Climate Emergency

Contact:	Christine Thompson 020 3583 0638 chris.cpt3@tiscali.co.uk (email contact preferred) Vacancies
Day & Times:	3rd Wednesday 2.00 - 4.00pm
Frequency & Venue:	Monthly, Surbiton Library
Transport:	Buses K2 and 281

Kingston Climate Emergency group was set up in January 2022 partly because of the inadequate results from COP26. It was called the Climate Emergency group to highlight that we are now in an Emergency situation. We have spent 30 years having interesting discussions, now we need action. We attended the excellent presentation by Brenda Ainsley from Cotgrave & District u3a and some of the Climate surgeries organised by Frances Halliday.

We have since discovered that there is a network at National level Climate Change Subject Network. This connects us to all the other u3as with a climate group. John Baxter is the u3a Subject Adviser and he produces a twice monthly newsletter which gives us stimulation and facts. We use some of this material for discussions. There is also Climate Matters which is part of the u3a – Interest Groups Online . Some of our members attended their monthly meeting with discussion.

We each have individual interests – vegetarianism, population issues, environmental issues, the role of finance. At present we are working by setting ourselves targets and encouraging each other to reach them. One of our members has started washing at 30C, one of our members has not had holidays involving flights since 1999 on principle, another has off set her holiday travel. One of us is running down the money in her bank account because the bank is funding fossil fuel extraction (still!) and nuclear weapon production. Happy to share experiences, questions and answers. And we are seeking to work intergenerationally.

We have published articles in small local magazines and are seeking to influence groups that we are part of. We contacted our 3 local MPs to share our concerns. They happen to be Lib Dems and are sympathetic.

 

Some recent events

Council scorecards

We are reviewing the council scorecards, Climate Emergency UK’s survey of local authority action on climate. This has led to a meeting with Terezie Wickenden, a member of Kingston Council climate team.

 

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Visit to Southwark’s Integrated Waste Management Facility, 16 March 2026

Click here and go to page 4.

 

Meeting with Ed Davey MP, 2 June 2025

Click here and go to page 6.

 

Meeting with Sarah Olney MP, 18 September 2024

Click here and go to page 4.

 

Climate Crisis and some solutions – Zoom talk – 2 May 23

Click here and go to page 6.