COP28 in Wokingham Borough
This year’s United Nations’ Climate Change Conference, COP28, will run from 30 November to 12 December at the Expo City in Dubai. The conference aims to bring the world together to tackle climate change. The annual event will take place in the United Arab Emirates and will deliver an ambitious agenda.
As part of COP28 week, Wokingham Borough Council is running two events at Wokingham Library at Carnival Hub which will focus on its ambitious Climate Emergency Plan (CEAP), the work that the Council is doing to tackle the climate emergency locally and how you can help to play your part.
The climate emergency talks will be hosted by Executive Member for Climate Emergency and Resident Services Cllr Sarah Kerr and take place on:
Sign up online using the links above or call Wokingham Library on (0118) 978 1368.
Professor Ellie Highwood from the University of Reading and Royal Meteorological Society will be giving a free talk at Wokingham Library on Wednesday 29 November, from 10.30am to 11.30am. In the run-up to these important international discussions at COP28, come and hear the latest evidence for climate change and its impacts, learn how to spot misinformation and find out the most useful things you can do to play your part.
Places must be booked in advance and can be done by clicking HERE.
Competition for youngsters to design a climate poster
Wokingham Borough Council is inviting young people in the borough to design a footprint poster to inspire the community and highlight ways in which we can reduce our carbon footprint to help tackle climate change. The winner for each age category will win a £20 book voucher.
The age categories include:
- Four to seven-years-old
- Eight to 11-years-old
- 12+ years-old
You can be as creative as you like, for example you could draw around the biggest foot in your household and design a poster to show all the different ways in how we can all play our part.
To take part, you will need to design your poster on an A4 piece of paper and drop it into your local Wokingham Borough library, with your name, age and parent’s email address by Friday 15 December.
Alternatively, on Saturday 9 December, you can pop into Wokingham, Lower Earley or Woodley libraries where you can create your poster. The Council will judge the entries along with its Libraries Team and winners will be notified by email.
Mock COP28 to be held at Holme Grange School
Holme Grange School in Wokingham will be holding a mock COP28 event on 5 December.
Students in nursery, early years and education system (EYES), Pre-Prep and Prep school will take part in a range of activities that are being discussed at this year’s COP28 Climate Change Conference. The school will address sustainable development goals, education, leadership, skills, competency and empowerment.
Holme Grange School’s mock event will follow the same format of the actual COP28 conference and will include secondary students from a number of schools, including St Crispins School in Wokingham.
The students will be put into small groups to represent a particular country and discuss climate issues, share ideas and actions in helping to tackle climate change. Executive Member for Climate Emergency and Resident Services Cllr Sarah Kerr will also be attending the event.
Free webinar for businesses looking to go electric
As part of COP28 and Wokingham Borough Council’s CEAP, businesses and non-profit organisations in the borough are invited to attend a free, zero-emission vehicle webinar hosted by The Energy Saving Trust, which is an independent organisation, working to address the climate emergency and we are pleased to be working with them.
The webinar takes place on 6 December at 8.30am to 9.30am and aims to provide information on how your business can go electric. Topics include:
- Outlining where electric vehicles fit into the sustainable transport hierarchy
- Information about electric vehicles, including types, charging options and costs
- Benefits of choosing a zero-emission vehicle.
Please book your place HERE.
Climate change workshop to be held at CLASP
Wokingham Borough Council is working in partnership with The University of Reading Institute of Education, to run a climate change workshop for CLASP on 8 December.
CLASP is a self-advocacy group for people with learning disabilities in Wokingham Borough. The workshop will raise awareness about climate change and extreme weather events, with an opportunity for CLASP members to create a flood and heatwave resistant eco home model.
Make a planet pledge for COP28
Wokingham Borough Council is asking all residents who live in the borough to make a planet pledge for COP28.
A planet pledge is a solemn promise an individual chooses and delivers over the course of the year to tackle the climate emergency.
If you’re stuck for ideas, you could pledge to:
- Shop more responsibly at local stores
- Re-use old textiles for cleaning purposes (cloths)
- Heat the rooms you spend time in, to save on electricity bills
- Freeze left over food to prevent food waste.
There are lots of great pledges residents have already shared on the Council’s Engage Wokingham Borough platform.
Submit yours HERE.
Woodley Town Council
We continue to stand by our commitment to climate change and details of our Climate Emergency Action Plan can be found HERE.
