[Source: Suffolk County Council].
A free, online course has been launched to support individuals and businesses to learn about the impacts of climate change in Suffolk.
The course aims to improve understanding of the environmental issues facing communities in the county and beyond.
‘An Introduction to Climate Change Awareness’ presents an opportunity to learn more about the climate emergency and the importance of acting to reduce its impacts. It is funded by Suffolk County Council and is part of the wider collaborative action to reduce the impacts of climate change in Suffolk.
The course is free and easy to access through the Creating the Greenest County website at www.greensuffolk.org/climatechangecourse/
The launch of the course coincides with COP27, the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Councillor Andy Drummond, Chair of the Suffolk Environment Portfolio Holders’ Group comments on how this course complements the environmental work already taking place in the county:
“The Suffolk Climate Emergency Plan has identified several key areas where we need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. These include transportation, energy and the efficiency of our homes and business premises. The hope is that this course will help to increase understanding of the impacts we are currently experiencing here in Suffolk. By helping residents to see how we all fit into the bigger picture, we hope to encourage positive action and improve engagement with our efforts to reach carbon neutrality by 2030.”
In response to the climate emergency, Suffolk’s public sector organisations including the NHS, the Police and local councils are working together to implement the Suffolk Climate Emergency Plan. This ambitious plan was set out in 2021 to drive Suffolk towards carbon neutrality by 2030.
The online course is designed for anyone wishing to learn more about the effects of climate change and is suitable for businesses looking to offer climate awareness training to staff.
It was piloted during the summer months and businesses were invited to complete the course and provide feedback.
One participant said:
“the course was one of the most engaging courses that I have seen, and I used to work in the field, so have seen many. It was well put together and included lots of great information.”
The course takes approximately 40 minutes to complete, and is divided into 5 short modules:
- What is climate change?
- The global impact of climate change
- The local impact of climate change
- What action is Suffolk taking?
- What can you do to help?
