The climate crisis affects us locally. Many of us have to worry about flooding in our communities far more often than we used to, a problem that makes insurance more expensive and undermines the value of homes. Climate change also has an impact in ways which are harder to untangle from other causes, like the price of food on our tables when harvests are wrecked by drought.

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We can all see evidence of a local nature crisis too – fewer butterflies, less wildlife in our rivers. But solutions aren’t always as easy as they appear. Green energy projects are often fiercely opposed by those living closest to them; and much needed infrastructure can affect habitats.  There are also important considerations for those working in polluting industries about how we manage the transition to a greener economy.

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I am really proud to work for a (politically non-aligned) campaigning organisation called Global Witness. We focus on the communities hit hardest by the climate crisis. I lead a team of specialists working to reduce tropical deforestation and the human rights abuses - like forced evictions of forest-based communities-  that so often goes with it.

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You can read more about Global Witness work on forests here

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I’ve also worked with the wonderful ‘Our Future’ project which started in Grimbsy, and is driven by a community determined that the green transition will not leave them behind, as other economic transitions have. 

You can read more about their work here.