What would it mean for Huddersfield to become a truly sustainable town? A thriving, healthy community where people of all ages lead fulfilled lives. A place where the natural environment is protected and tackling climate change is a priority. A town full of pioneers of responsible businesses and opportunities for young people.
Last year, I set up the Sustainable Huddersfield project to start a conversation with local residents, activists, students, businesspeople, frontline workers and policymakers. Together, we have discussed what a sustainable future for Huddersfield looks like and how we get there.
As a result of those conversations, we have adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework to help us imagine that more just, green and inclusive future. The goals break down all the aspects of sustainable growth into specific targets and concrete action points; they give us the tools we need to make local sustainability a reality.
We want to share these plans more widely and hear from more people. On Wednesday 2nd December at 5pm, we are holding a webinar called ‘Achieving a Sustainable Town’. We have invited a panel of sustainability experts to share their experiences with us, from researching the value of the SDGs locally, through city-wide projects to end youth violence, to working with businesses to reduce their environmental impact. There will also be a chance to hear more about the Huddersfield Sustainable Town project. I warmly invite you to register for the talk if you are interested in finding out more about our work or about local sustainability issues more generally.
I hope to see many of you at the talk next week. If you would like more information about the project, do get in touch at contact@huddersfieldsustainabletown.co.uk – we would love to hear from you.
Barry Sheerman 