‘This is the least extreme weather you will experience in your lifetime’
(Prof Hayley Fowler)

Hosting a screening

After securing agreement with your council/u3a or other local body, your next step is to register here with the NEB organisers.  They will then send you lots of useful information and either invite you to an online support session or send you a link to a recording.  There is a facilitation guide for you.

Meanwhile, here are a few facts:

• The film is aimed at the broader public, not just those in the ‘climate bubble’.  It will not be ‘dry’.
• Two versions, one with all ( light) swearing removed.  Aimed at a 16+ audience, as these are the voters.
• Available with sub-titles; Welsh version being created.
• 50 mins long.
• Shortly before your event, you will be sent a link (via Vimeo) to the film.  You will then download to your laptop.  It will not be generally available on the web.
• MP to be present if possible, but as a participant, not to hold the floor!
• The aim is to invite local groups and individuals.  Breakout discussions to enable these people to start partnerships to take this forward.
• Lots of useful information in the facilitation pack for managing the discussion session.  You do not need to know all the answers; the main thing is to create a safe and positive environment for constructive discussion (as we do in Climate Matters).
• A follow-up session a week or two later to bring these back together.

u3a next steps:

1. The online group 'Climate Matters' held an extra session to their calendar on 8th May, for all those interested in – or currently planning – hosting a screening of the film in their local community/u3a.  We are not at this point able to screen the film, as priority is being given to in-person events. A recording of the meeting is available here.
2. The u3a Learning Team will be hosting an online National Learning Event on 30^th July  which will showcase selected film clips and discussion. This event is also open to all u3a members.

Background:

On 27^th November, over 1,200 people gathered at Westminster Central Hall, including around 150 Parliamentarians, along with senior civil servants, business leaders, faith voices, cultural and sport figures and community leader.  Brenda Ainsley and Eleanor Brooks were invited to attend, to represent the u3a.

The purpose of the event was to stage an official-style National Emergency Briefing* on the climate & nature crisis for politicians, business / council / faith leaders, the media and influential cultural figures—featuring a panel of plain-speaking experts. The  speakers (all respected academics and experts), provided a frank assessment of our current trajectory but also painted a vision of a hopeful, more resilient future—achievable with courage and vision. The emphasis was on focusing on what the crisis will mean for ordinary people over the coming years. A professional film of the event will form the basis of a national campaign, with grassroots groups supported to screen it in community spaces.

Mike Berners-Lee (who spoke to the u3a a couple of years ago) introduced all the speakers and drew out threads we could take away.

Chris Packham gave the introductory talk, stressing how we only have one planet and we can either learn to live in harmony with it again, or to continue on our path to destruction of the human race.

We heard how nature is critical infrastructure for our comfortable lifestyles. It was pointed out that prosperous citizens need to reign in an often wasteful lifestyle, how we need to drive down energy use, and as a society change our diet to be plant rich. Our natural systems are breaking down, including soil, water and rivers, peatland and woodlands.

Comment was made about how there is enough for everyone to have a good lifestyle; changes should focus on the lower and middle-earners in order to be accepted.  Taxes need to be aligned with what we are trying to achieve and we must stop funding harm.

Key messages included:

• Reduce flying
• Insulate our homes
• Use renewable energy
• Electrify
• Reduce the amount of meat eaten

‘What is good for nature is good for humans; renewables benefit the economy and our welfare as well as the planet’.

* This event was the first ever official-style National Emergency Briefing on Climate and Nature. A range of fantastic experts together presented a powerful account of the interconnected threats facing the UK, alongside the actions that science suggests are necessary.

The aim was to help trigger a social tipping point—similar to the Covid briefings—and put the climate and nature emergency firmly into the national media. The goal was to break out of the climate bubble, to discuss the emergency openly, and to create irresistible pressure on MPs to back legally binding, science-led action on both mitigation and adaptation.

This organisers feel that this event showed that Britain is ready for a ‘hard reset’ in how we confront this crisis, that the age of warnings is over and that we are already living with the impacts of climate change.

This initiative was led and funded by Simon Oldridge and Nick Oldridge. Dr Alison Green led on strategic coordination with universities, focusing on establishing a network of academic ambassadors. The co-founders of Climate Science Breakthrough—Ben Carey, and Henrik Delehag— provided creative and strategic direction, with Dr Abi Perrin advising on science. The advisory panel included Sandy Trust of the Institute & Faculty of Actuaries, Prof Lorraine Whitmarsh, and James Whitehead of Rewriting Earth.

Page owner: Brenda Ainsley

Last updated: 2 April 2026