COP26 East Hampshire attracted more than 400 visitors plus many more who watched events online, about 40 climate-friendly businesses and heard conclusions from three action groups on what can be done locally by residents and councils to help combat climate change.

The well-organised event on Friday October 8– put together by East Hampshire District Council and East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds – was attended by local environmental groups like Petersfield Climate Action Network (PeCAN) and their sister group from Alton ACAN.

Also at the Alton Maltings event were Alton Free Plastic, The Petersfield Society, Bordon’s Espokes electric bike crew, XR members from Bordon and Alton, town, parish and district councillors and officers, a TV crew, Shine Radio from Petersfield, and Wey Valley Radio, and TPS and Alton School students, among others.

The audience at the action group presentations heard they had been meeting for months to put together their reports.

It is hoped the report conclusions will feed into the UN’s global COP26 conference next month in Glasgow.

Last-minute hitches included two notable absences. Lord Deben, chairman of the government’s Climate Change Committee, sent a recorded message as he couldn’t be there.

And MP Damian Hinds was there long enough to speak to most of the 30 stall-holders, before being ‘NHS pinged’ for a Covid-positive contact and had to leave. He later tested negative.

The district council’s portfolio holder for climate and the environment, Cllr Rob Mocatta, seamlessly filled the MP’s shoes to preside over the event.

This included digital presentations by growers, businesses and schools, a presentation by district council chief executive Gill Kneller, and summaries of the action groups’ reports from the group chairmen, who were questioned by the Post’s editor Colin Channon.

Local schools made presentations on tackling climate change and the plastic problem.

The audience also heard from SDNPA Countryside policy and management director Andrew Lees, Alton Town Council clerk Leah Coney, and the climate and energy officer at EHDC Jane Devlin.

But response to the event was mixed.

Some complained there was no audience time for questions, and when one person tried to do so, he was firmly asked to desist.

One attendee said: “It was a good exercise for networking but then we were already convinced climate action is urgent.”

PeCAN trustee Liz Bisset said afterwards: “I found it hard to find anything which would show a lead to the majority of the population who were filling their shopping trolleys at Sainsbury’s just 100 metres away from the meeting, who will require more than a few PR exercises to convince them the climate emergency is a real threat to them and their family’s future.”

But response to some of the action group recommendations, particularly those aimed at local councils, was enthusiastic.

There was clear support for the creation of a dedicated climate change team and a community hub to help people reduce their carbon footprint.

And there was also calls for EHDC to adopt the national park’s landscape-led, climate- sensitive approach to planning and land use.

But it was noted that one major recommendation – that a statutory duty be placed on all councils for net-zero carbon – was not mentioned.

EHDC leader Richard Millard and Hampshire County Council councillors were absent.

Some attendees said they weren’t confident the district council was serious about the climate change threat and were disappointed the action group recommendations were not put to the council for a response.

They said promises to take these into account in future were not given.

We all agree we are in a climate emergency and what is required now is action, and not more words.

As the activist Greta Thunberg said recently: “No more blah, blah, blah.”

COP26 REPORTS