80 representatives of organisations fighting the climate emergency met today to kick off a year-long ‘Cambridgeshire COP’.

After COP26, the climate summit held in Glasgow last November, Cambridgeshire County Council leader Cllr Lucy Nethsingha was inspired to bring together countywide organisations to share information on Cambridgeshire’s current position in the race to net zero.

We heard from Cllr Nethsingha, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Mayor Dr Nik Johnson, and Cllr Pippa Heylings who sits on both the Local Government Association Climate Board and South Cambridgeshire District Council. Cambridgeshire’s Lord Lieutenant Julie Spence was also in attendance and read a message of encouragement from Prince William Duke of Cambridge.

The event included four group discussions on increasing biodiversity, developing sustainable transport, changing heating and housing options, and dealing with waste. I chaired the biodiversity discussion – very important for Cambridgeshire, among the most biodiversity-deprived counties in the country.

A range of local events and activities will take place throughout the year. These will include a biodiversity event in May, to mirror the international national biodiversity conference in China; activities led by youth groups in June to coincide with the pre-COP27 discussions in Bonn; and a series of activities across Cambridgeshire 7-18 November to coincide with COP27 in Egypt.