Bring your ideas, expertise and vision
Work has begun on Reading’s Climate Emergency Strategy for 2025 – 2030. Have your say on what our town’s climate action priorities should be to reach net zero by 2030.
SHORT VERSION:
- We’re pleased to launch this Diary of Climate Engagement Opportunities for everyone who lives, works or studies in Reading.
- Opt into the Reading Climate Engagement Email List to receive prompts, survey links, discussion packs and downloads related to these engagement opportunities.
- Your inputs will feed into the work of the Designing a Net Zero Reading deliberative group. This group of 50 leaders, representing all policy areas and communities in Reading, is helping to shape climate action priorities for our town’s next Climate Emergency Strategy for 2025 – 2030.
- Can you help us promote these engagement opportunities more widely? If so, this comms toolkit will come in handy!
LONG VERSION:
What are we engaging you in?
Reading’s current Climate Emergency Strategy & Action Plan* (which covers the period 2020 – 2025) is nearing its end. ReadingCAN has dedicated 2024 to bringing people together to shape climate action priorities for our next plan, for 2025 – 2030.
How will climate action priorities be decided?
The new climate action priorities will be decided via widespread participation and consultation. A ‘core deliberative group’ of 50 people (called the Designing a Net Zero Reading deliberative group) has been invited to meet three times this year, to share knowledge and perspectives and to consider inputs from YOU, the wider public and working groups.
There are many opportunities for you to provide inputs, either as an individual or as an organisation. These opportunities are set out in this document: Diary of Climate Engagement Opportunities.
In brief, the engagement opportunities are:
HOST A DISCUSSION & SUBMIT YOUR IDEAS: Host a guided conversation about climate change and Reading and share your ideas with us. You could meet as a team at work, as a specialist policy group, as a book club, a family, or any other group.
How to participate: Download the Designing a Net Zero Reading Discussion Pack here. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: 31 August 2024
CLIMATE STORIES & CASE STUDIES: Tell us a story about something your group, community or organisation has been doing to tackle climate change. Stories are a great way to inspire and encourage others to take action. “If they can do it, so can we!”
How to participate: See our storytelling guidelines and submission information on page 1o of the above-mentioned Discussion Pack.
BIG LETTER FROM SCHOOLS: Help young people aged 10 – 18 submit their contributions to a Big Letter, which will be read to the Designing a Net Zero Reading deliberative group. Schools, youth groups, holiday clubs, community events, theatre groups can all help us gather inputs from young people over the summer. Simply put up a big sheet of paper (on an easel, table or on the wall), write “Share your thoughts about climate change and Reading” and then email a photo of the results to us for inclusion in the Big Letter!
How to participate: Download the Big Letter Pack here. DEADLINE: 10 September 2024
SURVEY 1: Comment on the very early set of priorities that emerged during Workshop 1 of the Designing a Net Zero Reading deliberative group (which was held on Friday 28 June 2024). This is your chance to help refine emerging climate action priorities and point out omissions. Your inputs will be integrated into Workshop 2 of the deliberative group, which will be held on 20 September 2024.
How to participate: Complete the survey at this link. DEADLINE: Noon on 5 September 2024
SURVEY 2: Survey 2 will be released once the deliberative group has met again in September 2024.
Stay in the loop…
Please opt into our Reading Climate Engagement Email List to receive prompts, surveys, discussion packs and other invitations related to these engagement opportunities. (As you’ll see, we will need to email some of the surveys to you later in the process, because they depend on things that haven’t happened yet!)
ReadingCAN’s partner in this engagement process is Dialogue Matters, an award-winning stakeholder participation and facilitation team.
Please note…the Reading Climate Engagement Email List will focus solely on this public engagement process. It is not the same as the ReadingCAN Newsletter list. You can sign up to newsletter here, which will continue to share wider community news.
* Explainer…
It’s easy to confuse Reading Borough Council’s corporate Carbon Reduction Plan and the ‘people’s’ Climate Emergency Strategy & Action Plan – so here is an explainer of the difference.
