By Tom Bedford, Net Zero & Smart Energy Training Manager at Keele University. This article first appeared as a Personally Speaking column in the Stoke Sentinel.

In 2015 nations of the world, including the UK, pledged they would do their best to limit the climate catastrophe to only 1.5 degrees of warming. A few weeks ago, we momentarily breached this limit. But why does any of this matter?

Well at a local level, we can see the telltale signs of climate change. In 2024 alone we have seen multiple named storms cause impacts across Staffordshire, with Storm Henk resulting in the highest ever recorded water levels in Burton-upon-Trent, as just one example of the effects being felt.

These changes are already impacting us, and they are expected to get worse. We are on track to warm our planet by roughly 2.7°C by 2100. This would have major consequences. In a 2.7°C warmer world, 3.3 billion people will live outside of the normal habitable range of humans and more than likely must move to new homes. Alongside this, continued flooding and drought impact food supplies, while heat waves and air pollution add additional pressure to our already strained health services.

"But what can I do?" "Isn’t it all the fault of larger countries on the other side of the world?"
These are phrases I hear all too often in my day job at Keele University. If we are to avert the worst impacts of climate change, we all need to take action. From increasing pollution free energy to starting a new job in helping to build the economy of tomorrow, we can all make a difference.
If we - as a region and a community of responsible organisations and people - are to align with the science, we need to cut our emissions in half by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. That means we all need to take bold and ambitious steps to reduce our impact today.

I know that can be daunting and most people don’t know where to start but, with a little bit of information, reducing our emissions can not only reduce our impact on the environment but also improve the lives of people where we live. Here's just some examples which show how: 

• Transitioning to a net zero economy could create over 40,000 jobs in Staffordshire in sectors such as building improvement and solar panel installation;
• Reducing air pollution by changing our vehicles could improve the health outcome for our children;
• Increasing green space not only helps keep us cooler in summer but it has been shown that areas with more green space reduce the likelihood of violent crime and property crime taking place.

Here are some easy actions to start with: 

• Explore ECO4 grant funding to insulate your home and reduce your bills;
• Change your energy supplier to a green one;
• Look at moving your banking and pension providers (keeping the average UK savings in a high carbon bank does the same damage annually as keeping a kettle on non-stop for 500 days!);
• Make sure your local political representatives know the issue matters to you;
• Get involved and learn more about what you can do.

That final point is where Keele University’s part-funded skills bootcamps come in. Rated "outstanding" by Ofsted, these programmes enable you to understand your role in bringing sustainability to life within your organisation and home life, by learning new policies, discovering ways of reducing your carbon footprint, mapping the ways to finance net zero action and witnessing inspirational action taking place in our region.

If what you have read has made you think about your role in the transition or you would like to find out more about the range of bootcamps available and the impact that they could have on you and your business, Keele is hosting a free open day on Wednesday 20 March. Places are limited and can be booked today by emailing me at t.bedford@keele.ac.uk