Key speakers including climate science professor, Dan Lunt, and political climate change lobbyist, Tom Rivett-Carnac, are taking part in a post-COP26 public discussion which will be live-streamed on Zoom.

The event is being held at St John’s Church, Bridgetown, Totnes on Monday December 6 at 7pm and will be chaired by local activist and Transition founder, Rob Hopkins.

The live in-person discussion will reflect on the recent climate change conference, attended by world leaders in Glasgow

Professor Lunt teaches climate science at Bristol University and was one of 200 climate scientists who contributed to an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report called ‘Climate Change 2021: Physical Science Basis’ that was used to inform COP26.

Tom Rivett-Carnac is a political lobbyist for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, a key mover for the 2015 Paris Climate Accord, and co-author of ‘The Future We Chose: Surviving the Climate Crisis’.

Describe as a powerful public speaker, Tom is at the forefront of the environmental revolution and has worked with global leaders to secure sustainable initiatives and accelerating practical solutions for the climate crisis.

Also taking part will be Simon Oldridge, a science liaison at Zero Hour, the campaign group behind the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill, and co-founder of Sustainable South Hams and Sustainable Staverton; along with Totnes town, district and county councillor, Jacqi Hodgson - a key enabler of each councils’ climate emergency plans. Discussions will also be held by Alana Bloom of the Dartington-based Living Projects, Totnes-based Project Regenerate, and Regenerating Rhythms; plus Chantelle Norton, co-director of the Ashprington-based Food in Community project.

Organiser, retired educator and climate change activist, Dr Jill Lewis, said: “This event is creating a context for people locally, and further afield via Zoom, to pause and take stock of some of the implications of COP26 that affect us all in various ways.

“The evening includes people with background close to the latest internationally agreed scientific data on climate change, with experience in the high level negotiations attempting to address climate change, along with local people involved in local climate  and environmental policies and action plans, and local on-ground projects in the community where climate and environment are crucial.”

Jill added: “As a parent, grandmother and citizen of this world, I feel passionately about the urgency of us all getting as informed as possible about what is happening to our climate and environment - and all finding ways to become actively involved in changes needed to address effectively the fast-advancing damage to nature and human lives, both here and already in many lives across the world.”

To register for the live church event or the Zoom link, visit www.totnestalks.org