Havant FOE Newsletter - January 2024

2023 has been declared the hottest year on record

Temperature records have also been broken over and over again, and shows the figures are really frightening.

We all know about the droughts, floods, hurricanes and heatwaves which have been affecting people and wildlife around the world and yet our government is not taking the action needed and the COP28 talks failed to deliver once again.

So now is the time to get involved, raise awareness and put pressure on our politicians. Think about getting joining us and at least send us a subscription. (See below).

Lots of organisations have been collating data and there is a good summary on the BBC News website

United for Warm Homes: Launching our new tactics to win political support

2024 is almost certainly going to be an election year so groups like Friends of the Earth are getting ready. Our main demands are going to be around calling for a massive programme of insulation, investment in renewable energy and help for people struggling with energy bills.

In other word we are building on the Warm Homes programme

There’s an online meeting on Wednesday 31st January from 6-7 pm

See the details for this as well as for other online FOE training sessions

Havant FOE Subscriptions

If you already have a subscription to Havant Friends of the Earth, a very big thank you for your continual support, and as ever if you can continue with your subscription to us, please do so.

Your subscription to Havant Friends of the Earth makes it possible for us to be able to campaign on your behalf, the residents of Havant, and the residents of East Hampshire, on Local and National environmental issues that affect us all.

If you are a new follower to Havant Friends of the Earth and would like to consider supporting us, please do subscribe.

Without the continual support from followers like you, it makes campaigning, and raising awareness of Local and National environmental issues more difficult to address.

A suggested amount is £10, but please only give more or less depending on what you can afford.

Please make your online Subscription made payable to the following.

Name: Havant FOE or Havant Friends of the Earth
Sort Code: 08-92-99
Account Number: 65094750

Please could you also add either your surname, forename, or your initials for our reference.

Thank you!

Havant Borough Big Green Week 2024

We’re planning another Havant Borough Big Green Week from 8th-16th June. Once again, it will be part of the national Great Big Green Week and they will be supplying resources.

The idea is to celebrate what local groups are doing to protect nature and tackle climate change and to show politicians that people are calling for urgent action, and we really hope that you will want to get involved.

We have a list of ideas and links to resources on our website

Of course, you can do anything you wish, but the theme for 2024 is around the theme of swapping:

  • Swapping skills, knowledge and ideas will draw in new people
  • Sharing impact of swaps already made gives great stories to use
  • Showcasing the policy swaps politicians need to make demonstrates appetite for system level change

We have a planning meeting on 15th January at 4 pm. Please join us if you can – just email [email protected] for the link.

Letter to Community groups

As we head into an election year, we need to show all politicians, political parties and candidates that people up and down the country support urgent action to address the climate and nature crises.

The Climate Coalition is asking for  local groups and organisations all over the country to sign up to this letter.

Each group that signs up represents people organising and acting for positive change in their own communities.

We have signed this as a group but if you are a member of other groups please see if you can get more signatures to add.

ADD YOUR COMMUNITY’S VOICE TO OUR LETTER TO PARTY LEADERS

Local Meetings

We’d love to see more people at our local planning meetings which are held on the first and third Wednesdays of the month via Zoom.

If you would like to join in the meetings please contact [email protected] if you’d like the link.

We are working on links with the Council and getting plans together for the General Election.

We are also challenging the water companies over effluent in the Solent and their plans to pump recycled effluent into the new reservoir, as well as keeping an eye on other planning applications.

Hampshire Climate Action Network

HCAN brings together groups active on climate change in their communities all around Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton.

The next meeting is on 20th January at the Pallant Centre in Havant and you are welcome to join us, and runs from 10.00am to 12.30pm followed by a bring and share lunch.

Email: [email protected] if you’d like to know more, join the mailing list, or would like the link to join on Zoom.