From conversation to action: Elmbridge Climate Change Citizens’ Panel launches their climate action journey

We were delighted to welcome the newly appointed Elmbridge Climate Change Citizens’ Panel for their first workshop on Saturday 14 June at the Low Carbon Centre, Brooklands Technical College, Weybridge.

Over the years, we’ve worked closely with local climate action and sustainability groups, community organisations, and businesses. However, we were aware that a significant portion of our residents had not yet had their voices heard on climate action. That’s why we launched the Elmbridge Climate Change Citizens’ Panel and engaged Shared Future, an organisation with extensive experience in recruiting and facilitating citizen panels.

From sending out several thousand invitations to residents across the Borough, Shared Future selected 22 panel members who reflect the diversity and demography of the Elmbridge community with views on climate change that cover the whole spectrum of opinion. After hearing from experts, exchanging ideas, and reviewing feedback from our recent sustainability survey, the panel’s mission will be to develop community-driven recommendations to inform our local response to climate change. The recommendations will be shaped by the fresh perspectives brought by the panel.

At their first workshop, the panel embarked on this exciting journey. Cllr Ashley Tilling, Portfolio Holder for Climate Change, Environmental Services and Sustainability, opened the session with an introduction explaining why the council thought it was important to convene a Citizens’ Panel, how the panel was recruited and the important role it will play in shaping a more sustainable future for Elmbridge. This was followed by a short presentation from Robin Lamboll from Imperial College London on greenhouse gas emissions and how they have evolved since Victorian times. 

In small group discussions led by Shared Future, panel members reflected on what climate change means to them personally. These conversations helped build mutual understanding and laid the groundwork for collaborative problem-solving. The group explored their shared values, discussed the local environmental context, and began to form a collective vision.

The ice-breaker sessions provided a strong foundation for their next meeting in early July where they will begin to explore the common themes they put forward to be investigated further, starting with where the emissions come from locally and transport. 

Cllr Ashley Tilling, Portfolio Holder for Climate Change, Environmental Services and Sustainability, said:

“The Elmbridge Climate Change Citizens’ Panel has been a while in the making, and it was a real pleasure to meet the members for the first time during our opening session. I’m confident that their diverse life experiences, combined with insights from expert speakers, will play an important role in shaping our local climate strategy.

Their recommendations will inform our plans through to 2027, when the new unitary authority takes over. It's vital that we continue to take decisive action on climate change, even as Local Government Reorganisation progresses. The groundwork we’re laying now could inspire the new authority to build on our efforts, tailored to the new geographic structure.

We want our residents’ voices to be heard, and this citizens’ panel is a powerful way to achieve that. I wish them every success and look forward to their final recommendations.”

Read more information about the Elmbridge Climate Change Citizens’ Panel and about our work on Sustainable Elmbridge.