Tues 12th, 7.30pm (doors 7pm)
The Beacon Café, Portway, Wantage, OX12 9BX

We hear a lot about global warming and climate models – they seem highly complex but where do they come from? What are they made of? How do they relate to the local world around us? Colin will explain how recognising and interpreting micro-climate interactions underpins our ability to model global processes, enabling us to predict our future climate.

Colin Lloyd retired from the Centre of Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, in 2007, after nearly 40 years of research into the micro-climate interactions of terrestrial surfaces from the Arctic to sub-Saharan Africa and the Amazon to Siberia.
 

All local authorities in Oxfordshire have declared a climate emergency. 

Wantage Town Council now has a Climate Emergency Sub-Committee, which met last month. A budget of £10,000 has been established to help local projects which will contribute to the reduction of the council’s carbon footprint. Committee Chair Dr Angela Dunford said "Whether it’s community tree planting, waste reduction, energy advice or many other areas, we believe we owe it to future generations to play our small part in this global issue." Members of the public are encouraged to attend the open meetings (the next meeting is on 4th November - see Out and About section below).

The Vale's Climate Emergency Advisory Committee have recommended the following targets, to be put to the full council in December:

- Reduce council's carbon emissions by 75% by 2025.
- Be a carbon neutral council by 2030.
- Reduce whole of the district's carbon emissions by 75% by 2030.
- Be a carbon neutral district by 2045.

South Oxfordshire has similar targets. 

Oxfordshire County Council is committed to reducing the council's carbon footprint to zero by 2030. They have been working on an action plan to achieve this and are looking to work with a wider range of partners across Oxfordshire. Current projects include increasing electric vehicles and charging points, replacing the remaining street lighting with low energy lighting and helping to install more solar panels on schools. 

The Oxford Citizen's Assembly on Climate Change has now taken place. This representative selection of Oxford residents from all backgrounds have been meeting to listen to experts and vote on possible actions. The presentations and reading materials are available online. Their recommendations will be taken to Oxford City Council to adopt and develop. The Assembly decided that it is realistic for Oxford to reach net zero carbon emissions faster than the government target of 2050.

Faringdon Town Council held a public meeting about the climate emergency last month and have now set up five climate change action groups - plastic free, green transports, community green energy, recycling and nature.

Stanford in the Vale Parish Council have also declared a climate and environmental emergency - the policy is currently being developed by their Environmental Committee.

Cherwell District Council are teaming up with local volunteers to plant 30,000 trees over the coming months. 

A new report Fast Forward Oxfordshire: A Zero Carbon Oxfordshire in 2040 and How We Get There has been published by Friends of the Earth, with 20 proposed policy changes for Oxfordshire councils and national government.

David Attenborough wants to save Britain's kelp forests. These underwater forests are one of the most biodiverse habitats in the world. Globally kelp forests absorb 600 million tonnes of carbon every year, helping to reduce climate change. However, they are being damaged by changing fishing habits. Sir David is backing the campaign Help Our Kelp, which wants to introduce an inshore trawler exclusion zone to help the kelp regenerate.

Sir David also has a new series which has just started - Seven Worlds One Planet. Over 1500 people worked on the project, spending 1794 days filming!  

Another type of vertical forest also aims to help absorb carbon emissions. These two residential tower blocks in Milan have hundreds of trees and shrubs incorporated into their design. They absorb pollution, provide habitat for wildlife and help to cool the building. 

Asthma inhalers - Did you know that some inhalers have a higher carbon footprint than others? Metered-dose inhalers use a greenhouse gas as a propellant, and account for nearly 4% of NHS emissions.