How government can address climate crisis

CLIMATE Action Leicester and Leicestershire is holding two linked events as part of this Great Big Green Week.

Tomorrow, from 5pm to 6pm, a silent vigil will be held at the Clock Tower calling on the government to put in place policies which genuinely address climate heating, including policies to genuinely support green retro-fit.

On Saturday, from noon to 4pm, open green homes will aim to inspire and support individuals by example to start adapting their homes to reduce carbon emissions and increase climate resilience.

There are so many ways we can adapt our homes to tackle climate chaos – from hi-tech air source heat pumps and mechanical ventilation and heat recovery systems, to DIY heatwave blinds and double glazing; from wall insulation to solar electricity generation.

But as individuals it’s hard to know where to start, and whether we can afford it, which is why talking to people locally who have climateproofed (or started to climate-proof ) their homes is useful.

The government should be providing accessible, straightforward support to help us do this: from grants to help us pay for it, to advice about where to find reliable contractors, to offering whole-home retrofit packages.

Above all, the government should be ensuring that there are enough reliable local contractors with the skills to get on and do it. At the moment they are failing utterly to rise to the urgent need to retro-fit most of Britain’s housing stock in the face of climate change.

As the host of the UN climate talks in November, they should be leading the way. Instead they are dragging their feet. We call on them to act before the talks in November – and our climate vigil will make this call visible.

We shouldn’t have to help people to find ways to green their homes and ensure they are still fit to live in by 2050 – the government should be offering funding, contractors and support to help this happen urgently.

But while they fail to act it’s up to us to help each other to act – which is why I am both taking part in this silent vigil calling on the government action before the UN climate talks in November, and opening my home so people can see what kind of things can be done to address the climate crisis.

Zina Zelter, Climate Action member