IN the week that potentially disastrous climate change hit the global headlines a newly-formed group of Wharfedale residents were out talking to people about it.

Climate Action Ilkley (CAI) is a community campaign group whose aim is to raise awareness of what’s happening to the climate, why, and how we can individually and collectively reduce our impact.

On Saturday, October 13 members of the group set up next to Ilkley bandstand explaining the findings of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which were released earlier in the week.

Steve Peel of Climate Action Ilkley said: “The IPCC say that human activity since the industrial revolution has already caused global temperature to rise by 1 degree. And to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees we need to make rapid and far-reaching transitions in land, energy, industry, buildings, transport, and cities.

“The changes would include a much more rapid move from fossil fuels to renewable energy. And electric vehicles, less air travel and less waste.

“One of the most controversial suggestions is that we eat far less meat and dairy products. This all resulted in some lively discussions on the Grove. CAI aim to hold public meetings, starting on 5 December at the Clarke Foley Centre with a talk from Prof Andy Gouldson, University of Leeds, a leading authority on the economic impact and opportunities of a low carbon future. To be kept in touch join the mailing list at http://climateactionilkley.org/ "