Climate and ecological emergency declared?

AUTHOR: JO HAND, CO-FOUNDER, BUSINESS AND COMMUNITIES AT GIKI ZERO

Three-quarters of councils have now declared a climate emergency in the UK and a crucial next step is working through what this means in terms of councils’ operational and residents’ carbon footprints. Many councils will be considering, or already working towards Net Zero, and a key requirement to get there, is motivating residents to recognize the benefits of a low carbon transition.

Councils’ environmental impacts are often intertwined with residents’ footprints in terms of issues such as waste disposal, transport, and council housing. As a result, a combined approach requires taking action within areas under councils’ direct control, but also engaging residents to understand, embrace and enhance these changes through their actions and lifestyle choices.

That is why at Giki we run a free Giki Zero programme for community leaders, councillors, parishes and other community-based organisations to support climate emergency declarations. The purpose of the programme is to encourage community engagement with minimum resource and maximum value. Joining will provide you or your sustainability teams with:

• Access to Giki Zero for everyone who wants to get involved within your community, so they can measure, track and reduce their carbon footprint and build their path to get to Net Zero carbon emissions.
• A monthly session for your community leaders, to give ideas and support to help your community in working towards Net Zero carbon emissions in their lifestyles.
• Information, images and text to support your community engagement work and save you time.

Why Giki?

Giki stands for 'Get Informed Know your Impact' and was set up for one simple reason. We are facing a climate and environmental emergency and many people want to do the right thing but are not sure what “right” is. Almost no one wants climate change, endangered wildlife or pollution, but the reality is that it’s a consequence of the lives that many of us lead in the world today.

We believe that if everyone can build their own personal plan for what they can do to protect their world, then we can all play a crucial role to preserve the environment on which we all depend.

Giki provides easy to use, evidence-based tools that allow everyone to make the decisions which are right for them, their lifestyle and their budget. We launched Giki Badges, an app that rates supermarket products in 2018 and Giki Zero went live in 2020. It’s a step by step guide to a lighter footprint on the planet which helps people understand, track and reduce their carbon footprint with personalised steps to help plan out your path to Net-Zero.

It’s a tool for everyone and we work with many organisations from the UN, to schools, universities, businesses and NGOs. Giki Zero is now part of the global Race to Zero campaign, run by the UN, and cities, universities, investors, regions and companies are all joining the Race to Zero to get to zero carbon emissions. Now, for the first time, individuals can get involved, and they can do that through Giki Zero.

Nigel Topping and Gonzalo Munoz, UN COP26 Climate Champions say: “Giki Zero is a fantastic tool to create that pathway for meaningful action - through Giki Zero, we can each measure our carbon footprint and make a plan, with concrete steps, to define and achieve our net-zero journeys - while improving our health and the health of our communities.”

It is clear that there is a huge amount to do in terms of playing our role in a climate emergency. Policy change and business transformation are crucial, but connected to this, is what we can all change as individuals and communities within our own lifestyles. And this is where Giki Zero’s programme can help you build momentum within your communities, to work towards a Net Zero-carbon future in your area.

For more information, contact Giki Zero at .