But to achieve this, it has to be more than a space for community engagement, it has to be a safe space, a place for cross community learning, where we can voice our fears, collectively own the challenges, and together take forward the change required.

A big part of the Climate Room will be about us all sharing our expertise and understanding, equipping you and I with the evidence, knowledge and understanding to challenge the status quo and bring those who seek to lead and those with influence along with us. It’s about us finding our collective voice and power – and ensuring that those who act and the actions they take are for the common good.

The Climate Room is a space for us to learn new skills, a space where, say, trade unions, small businesses and investors can collaborate in shaping new job opportunities, a space where the sharing of our lived experience holds real value and provides a return that is relevant to our daily lives.

So, who’s behind the Climate Room?

The Climate Room is facilitated by Places in Common (PiC) – supported by a broad based collaboration of agencies engaged in energy transition, climate action, and inclusive growth in East Birmingham. The concept of a community learning platform was set out in the University of Birmingham/PiC report Strength in Common. How this platform will ultimately operate, be governed and owned is for you to decide but for now we thought we should try in every way we can, to connect and have a conversation about what matters to you and hopefully have some fun on the way – let’s face it if it takes a village to raise a child it’s going to take a community of communities to take the first steps on a fair transition to net zero.