by Sunita Soundur, Climate Action Coordinator at Zero Carbon Harrogate For many people, climate change can still feel like a distant or abstract issue. But the recent heatwaves are changing that conversation. Extreme heat is something people are experiencing directly – in their homes, workplaces, communities and daily routines. It affects health, transport, public services, nature and the way we use the places around us. The UK and North Yorkshire is now facing a simple re

What happens when more than 100 people from community groups, charities, local authorities and climate organisations come together for a day? You leave feeling hopeful. That was certainly our experience at the Community Climate Conference on 11 July in York. Organised by Community First Yorkshire, Village Green, North Yorkshire Climate Coalition and partners, the conference brought together people from across the region to share practical ideas, inspiring stories and, most im

By Paul Johnstone During the third heatwave this summer in July, it struck me that our ancestors in the Harrogate and North Yorkshire area have never experienced these levels of heat before, probably for thousands of years. For eight days in July somewhere in the UK, temperatures reached 34°C or higher, breaking the record set in that iconic summer of 1976. But 1976 was a one-off; now we are experiencing year-on-year record heat with five of the last six years being the hot

by Sunita Soundur, Climate Action Coordinator at Zero Carbon Harrogate What do we do when summer gets too hot? It's a question many of us have found ourselves asking during the recent heatwave in which we saw temperatures of 30-40 degrees hit the UK. Trains were delayed, schools adjusted their schedules, workplaces adapted their hours and even a short walk to the shops felt more exhausting than usual. In the past, when people have thought about climate change, images of melti

By Paul Johnstone It’s easy to lose hope when it comes to climate change. A glance at The National Emergency Briefing’s video, which ZCH has been promoting, offers a sobering reflection on where we are going as a planet, with soaring carbon emissions and record increases in global temperatures. Despite many fine plans by most (but not all) governments, we still miss targets and face a dystopian future. We might be mistaken that action is all about government and legislation,

by Sunita Soundur, Climate Action Coordinator at Zero Carbon Harrogate I just finished reading Jonathan Haidt’s ‘The Anxious Generation’, a book that has sparked debate about screens, social media and their impact – particularly on teenagers and young people whose brains are still very much developing. There is talk about banning social media and phones at schools so that children’s budding minds and attention spans can be reclaimed, to focus on their education. But the insig

As the world marks World Environment Day, there is good news closer to home: Transdev's electric bus fleet in Harrogate and Keighley is set to surpass an impressive five million kilometres of zero-emission travel this month! An Alexander Dennis Enviro400 EV electric bus on The 36 route in Harrogate, operated by Harrogate Bus Company. Picture supplied by Transdev. Since introducing electric buses in 2024, Transdev has invested heavily in cleaner public transport, bringing doz

By Sunita Soundur, ZCH's Climate Action Coordinator As wars and global unrest continue to dominate the headlines, a special event in Harrogate will shine a light on the powerful links between climate change and peace – and how local communities can respond with hope and action. The event, titled “Setting the Climate for Peace: How climate change impacts peace – and what we can do about it in Harrogate”, takes place on Tuesday 16 September, 6–8pm at Creative Harrogate, and is

The York and North Yorkshire Carbon Negative Conference held on Friday 13th at the Milner Hotel in York, was a triumph. From the carefully curated programme to the seamless delivery, the day was a masterclass in how to bring people together around big ideas – and make them feel hopeful and energised in the process. Particular praise must go to Deputy Mayor Jo Coles, who spoke knowledgeably about operational emissions, and the impact of climate change on emergency services, as

By Harriet Forster I joined Zero Carbon Harrogate as a volunteer in summer 2024, and the experience has introduced me to organisations...

Zero Carbon Harrogate is proud to announce the successful conclusion of its LEAD and Retrofit Programmes on 31st March, marking nearly...

By Ian Fraser, ZCH’s Natural Climate Solutions Lead I’ve grown accustomed over the years to seeing red kites, a bird species...

By John Kerr, ZCH's Retrofit Project Manager and Training and Networks Manager (LEAD) North Yorkshire is paving the way for a greener...

By Nick Anderson, ZCH's Energy Lead Switching to a green energy supplier is one of the easiest ways to reduce your carbon footprint. By...

By Anna Slatcher, ZCH volunteer What would you do if you wanted to make a difference in your community while tackling one of the biggest...

By Piers Forster, Interim Chair of the Climate Change Committee The latest scientific assessment by an international team of climate...

Our digital lives have an often-unseen environmental impact. Every email, search, or file upload contributes to our ‘digital carbon...

Zero Carbon Harrogate is thrilled to announce The Yorkshire Post Climate Change Summit will be happening again in 2024, following the...

Read NYC's prospectus to find out more about these three climate action funding programmes available under the North Yorkshire Shared...

Over the past academic year, over 16,000 students from 47 local schools have significantly reduced their carbon footprints through Zero...