Climate Cafe® on the rise across Highland
We have been long term fans here at the Highlands & Islands Climate Hub of the Climate Cafe® movement. Founded by Climate Reality Leader Jess Pepper in 2015, Climate Cafe’s® provide an open, inclusive space for people to get together to talk and act on climate change.
Climate Cafés® are community led, informal spaces where everyone is welcome to join the conversation and get involved. Climate Cafés® create a space to bring people together from across communities, work places and campuses to focus on solutions. Many people find them inspiring and positive spaces to connect with others - Climate Cafe®
In 2023, we were delighted to partner with Climate Cafe® to curate the climate session at Scotland’s Rural and Island Parliament (SRIP) where we showed our film, Climate Action: Highlands & Islands and with Jess hosted a Climate Cafe following the screening. Several issues were raised during that session including the need to resource and support communities and refocusing on community transition rather than individual actions relating to climate action. You can read more about the discussions and the themes raised in this recently published Policy Spotlight with SRUC on Climate Action in Scottish Rural and Island Communities.
Jess Pepper, Climate Cafe® and Hub Manager, Joan Lawrie kick-off the Climate Session at the Scottish Rural and Islands Parliament 2023 ©SRUC
A pervading theme raised when we have shown our film to any audience and which was picked up at the SRIP event was the role of women taking climate action in communities. It’s a focus we will be exploring more during March to co-incide with International Women’s Day on 8th March and seems to be common thread linking grassroots climate action activities both in Scotland and further afield. In fact, to get the ball rolling on inspiring women, Jess from Climate Cafe® is herself one of those inspiring women, having recently been included in the BBC 100 Women 2023. Do you know an inspiring woman taking climate action in your community? Get in touch and let us know, we would love to shine a light on them during March.
Back however, to Climate Cafe® and the rise of them being hosted across the Highland area. Green Hive have been working with the Highland Weigh in Nairn to host not only a regular Climate Cafe® but also a Youth Climate Cafe®. We were able to offer funding in round one of the Climate Action Fund to support this activity and we’re delighted to see both being well attended and successful in the Nairn area. Inverness is also a home to a Climate Cafe® with regular events being held at Velocity in the Crown area of the city. Not far away in the Black Isle, Transition Black Isle are also operating a Climate Cafe® with a succession of really interesting guest speakers and themes.
Do you have a Climate Cafe® in your area? Are you looking to start one or find out more? We recently ran a session with Jess on the Climate Cafe® movement as we can see the interest in holding these in other areas. If you missed the session you can view the recording on our Youtube, linked below. The concept of holding a Climate Cafe® is really about taking people together and giving them the space to informally talk and learn and we would love to see and support more of these coming into being across Highland and the Northern Isles. If you are interested in holding one please get in touch with us and we can link you to Climate Cafe® to find out more.
