Ensuring communities benefit from the energy transition
On 28 January we held the first of four sessions in our series ‘Introduction to Community Action on Energy and Climate.’ The programme of workshops is part of Mission Net Zero. Its aim is to increase knowledge and capacity within the city’s community organisations, so they can get involved in, and benefit from, the growing range of energy and decarbonisation projects in Bristol.
Our city is fertile ground for action on climate and energy, with many of our larger community anchor organisations developing ambitious decarbonisation or energy generation projects. But with new opportunities such as Bristol City Leap’s Community Energy Fund, or WECA’s Green Business Grants, it can be hard for smaller organisations to know where to begin, and this can increase the risk of some areas of the city being left behind. We recognise that Bristol’s incredible network of community organisations, of all sizes and with wide remits, is crucial to supporting our journey to becoming a zero carbon, nature rich, and socially just city and region. That’s why Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership has pioneered the Community Climate Action Project, working together to achieve the city’s climate and nature ambitions, whilst also improving people’s quality of life.
With 17 community climate action plans published or in development, eight of those working with the Net Zero Investment Co-innovation Lab, and three of those also working as part of the Transforming Energy Together project, we designed this workshop series to reach organisations in the city that we haven’t supported before.
During the first session we heard from Rachel Moffat and Faith Terry-Doyle about the range of support offered by Bristol Energy Network, including their Energy Champions Scheme.
We were also inspired by the work of Sarah Rogers from Hillfields Community Garden as they work with residents to identify their climate and nature priorities, and by Donna Sealey from Ambition Lawrence Weston about the work to build England’s biggest onshore wind turbine, and make sure it benefits local people.
Some of the challenges that the participants identified included:
- Mission creep. How can we embed this new area of work into our organisation’s key aims without shifting too far from our core purpose?
- Capacity. Organisations can’t stop delivering their key services to focus on climate and energy action, so need new capacity.
- Complexity. There is a lot happening! How do community organisations navigate the opportunities to focus their energy on what is right for them?
- Knowledge. Technology and language around climate and energy are always evolving, and it can be hard to keep up. Where can we find trusted sources of information to ensure that we are making the right choices?
As the programme develops, the Partnership will be working together with project partners and participants to find solutions and sources of support for these challenges. And we also spent some time identifying the climate and energy work community organisations already do, and the opportunities it offers.
- Making connections between cost-of-living challenges and energy, to engage local people, and tackle both issues together.
- Educating. Some community buildings are sharing information about measures and habits they use in their buildings to provide inspiration and educate the people who visit their spaces.
- Representation and recognition. The energy transition presents an opportunity to address social inequalities. To enable this to be successful it’s essential that a diverse range of people are included, particularly in leadership roles, as well as giving recognition to the existing and historic climate action from across communities.
- Storytelling. Helping our communities to connect with nature and recognising that the stories from that work are essential and a huge motivator for change.
The workshop series continues with upcoming sessions on finance and funding, data tools and community engagement and opportunities around green skills and pathways to employment. There are a limited number of spaces remaining, learn more and apply.
The Mission Net Zero project is funded by Innovate UK’s Net Zero Living programme. Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership, Centre for Sustainable Energy, Bristol Energy Network, and Bristol City Council are working together to deliver this workshop series.
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