Why Ed Miliband Should JFDI* ….
Jul 17th, 2009 by Tracey Todhunter
Yesterday I went to London, a day full of meetings and catching up. It was lovely to spend some time with Tessy Britton who sometimes lets me blog about non climate change things on Thriving Too and the Stop Climate Chaos AGM was thought provoking and exciting as well as an opportunity to catch up with LCCN members and meet some for the first time.
Then I went to NESTA for the launch of their new research reports “Confronting Climate Change” and “People Powered Responses to Climate Change“.
I spotted about a dozen LCCN members and active supporters in the audience, some are NESTA Big Green Challenge finalists or recent recipients of Defra’s Greener Living Fund, so I can understand how some of them felt they had to choose their words carefully when asking questions or responding to the presentations.
While I have no argument with NESTA and other funders creating a “buzz” around funding community led responses to climate change, in fact I’d agree it needs to have a higher media profile, what leaves me angry – furious in fact – is Ed Miliband making an off the cuff remark calling for more “Competition between Communities”. Anyone who has done decent research into community cohesion will tell you it thrives in a spirit of co-operation and collaboration. And the most successful low carbon community groups are the ones that are open, sharing and welcoming in addition to being imaginative and innovative.
Perhaps the reason I’m really angry is that I’ve heard the Minister talk several times over the last few months, spoken to him and Joan Ruddock about communities across the UK who are responding to climate change in ways that are as unique and diverse as the people who live there – while lazy or overstretched journalists looking for a quick and dirty story on climate change might resort to a quick google of “transition towns” , low carbon communities are harder to find but just as active. As Lucy Seigle admitted at the WI launch, she often researches items on the One Show by calling the WI or “Transition Towns people”. TT are easy to find because they share a common name. But, LCCN names are as diverse as the people they support: TRANSITION, GREENING, LOW CARBON, ENVIRONMENT, CARBON RATIONING, CLIMATE ACTION, SUSTAINABLE OR WORLD CHANGING. Here you will discover volunteers who are running study tours for local farmers to find out about anaerobic digestion, building sustainable community buildings, setting up food co-ops, giving free one-to-one energy saving advice to their colleagues and neighbours. Projects which have been funded and evaluated by Defra and yet, appear to be so off DECC’s radar that I wonder why I’ve bothered spending the last year bending over backwards to answer questions from Defra and DECC employees or introducing them to active communities who are achieving measurable reductions in carbon emissions and building a world less reliant on finite resources.
OK, so Ministers were “too busy” to attend the last annual conference for low carbon communities and NESTA might not fully understand the extent of grass roots responses to climate change which might explain that unfortunate remark, it’s not competition which builds communities, it’s respect, shared values and mutual support. Yesterday a NESTA rep told us about the film crew that wanted to make a “Dragon’s Den” style programme about the finalists, but complained the finalists were all “too nice and helpful to each other”. Of course they are – that’s why they’re successful! I am more interested in the communities that looked at the Big Green Challenge and decided not to bother, choosing instead to just get on and “do it” rather than go through all that effort just to be told they weren’t innovative enough. Ruralnet’s Community Carbon Network, which hosts this blog is one example. A fantastic opportunity for volunteers to share skills and experiences, to build capacity and knowledge in an online space which leads directly to offline action, but it’s not sexy enough for funders, doesn’t lead directly to carbon savings and so struggles to do reach its potential.
While Ed Miliband speaks fine words, and this week’s announcements are a start; I’d like to remind him that we are not “In a time of transition”. We need to do more than just “our bit”. As they say in Bollington, this is a time for “Revolution”, for new and innovative ways of living. It’s not about Hubbert’s Peak, resilience, or the great reskilling, but about finding ways to cherish what is good about the spaces we live in, to acknowledge that our choices do have an impact on the lives of others and that modern, dynamic low carbon lives are not about learning to live with less, but about living different. Building communities that value who we are and what we do not what we have.
Finally, looking at the reports NESTA’s events was showcasing: I have spoken to dozens of community groups who will tell you the Big Green Challenge was exhausting and divisive. It’s no surprise to me the research NESTA commissioned reports that the applicants struggled with the sections on the application form about scaling up or replicating their projects or that they showed a lack of understanding about outcomes based evaluation. These projects are run by volunteers, people with full time jobs, families and caring responsibilities. They aren’t professional fundraisers or writers of busniess plans. They don’t have an in depth knowledge of Defra’s Headline Behaviours, but they do understand people. They know what messages work in their neighbourhoods and which don’t. The formal Third Sector has a role to play in supporting these informal groups as they have acknowledged , which is why the LCCN is proud to be part of Stop Climate Chaos Coalition. Here WI members rub shoulders with Surfers Against Sewage and faith groups, communities, schools and membership organisations like the National Trust and RSPB make up a mass movement or ordinary people who want to see strong and binding policies on climate change, not symbolic gestures or fine words. We want deeds – and we’re leading the way in our own homes and organisations.
Next week I’m going on holiday, a chance to spend time with my family in a tent by the sea. With no electricity and no wifi, but a school of dolphins and local food cooked over an open fire I’ll have time to reflect and wonder why a throw away remark got me so hot and bothered.
But, Minister, when I get back from my holidays, if you want to engage with the grass roots movement you are seeking I’ll be happy to introduce you – but if you’re too busy or too shy – there’s no need to be worried … it’s coming to a street near you in December….or maybe that’s exactly why you should be?
* So Minister, if you want to lead a low carbon revolution – “Just F’ing Do It” – we’re right behind you!
