters can be found here. From now on we will be sending you a bimonthly newsletter to keep you up to date with ZCB events.
Highlights from Zero Carbon Britain:
Chris Huhne, Energy and Climate Minister, Department of Energy and Climate Change, (DECC) and Jane Davidson, Environment Minister, Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) received copies of the report whilst attending the official zerocarbonbritain2030 launches in Westminster and at the National Assembly for Wales. It has since been presented to academics, grassroots organisations, industry players and NGO’s across the UK, Europe and the globe. Read more about both launches and press highlights here.
Continued support form the Welsh Assembly Government led to the launch of WAG’s new Climate Strategy here in CAT’s new WISE building. In November ZCB2030 Director Paul Allen was invited onto the Science Advisory Council for Wales; and CAT was selected to become a Science Advisory Hub in March this year. Click on the links above to read more.
In October 2010 ‘Zero Carbon Britain’ was selected as the theme of the Schumacher Society’s annual lecture in Bristol, with a day of presentations, and practical and theoretical workshops from 10:10, Good Energy, WWF, Sustain, European Environment Agency and CAT. ZCB2030 has since been an ongoing focus for the Schumacher College who are negotiating a new related Masters course to begin next year.
‘Zero Carbon Britain by 2030’ became the focus for the National Climate March, attended by 2000 trade unionists, activists and NGO’s with Caroline Lucas (MP), Friends of the Earth and CAT calling for politicians to “be brave”. Read more and watch our CAT video of the march from the link above. An Early Day Motion: ‘Action on Climate Change’ has been signed by 20 MP’s, calling for ‘immediate action…with a longer term goal of achieving a Zero Carbon Britain by 2030’.
Zero Carbon Britain 2030 is making an impact in the Arts, after featuring at a series of Artist seminars across Wales, and was the focus of a working seminar for Fellows at the Royal Society of the Arts in February ‘Living in a Zero Carbon Britain: Rising to the challenges of the 21st Century’. The seminars explored, how the arts could play a part in influencing behavioural change and encouraging positive visions of a zero carbon future. Follow the links above to read more.
We are currently working on ways to integrate ZCB2030 into our Visitors’ Circuit here at CAT, where the ethos of ZCB2030 underpins much of our wider work via Education, our free Information Service and our numerous courses here at CAT. After a successful trial this Easter, daily presentations of ZCB2030 will be available free on the visitor circuit over the May/June half term and over the summer. Each visitor to CAT will also receive the brand new ZCB2030 8 page pamphlet that you can download from our website and..
Calling all artists!
CAT are calling for artists, animators, illustrators and filmmakers who are interested in creating a vision of 'Zero Carbon Britain by 2030' to get in touch. We are hoping to collect artworks from a range of artists that explore some of the themes in the report. And the best of them will have pride of place in CAT’s new ZCB display area.
Zero Carbon Europe:
In October last year, CAT contributed to DECC’s energy calculator analysis with its own more ambitious version. DECC’s 2050 Pathways Analysis will be one source of evidence to determine the UK’s new carbon budget for 2023 – 2027. Our investigation shows that Britain can reach far beyond the government’s current target of an 80% reduction in green house gases by 2050, to a 100% reduction by 2030 with no need for new nuclear, or any continued use of fossil fuels. See CAT’s Consultation response here.
In order to achieve ZCB2030, we need an international agreement, emphasising the need to support rapid decarbonisation scenarios across Europe and further afield. CAT’s ongoing partnership with INFORSE Europe and the Low Carbon Societies Network led to a week- long seminar with practical workshops representing decarbonisation scenarios from across the EU in October 2010. This was followed by the ‘Zero Carbon Road Show’ with Paul Allen and INFORSE’s Gunnar Boyle Olesen, presenting their complimentary UK and European scenarios to the European parliament in Brussels, the Catalan Institute of Engineers in Barcelona and the National Assembly in Paris.
Zero Carbon World:
On the global scale Research Director Peter Harper lectured as part of the Zero Carbon Australia project in Sydney and Melbourne this April, whilst report contributor and Open University Professor of Renewable Energy Godfrey Boyle ( continues to lecture on how the world could be ‘Living off the Sun’ by 2050. See the Zero Carbon World section of the site.
How you can help take zerocarbonbritain2030 from Report to Reality:
1) Send the report or the link to it to your local MP and encourage them to sign the EDM 853: Action on Climate Change
2) Organise your own Zero Carbon Britain Day. Campaign Against Climate Change, Climate Alliance and CAT are organising a Zero Carbon Britain Day on 16th July: If you are interested in getting involved in your local area by hosting a Zero Carbon Britain event such as a Picnic, Presentation or Quiz then please get in touch with our new communications officer, Bruce Heagerty This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
There will be two training events for the event, one in London at the Grayston Centre on 25th June or at the Roundhouse in Derby on 9th July.. Book a place at these sessions through This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
3) Sign up to the Essential Elements to Rapid Decarbonisation
4) Join our facebook group for news and event updates, and help to raise zerocarbonbritain2030’s profile by ‘liking’ our posts
5) Or online you can learn more about the Centre for Alternative Technology, become a member and check out our courses and masters programmes, or hold your event in the Wales Institute for Sustainable Education
5) Donate to the zerocarbonbritain2030 project to further communication, research and interpretation of ZCB2030.
As our track record demonstrates, zerocarbonbritain2030 has gained widespread support and engagement on a national and international scale. As we enter our next phase of communication and further research, we ask individuals, policy makers and industry to be brave: our evidence shows that zerocarbonbritian2030 is a convincing scenario for a positive, healthier decarbonised society. “The science says we must, technology says we can, it’s time to say we will’.
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