WOODLEY and Earley MP Yuan Yang, and global rewilding expert Professor Alastair Driver were both guests at a recent screening of an environmental film currently being shown to communities throughout the nation.
They had been invited to watch the People’s Emergency Briefing, which explains clearly what scientists, economists, and environmentalists are saying about the climate and nature crisis.
The film was made following an event last November in Westminster, The National Emergency Briefing, when 10 UK leading experts explained how climate and nature breakdown will affect the nation’s health, food systems, security and economy.
The experts then spoke to an invited audience of 1,200 politicians and UK business, culture, faith, sport and media leaders.
The London event was covered by ITV, Channel 4 and The Times.
The resulting film, People’s Emergency Briefing, is introduced by TV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham, with commentary from TV Dragon Deborah Meaden and TV comedian Jennifer Saunders.
It has been described as ‘the clearest, plainest explanation there is of how our weather, our food, our health and the places we love, are changing.’
In Woodley, the audience at the Alan Cornish Theatre on Friday May 29, first watched the film before joining break-out sessions to discuss what they’d seen and how they wanted to respond.
At the end of the evening Yuan Yang and Professor Driver answered questions.
The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world, ranking in the bottom 10% of countries globally for biodiversity.
Professor Driver explained that while 200 different rewilding projects are taking place around the UK, they are not happening in Berkshire.
And with 70% of land intensively farmed, nature restoration is difficult.
“There is a need to incentivise better land management,” he said, “and to put the right systems in place.”
On a smaller but important scale, he suggested that people can support biodiversity by installing a wildlife pond in their garden.
“A pond is great for nature and people’s mental health, attracting many kinds of wildlife,” he added.
Yuan Yang MP pointed out that we tend to think of power systems as hierarchies but said that community power is very powerful.
She is in favour of more political education on climate affecting systems, and for action to be taken to moderate misinformation online.
She encouraged the audience to talk about the climate and nature crisis with as many people as they can, and said that reading more climate and nature news stories would encourage media companies to follow suit.
Both guests agreed that despite there being a crisis, solutions are out there, as the film itself shows.
Woodley event organiser Anne Coffey said: “People engaged wholeheartedly in the evening.”
The film is being shown to audiences all around the country, with the next local screening of the People’s Emergency Briefing taking place at Reading Borough Council’s Civic Offices, on Friday, June 5, at 6.30pm.
Speakers will include Professor Hannah Cloke, internationally recognised hydrologist specialising in floods, climate extremes, and disaster risk reduction.
Organised by the Reading and Mid Berkshire Steering Group, the event is free to attend.
For information, visit: eventbrite.co.uk
