Welcome to London Climate Action Week: Join 200+ events to drive climate action

London Climate Action Week brings Londoners together for a week of more than 200 virtual events across the arts, community, schools, local authorities, development and the City, to mobilise strong climate action in the lead up to COP26.   

Taking place during the period originally scheduled for the COP26 UN Climate Summit, the week will highlight how London’s leading climate experts, politicians, businesses, and civil society are working together to turn climate pledges and promises into action.

Londoners increasingly concerned by the threat of the climate emergency:

• In the first research poll by London Councils to gauge understanding of climate change and the effect it has on the lives of Londoners, the vast majority of people (82%) agree that tackling climate change is a priority for the capital.
• Over half of respondents (52%) feel their day-to-day life in London had been impacted by climate change already.
• With growing awareness of the climate emergency challenges ahead, Londoners recognise that this is a threat that must be addressed imminently, with 57% saying their level of concern has increased in the last 12 months.
• The respondents overwhelmingly agreed that now is the time to act and 87% of Londoners say they are motivated to help prevent climate change.

It is clear that a collaborative effort is essential across London’s communities to make sure we safeguard London’s environmental future. Every Londoner can play their part even by making small changes.

London boroughs are calling on the government to increase funding for councils to combat climate change, most recently asking for £115m to retrofit buildings to make them more energy-efficient.  London Councils will be hosting a panel discussion on this public polling and how these insights can help London become a more sustainable city on Tuesday 17 November. For more information on how to attend the event please click here.

LCAW will feature more than 200 online events held by think tanks, academic institutions, trade associations, businesses, NGOs, universities, schools and communities.  By joining the events, which are open to anyone and everyone to join, you can:

• Find out what Londoners think about climate change with a survey from London Councils – which will launch new data on what Londoners really think about climate change.
• Hear from businesses and policymakers at the 11^th Sustainable Innovation Forum – this year HRH Prince of Wales, Ban Ki-Moon, 8th UN Secretary General, and David Kabua, President of the Marshall Islands, will be taking part in the Sustainable Innovation Forum working to address the global climate emergency.
• Tackle eco-anxiety through the first ever Climate Cafés run by the Climate Psychology Alliance– providing daily drop-ins and a space where fears and uncertainties about our climate crisis can be safely expressed, hosted by trained Climate Psychology Alliance facilitators.
• Be inspired by artists – LCAW will be hosting over 13 art events showcasing the impacts of climate change, including an interview with Anita Klein.
• See what schools are doing – the education sector, from primary schools all the way through to universities (including Imperial College London and Kings College London) is working together to become more sustainable through the Zero carbon schools’ campaign, London Sustainable Schools Forum and the School & University Partnerships for Climate Action.
• Make My Money Matter – Richard Curtis is launching a Net Zero Pensions Party – guests include Jamie Oliver, Sadiq Khan, Aisling Bea, Christiana Figueres and many more. All are encouraging the UK to switch their pensions to sustainable and green pension providers.
• Students will challenge Parliament on climate action at the Student / MPs Climate Surgery – school children will meet with London MPs to ask questions and to hold them to account on the climate emergency.
• Understanding more on the impact of the climate emergency on the global South with the Loss and Damage Youth Coalition – an alliance of youth from the global North and South who have come together to demand action on addressing loss and damage caused by climate change.
• Support and benefit from green spaces – Cities4Forests is bringing together London’s government and civil society to work with cities across the world to enhance green spaces and will show that investment in trees makes social and economic and sense.

London has set the ambitious target of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. It also has the world’s greatest concentration of businesses and non-profit organisations working to deliver a transition to a climate resilient world.

Nick Mabey, Chief Executive of E3G, said: “London Climate Action Week is about harnessing the power of London’s global networks and bringing ambitious climate thinkers together to shift the politics around climate action. Organisers and participants are in the driving seat, co-creating a week of climate action together. The solutions we identify reach decision makers, influencers, and societies across the world, whether that is through connecting leaders from Less Developed Countries to London’s financial hub or highlighting what needs to happen between now and COP26.”

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “Climate action must be at the heart of our recovery from the COVID pandemic, and I’m committed to ensuring London continues to lead the way. This includes working to make the capital zero carbon by 2030 with progressive policies to reduce emissions. But we will only achieve this through greater collaboration and London Climate Action Week is the perfect forum to drive this forward.”

A full list of LCAW Digital events are available here.

• Website: http://www.londonclimateactionweek.org/
• Twitter: london_climate
• LinkedIn: London Climate Action Week
• Hashtag: #LCAW2020