Notes from Sheffield FoE Local Group meeting - 20th March 2023 by Zoom
Attendees:
Lindy (chair), Liddy G (notes), Sean, Greg, Julian, Claire Apologies: Richard S, Shaun R, Nick J
Matters arising from recent meetings
- ·
Climate petition
re Sheffield lack of action – submitted to full council in February and
politely received though commitment to action remains disappointing.
- · Schools Climate Education South Yorkshire ran a very successful and well attended in-person conference on March 2nd, well supported by local politicians (including Paul Blomfield and the new Labour candidate for Sheffield Central; South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard)
- · Using funds donated by Waitrose, we have purchased a FLIR One Edge Pro thermal imaging camera. So far we have tried it out in 6 homes and are still learning how best to use it. The imaging serves as an excellent starter in conversations about insulation and energy saving and will be helpful in developing interest in the United for Warm Homes campaign.
Update on
supporter numbers - Database stands at 521 (same as January)
Twitter 923 (+22) Facebook 692 (+4). Claire
suggested we could use a short survey or email to ask people why they did not
join the on line meetings, to see if it helped identify how we could increase
attendance.
FoE Charter: We have recently been required (in line with
all groups) to renew our charter and agreement with national FoE. This is because the separate agreements for
local groups network and the Climate Action networks have been merged. As
coordinator, Lindy has done this on our behalf.
Clean Air Zone
media inputs: As coordinator
of Sheffield FoE, Lindy spoke to BBC Look North, did a 10 minute interview with
BBC Radio Sheffield’s Toby Foster and write an opinion piece in the Sheffield
Telegraph welcoming the first moves by Sheffield City Council to tackle the
problems of air pollution in the city – while pointing out that much more needs
to be done, in particular improved public transport and better active travel
routes.
The Big One: Friends of the Earth are taking part in the XR
led peaceful/non disruptive protest in London in April. FoE will focus on Friday April 21st
and possibly Saturday 22nd – more details on this will follow. SYCA are joining with XR Sheffield for a
‘South Yorkshire Goes to London’ event with a coach going down on Friday 21st
when they are likely to plan to demonstrate outside the Dept of Transport
regarding public transport.
United for Warm
Homes campaign
a)
National team
contacted us to see if we could support them with a renewed push on the
campaign at the end of March with some filming with Lindy in Sheffield to
promote it. The initial plans were
cancelled but might be re-organised.
b)
Petition – we
have set up a South Yorkshire version of a national FoE/United for Warm Homes
petition aimed at MPs which will be presented to them later in the year. All 14 South Yorkshire MPs are named on our
petition. Signers must provide their
post code and FoE will be able to use these to send to the relevant MPs.
MP meetings: we have met, individually or as part of
wider alliances, with Louise Haigh, Paul Blomfield, Olivia Blake. Clive Betts
and Gill Furniss over the past three years. Next steps to discuss may include a
meeting with Miriam Cates (Lindy will invite her); we should consider asking for meetings with
each of our other local MPs on the United for Warm Homes campaign elements.
National FoE
campaigns: these are many
and varied and Lindy drew attention to the range of petitions in the March
newsletter. National FoE’s international team have also told us that they have approached
Olivia Blake to champion the Planet Before Profit campaign.
FoE State of the
Environment reports: As an extension
of the ‘Near Me’ tool which gave LA level data on a number of climate and
environmental issues, FoE are now planning to develop a constituency-based
analysis for local groups to have more meaningful discussions with MPs.
Next
Meeting: Monday
April 17th 7:30pm AGM
Presentation and
discussion at 8pm
Energy: What’s
all the fuss about? Presentation by
Mike Childs, head of Science, Policy & Research Friends of the Earth
An additional 16
people joined the meeting for Mike’s talk: Jim B, Joan M , Duncan F, Graham M, Jennie C, Chris B, Chris W, Dave A, Geoff C, Hilary S,
Jane M, Lynn C, Rhys E, Sue C, Shelagh W, Becky F.
Mike
spoke about some of the major issues in relation to address the climate crisis,
covering transport (electric and hydrogen options), industrial decarbonisation and
domestic heating options. He also focused on practical solutions such as heat
pumps, where he could speak from personal experience and he highlighted recent
innovations such as higher temperature heat pumps. He highlighted the need for
renewable energy solutions to generate electricity and for generating and using
hydrogen for energy storage during times of higher electricity generation. In
principle fossil fuels can be used to generate hydrogen but there is still some
carbon and methane generation so we still need to focus on renewable energy
generation. He spoke on the need for both global and local actions.
The
talk generated a number of questions and discussion points including the need
for both energy saving and more generation of renewable and sustainable energy;
potential for tidal power and other more consistent and reliable renewable
sources; the value of local community energy schemes; practicalities of
installing heat pumps; potential shortage of rare minerals as raw materials for
battery production; longer term prospects for a Local Energy Bill; how to motivate
people to act urgently if they are expecting a technological solution to the
climate crisis. Mike summed up the need to continue to campaign and advocate
for change and not rely on politicians or technology alone to avert the climate
crisis, reflecting that in the past, a change in government and political
promises did not lead to change without a major campaigning effort.
