On Monday, 8 November, Waverley Borough Council staff, councillors and members of Godalming Town Council took part in a 'Climate Action Simulation Activity' which explored what actions can be taken to limit global warming to as close to 1.5C as possible.
The event followed a successful day of workshops held on 1 November in Waverley Borough Council's council chamber for Broadwater School and Godalming College students to mark the start of COP26. All workshops were run by WhatNext? a local organisation whose aim is to raise awareness of the climate and ecological emergency and to encourage residents to live more sustainably, consume responsibly and reduce their carbon footprint.
Councillor Steve Williams, Waverley Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability, said:
“Following our successful workshop last week with Waverley students who showed such a genuine interest for action on climate change, it was important, particularly as a council who made a commitment to carbon-neutrality by 2030, that we offered the same opportunity to staff and councillors. It was really helpful to enable staff and councillors to explore the issues, gain a deeper understanding of the processes underpinning the COP26 negotiations and reflect on climate change issues as they affect us as a council.”
Dr David Faraday, Chair of Trustees, What Next? added:
“It was great to work with Waverley staff and councillors who really showed their commitment to making a difference. Our workshops gave them a chance to experience the complexity of climate action negotiations and agree a possible strategy for limiting local warming to the Paris Agreement target of less than 2 DegC and as close to 1.5 DegC as possible. We hope it will help them reach their own climate aspirations but also those of the council as a whole.”
Waverley Borough Council is also supporting the ‘Greener Transport Surrey’ event in Farnham on 10 November. The transport-themed event, which takes place between 10am and 3pm in Upper Hart Car Park, focuses on opportunities to reduce carbon emissions through transport and will be live-streamed globally online and into the main COP26 event in Glasgow. Further information can be found in our latest news.
For further information on WhatNext? and their programmes, workshops and events, which are free to residents, visit the WhatNext? website.
Find out more about Waverley Borough Council’s climate goals, at Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan.