Women gather for Mini Climate Assembly

On 22 January 2025, 18 women from various organisations met at the Nottingham Women’s Centre to hear an update of the City’s Carbon Neutral Plan and participate in a mini climate assembly.

The following organisations were represented:

• Al-Hurraya

•  Arkwright Meadows Community Gardens

•   British Red Cross

•  Nottingham Trent University

• Nottingham’s Women’s Centre

• Nottingham Climate Assembly

• Nottingham Univesity Hospitals NHS Trust

• Places for People

• POhWER

• When Women Gather

• Women for the Planet

Nottingham City Councillor Sam Lux, Executive Member for Carbon Reduction, Leisure, and Culture, highlighted the significant progress made towards CN28’s net zero targets while stressing that further efforts are needed. Cllr Lux pointed out that emissions from transport have improved significantly, but the heating of buildings remains a major concern. To address this, Nottingham City Council is seeking to work in partnership with an energy provider to help improve insulation in residential and public buildings.

The mini-assembly then got underway with attendees divided into three groups, each guided by an experienced facilitator to discuss: "How can your organisation and/or community contribute to addressing the city’s environmental challenges and reducing its environmental impact?"

The facilitation encouraged inclusivity and active listening, ensuring that everyone’s voice was heard. The issues raised in response to the question were noted and discussed, with each group presenting their findings. These were then summarised, revealing the following key themes:

1. Transport

   1. More accessible and safer transport

   2. Bus passes to be issued for those on low incomes

   3. Evaluate appointments missed due to lack of bus fare

2. Waste

   1. Action to reduce waste

   2. Increase food waste collection

   3. Take surplus food to people in food poverty

   4. Incinerator must go

   5. Organisations to have plastic-free policies and plant-based food to replace existing

3. Transparency

   1. Decisions are made without explanation, e.g. why fell trees? Transparency is required

4. Set up encounters with nature

5. Networking

   1. ‘We are powerful together and need more networking and sharing.’

   2. Important to engage young people

6. Housing

   1. Policy to be designed for sustainable new build

The women attending the mini-assembly agreed to bring these ideas back to their respective organisations for further discussion and implementation.

Nottingham Climate Assembly will return to a future meeting to discuss progress.