Acting locally – a community leads the way

Human induced climate change is an Inconvenient Truth that has crept up on us over the last few decades. In 2019 the UK parliament declared a Climate Emergency and most local authorities, including Northumberland County Council, soon followed their lead. When it comes to existential threats the first step is always to admit that it’s there, but then what? Where on earth can we start?

The source of this evolving emergency lies in the activities of billions of individuals in millions of communities, but the damage is done through one fragile, precious, shared atmosphere, so the solution can only come by “thinking globally and acting locally.” It all seems daunting, but as the Chinese proverb says “千里之行始于足下” - a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Humshaugh is an idyllic village in the North Tyne Valley, just north of Hadrian’s Wall. Seven years ago a group of residents got together to discuss how to start tackling the Climate Emergency locally. The Parish Council got on board and Humshaugh Net Zero (humshaughnetzero.org) was born with the aims of achieving net zero for the parish by 2030 and reducing fuel poverty for low income households in the area. Information is provided for people to reduce their carbon emissions and ideas for low carbon energy are investigated. This led to setting up Humshaugh Community Solar, which is set to make the village one of the first places to host a community based solar farm in the North East. To be sited on set-aside land, the 1MW installation will generate half the electricity demand of the parish while allowing sheep to graze beneath the panels.

Some siren voices call the Climate Emergency “fake” and talk of scrapping net zero, but Humshaugh has embarked on their journey to cheap, sustainable, community energy. They are pursuing a path for others to follow, which should make all the difference.

Bob Turner