I'm at the defra citizens summit for climate change today in the Royal Horticultural Halls in Westminster. The venue is fantastic - a bright airy Victorian hall not all that different in feel from the greenhouse in the Botanical Gardens in Kew.
Defra's summit is about how the government can better communicate climate change, and influence us to take action. 150 people are here - representatives of the UK population - , who have been through a lengthy consultation process in which they had to read lots on the topic, take part in workshops and experiment with proposed actions.
However many of the representatives still don't seem to feel very involved; there are nearly too many numbers and scientific proof for climate change and its causes. I think what people are looking for a small, everyday actions that they feel they can achieve without significantly changing their lifestyle - I've heard a lot of 'together we CAN make a difference.'
Not a bad start I think.
David Milliband gave me a quick interview on camera - which I'll post on www.myspace.com/actonco2 - and I have to say it's a great experience to be able to speak to a politician personally. Not an opportunity many of us get often, but if you do, go for it - it makes politics a whole lot more tangible than what you get in news coverage.
Defra's summit is about how the government can better communicate climate change, and influence us to take action. 150 people are here - representatives of the UK population - , who have been through a lengthy consultation process in which they had to read lots on the topic, take part in workshops and experiment with proposed actions.
However many of the representatives still don't seem to feel very involved; there are nearly too many numbers and scientific proof for climate change and its causes. I think what people are looking for a small, everyday actions that they feel they can achieve without significantly changing their lifestyle - I've heard a lot of 'together we CAN make a difference.'
Not a bad start I think.
David Milliband gave me a quick interview on camera - which I'll post on www.myspace.com/actonco2 - and I have to say it's a great experience to be able to speak to a politician personally. Not an opportunity many of us get often, but if you do, go for it - it makes politics a whole lot more tangible than what you get in news coverage.
