biodiversity

Ideas for CIEEM Action to Address the Climate Emergency – By John Box CEcol CEnv FCIEEM (rtd) and Amber Connett ACIEEM

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The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has issued its strongest call to arms. The latest part of the Sixth Assessment Report, Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change, states unequivocally that without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial times is beyond reach.

CIEEM’s work through Action 2030 to promote action to achieve net zero and help tackle the climate emergency is gathering momentum. As part of this project, the CIEEM Secretariat and Governing Board met in March to discuss how the Institute can help to address the climate emergency both in terms of our own impacts and influencing the wider sector.

Solar panels on CIEEM’s office building*

Set out below are the priority actions generated from the ideas by the members of the Secretariat and the Governing Board. These will contribute to the continued development of our membership, events, office management and communications policies and practices. They are also part of a wider set of ideas that will be considered through annual updates of CIEEM’s Carbon Reduction Plan.

Priority actions for CIEEM

  1. Produce an office checklist to reduce energy and waste – make it visible around the office.
  2. Create a waste and recycling reduction plan.
  3. Reduce data storage – set up an agreed policy with a timeframe on when we delete emails and update files. Check default settings to limit automatic storage of unnecessary data. Clear outdated files.
  4. Retrain staff on procurement policy.
  5. Push forward with paper-free membership applications.
  6. Finalise sustainable events policy.
  7. Create digital welcome packs for members.
  8. Provide carbon literacy training for all members.
  9. Promote the Action 2030 pledge – ensuring signatories are accountable for pledges and pledges are measurable.
  10. Continue publishing advice for members on reducing impact.

    Bee visiting lavender, electric vehicle charging point and rural surroundings

Changing how we do things and looking at established processes are vital to helping to make changes in our behaviour. It’s not going to be easy. But everyone reading this list will have their favourite actions. We have to demonstrate that we are leading the way for our profession as CIEEM declared in September 2019.

Would you be willing to help Action 2030? Let John and Amber know:

  • What do you think about these actions?
  • What is your favourite action?
  • What more could CIEEM be doing to reach net zero by 2030?

John is a CIEEM Fellow and was President from 2012-2015. John chairs the Action 2030 group which provides challenge and advice to CIEEM on the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis. Contact John at john.box@knowlebox.co.uk.

Amber is CIEEM’s Policy Officer. She leads CIEEM’s Action 2030 project alongside policy activities such as providing the Secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Nature. Contact Amber at amber.connett@cieem.net.

*Google Maps (2022). Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management. Satellite image. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/maps/place/Chartered+Institute+of+Ecology+and+Environmental+Management/@51.0071327,-1.4383099,129m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x29a68cd782da0677!8m2!3d51.0071629!4d-1.4384458

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