A PACKAGE of training measures related to the climate emergency is to be rolled out across Reading Borough Council, and they have been years in the making.
Last week, Climate Emergency UK, the organisation behind Council Climate Scorecards, announced it was to create an academy to show how councils can reduce carbon emissions and work to net zero.
But Reading is using a different approach.
The Local Climate Academy (LCA) is to provide online training sessions from October for officers, residents and councillors, aimed at improving climate strategies and action.
Courses explore what it is and isn’t possible for councils to do and how local authorities can make the best use of their resources, with neighbouring Wokingham Borough Council among those expected to take part.
The Local Climate Academy uses insights from Climate Emergency UK’s assessment of councils which took place recently via their action scorecards. Every council in the UK was assessed on its Climate Action Plan, with results were published in January 2022.
The next scorecards will be published next month.
Jenny, a campaigner and Campaign to Protect Rural England researcher from London, said: “I know that my local council could make changes that would help everyone in this area tackle the climate emergency, however, they are slow to take the urgent action that is needed.
“This course looks very useful because it will enable participants to identify what councils can and can’t do and how they can do it. Thus, participants will be provided with the insights, tools and confidence to approach councils in the most persuasive manner and can urge them to take some real action.”
However, Reading is using a different approach, taking its cues from the Carbon Literacy Project. Despite using an alternative trainer, the net result will be similar: council staff and elected members will have more knowledge about the climate emergency and how their actions can help mitigate its impact.
Cllr John Ennis, lead councillor for climate strategy and transport at Reading Borough Council, said: “The council is in the process of rolling out carbon literacy training using the materials prepared by the Carbon Literacy Project, for key cohorts of officers and elected members.
“These materials went through an intensive development process over several years and the CLP training package and accreditation process offers a credible, authoritative and robust mechanism for local authorities to improve their climate literacy.
“As such we do not envisage taking advantage of CE UK’s Local Climate Academy at this time.”
