Pre-lockdown, our Climate Emergency Working Group was flourishing. Monthly meetings in the office led to smaller breakaway groups focusing on letter-writing, event organisation, and petitioning.

With Caroline Lucas and others introducing a private members bill on the Green New Deal and Carla Denyer, our new Co-Leader, stating that Green New Deal is central to our approach to this month's COP 26 conference, the opportunity presents itself to launch a new integrated working group. The new group consists of the Climate Emergency Working Group and the Green New Deal Working Group.

In January 2020, the council unanimously passed a Notice of Motion supporting a ‘Green New Deal,’ seeking to address climate change in ways that also:

• boost jobs
• address poverty and inequality
• restructure our economic system

The Green New Deal approach can help to grow green skills and local jobs, linking public sector decarbonisation initiatives and council retrofit programmes to opportunities for skills and training.

Our inaugural meeting will discuss how members of the Brighton & Hove Green Party can help our councillors to act upon the successful motion on the Green New Deal, for climate and social justice.

Sign up for more information. You will receive a Doodle poll over the coming fortnight, enabling us to schedule a time for the meeting that suits most people.

We will be using the office on Surrey Street, with the option for joining remotely.