Cambridge Climate Coalition
The Cambridge Climate Coalition (CCC) existed in 2007/2008 as a coalition of student societies who shared a common interest in climate change issues. The members of the CCC included the CU Environmental Consulting Society, Cultures of Climate Change, CUSU Ethical Affairs, Three Seas - Combat Climate Change, the Zero Carbon Society, and People and Planet. The purpose of the CCC was to allow these societies to better co-ordinate their activities, and to work towards common goals with greater strength and manpower. The latter goal is of importance for organising large events, such as the successful climate change conference “Climate Changes – What Next?”. The conference itself helped shape and develop the coalition by bringing together groups with different projects and helping them network, recruit new people and think about how to move forward together on new and existing campaigns.
The CCC organised the societies fair on January 23, 2008 for Environmental and Development societies and the “Climate Changes – What Next?” conference on February 16, 2008. Other items on the agenda included hosting a Change the Dream Symposium, a Carbon Health Week in Michaelmas Term, regular environmental and development societies' squashes in Michaelmas and Lent terms, and supporting the GoGreener! campaign.. Many of the things it strived for are now covered very well by the Cambridge Hub.
Formed in 2007, the Cambridge Climate Coalition believes that:
• Humanity must do everything in its power to avoid dangerous anthropogenic climate change
• Targets necessary to achieve this goal have to be based on science
• Solutions to this problem should be based on principles of human equality
The Coalition will bring together a wide range of organisations, groups and individuals, offering a common front, coordination, support and resources, in order to increase the impact of the work of those involved. Being a federated body, the Coalition will remain open to expansion and inclusion of new members that adhere to these beliefs.
The Coalition will work in a clear, accessible and transparent way to raise awareness of the urgency of the situation, working towards developing, promoting and implementing solutions at the local, national and international level, as appropriate.
The Coalition will meet at least twice termly, will elect two coordinators, and will review this statement of principles at least annually.
The Change the Dream Symposium is a day of information and reflection on our relationship with the planet, and a call for us to heal that relationship through a profound inquiry into how we might realise a bold vision: an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling, and socially just human presence on Earth.
Indigenous people of South America refer to our modern worldview as our "dream" and have urged us, for the sake of all life, to "change the dream of the North". The Symposium combines video clips from thinkers and activists with time for reflection and group interaction for the participants. If you are ready to be disturbed, inspired and moved to action, engaged in awakening from and changing the dream of our modern industrial culture, we invite you to come to the Symposium on March 9th.
'Can we rely on it that a 'turning around' will be accomplished by enough people quickly enough to save the modern world? This question is often asked, but whatever answer is given to it will mislead. The answer "yes" would lead to complacency-- the answer "no" to despair. It is desirable to leave these perplexities behind us and get down to work.' -- E.F.Schumacher
Also see the flyer text and the poster
For more information, please email Antony Melville, antonymelville [at] googlemail [dot] com.
Presentations are available for download here.
Find out more and reserve your place online: hereJoin us for an exciting day-long conference designed to challenge your perspectives on climate change. We believe that in order to tackle climate change, we need all kinds of individuals and all kinds of action - from direct action to business initiatives and academic knowledge. Hence, the conference intends to bring all approaches together.
Hence, Morning talks will highlight a variety of different subjects related to climate change, including economics, business & technology, science, and development. The afternoon will consist of workshops where participants can learn more about how to get involved in the many exciting climate change-related projects going on in and around Cambridge. The conference will close with a speech by Christine Zumkeller, former Coordinator of the UNFCCC Cooperative Mechanisms Programme.
This conference is the inaugural event of the national Student Climate Project, so it will be a great chance to meet like-minded students from around the UK too!