Feedback from the summit highlighted the importance of inclusivity and community. 'All communities' includes everyone, residents, businesses, volunteer and community groups and anyone else living and working in the community. As this is a vision for the community strategy, community should be first.
The second Bracknell Forest Climate Change Summit took place on Monday 8 July 2024 at the 3M Centre in Bracknell.
With the theme ‘Bracknell Forest: Uniting for Climate Action, Transforming Our Community Together’, the summit brought together around 140 representatives of local businesses, charities, community groups, schools and residents, as well as councillors and council staff.
The 2024 summit was designed to build upon the success of the inaugural summit in 2023, which led to the formation of the Joint Climate Action Board (JCAB). The purpose of the event was to accelerate progress on climate action within the borough and deliver on the council’s commitment to reach net zero by as close to 2030 as possible.
“We are delighted to have welcomed around 140 local representatives from our businesses, schools, community groups and local organisations to attend the second Bracknell Forest Council climate change summit. It was inspiring to see so many people engaged in creating action plans for themselves or their organisation and collaborating to help one another.”
Councillor Mary Temperton, Leader of Bracknell Forest Council and Executive Member for Council Strategy and Climate Change
Community climate emergency strategy
Attendees had the opportunity to co-create a vision statement for Bracknell Forest’s Community Climate Emergency Strategy (CCES) in a session facilitated by Samantha Gibbins, Paul Cooper and Sally McGuckin.
The CCES will support the borough’s transition to net-zero. It will be created and implemented by the Joint Climate Action Board (JCAB). Supported by 10 working groups, the JCAB represents:
- local businesses
- charities
- schools
- community groups
- parish and town councils
- Bracknell Forest Council officers and councillors
Capturing what the CCES wants to achieve, the following draft vision statement has been developed to reflect the diverse inputs and feedback of the summit attendees.
All communities in Bracknell Forest will work together to live sustainably, making green choices and we will achieve net-zero as close to 2030 as possible.
All communities
Work together
Collaboration was a 'must have' from the summit feedback.
Live sustainably
To capture all aspects of action, without prefacing any one area. Biodiversity, energy, transport, housing health... in short, everything the JCAB working groups are covering.
Making green choices
Everyone, including organisations, will understand and be able to prioritise the wider environment and community in their decision making.
Net-zero
'Net-zero' was recognised at the summit as an important commitment to be made.
As close to 2030 as possible
This commitment is in line with the councils declaration of a climate and biodiversity emergency.
“It was really great today to see the level of enthusiasm in the room and the amount of engagement when we had the survey questions up and were developing this vision statement. There is a lot of passion here in Bracknell Forest to create change.”
Samantha Gibbins, Facilitator and Climate Change Coach
Workshops
Conference attendees participated in workshop sessions designed to help them to identify practical actions that can be taken to tackle climate change.
These workshops were facilitated by experts and specialists in these fields.
Workshop 1: Developing your own climate change action plan
Facilitated by a representative of Frimley Health Foundation Trust.
Workshop 2: Active and sustainable transport in Bracknell Forest
Facilitated by representatives of Bracknell Forest Council.
Workshop 3: Enhancing biodiversity around you
Facilitated by representatives of the Priestwood Environment Group and the Berks Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust.
Workshop 4: Reducing your energy bill and emissions
Facilitated by a representative of Wessex EcoEnergy.
Workshop 5: Driving climate action at your school
Facilitated by representatives of the University of Reading, Kennel Lane School and Birch Hill Primary School.
Workshop 6: Managing your own waste better
Facilitated by representatives of re3 and Bracknell Forest Council.
Workshop 7: Improving health and reducing emissions
Facilitated by representatives of Bracknell Forest Council.
Workshop 8: Understanding climate change and its impacts
Facilitated by a representative of Royal Holloway, University of London.
In addition to contributing ideas for the CCES, other outcomes of these workshops included:
- Plans to create a climate reporting support group for local organisations
- Input to the council’s public health and active travel messaging
- Plans to improve biodiversity at home, work and in the community
- Ideas for saving energy and harnessing renewable energy
- Resources and support in developing climate action plans for schools
- Guidance on how to reduce waste and recycle more
- Awareness of how to achieve necessary behaviour change
- Understanding of climate change and its global and local impacts
Marketplace stalls
During the summit, attendees also had the opportunity to visit a range of marketplace stalls showcasing climate and sustainability initiatives and the work of community groups, businesses, JCAB working groups and council teams.
- Bracknell BID
- Involve Community Services
- JCAB Housing Working Group
- Bracknell Forest Climate Action Network
- Bracknell Forest Council
- Eco Rewards
- Climate Ambassadors
- Wessex EcoEnergy
- Energy Efficient Solutions Group
- Berkshire Growth Hub
- JCAB Health Working Group
Representation
Around 140 people representing 60 organisations from a range of sectors attended the summit.
Attendees by type
Organisations by sector
New members by JCAB working group
The summit led to a total of around 35 new residents and representatives signing up to join JCAB working groups, driving considerable progress in expanding climate collaboration in the borough.
Feedback
A large majority of attendees scored highly when asked how much they enjoyed the event. 91% of attendees said that they would definitely attend another summit in the future.
Overall enjoyment
How much did you enjoy the event overall, where 1 is not at all and 5 is very much?
Summit benefits to attendees
Attendees identified a range of benefits from attending the summit, with enthusiasm and motivation for climate action and useful contacts or leads being the most prominent.
Which of the following did you get from the summit?
Attendees said that they committed to or considered a range of new actions as a result of attending the summit.
In a personal capacity, these included:
- opting for small, everyday sustainable choices
- talking to others about climate change and its impacts
- improving knowledge around waste and recycling
- creating climate action plans at clubs and community organisations
- reducing car use, considering more sustainable forms of transport, and walking more
- recycling more and using less water
- joining the Joint Climate Action Board (JCAB) and its working groups
In a work capacity, these included:
- engaging in workplace sustainability activities
- encouraging business clients to pursue greener policies and participate in initiatives
- looking at how their business can take action to help tackle climate change
- reviewing and improving waste management in their sector
- researching best practice for communicating and encouraging people to change their behaviours
- creating climate action plans for their organisations
- reviewing their organisation’s existing climate action plan
- working with schools to deliver nature friendly projects, and using connections from the summit to do so
- securing funding to offer net zero workshops for businesses
- aligning work with the CCES
- joining the JCAB and its working groups
