South East England community action
The aim of this page is to recognise, celebrate and encourage the self-empowerment of community agency networks (CANs) and community groups' activism for climate, environment and many other sustainability topics across South East England.
Sale of Essex acid grassland for homes would set ‘catastrophic precedent’, theguardian.com (Oct 19, 2024) — Idea that every habitat is replaceable is a misuse of biodiversity net gain, say ecological experts
Our 24-hour climate comic explores what a sustainable future could look like, theconversation.com (Sep 20, 2024)
The neighbourhood of East Malling, West Malling & Trottiscliffe, in the constituency of Maidstone and Malling, is one of the one in four neighbourhoods across England that breach multiple nature pollution thresholds, friendsoftheearth.uk (Sep 03, 2024) — New research by Friends of the Earth shows 1 in 4 neighbourhoods classify as nature pollution hotspots. Pollution hotspots are areas where air, water, noise and light pollution levels all exceed safe thresholds for wildlife. Friends of the Earth is calling for the right to a healthy environment to be enshrined in a new Environmental Rights Act. The law would empower communities to hold regulators and public bodies to account to reduce the multiple layers of pollution affecting their areas to better protect wildlife and people.
Networks
- Transition Hub - London & SE on facebook
Climate action
- Climate South East
- Low Carbon Across the South East (LoCASE), an EU funded project set up to help businesses tackle and adapt to climate change
Biodiversity
The Fox Project, Southern Wildlife Ambulance Network
Open spaces
- London Green Belt Council, protecting London's Green Belt, added 12:01, 5 November 2021 (UTC)
- About London's Green Belt includes "Benefits of the Green Belt", which include "Eco-system benefits: Different types of open land provide multiple eco-system benefits which include urban cooling, improved air quality, flood protection and carbon absorption (especially woodland areas), as well as local food production." as well as Recreation, sport, health, Future proofing, and multiple economic benefits.
- Our Message includes "Government must now:"
North Wessex Downs AONB - South Downs National Park Authority
Community involvement
Community and voluntary action
Community energy
- Community Energy South
- Low Carbon Chilterns Coop on facebook.com, link checked 15:00, 9 September 2021 (UTC)
Food activism
BBO Food Group, food group for Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes and Oxfordshire - Sussex Frack Free Food Alliance
Localism
Supporting community business in South East England, powertochange.org.uk, added 10:28, 12 November 2021 (UTC)
Sustainable transport activism
Past events
- May 25, 2014, The South of England Food and Drinks Festival
Environmental issues in South East England
Overdevelopment
Take a look at the Community planning alliance, grass roots map: google.com/maps, and zoom in a little to see how communities in the South East are disproportionately affected by overdevelopment threats.
Reducing pressure on the South East would give greater opportunity to the rest of the UK.[1]
see also: Towards a more democratic and climate friendly way of meeting housing need across England
Water and rivers
see also: Saving water in South East England
Campaigns
- Kent quarry extension is one of the biggest threats of the 21st century. Hermitage Quarry expansion plans: If approved, the loss could even surpass ancient woodland losses from the Lower Thames Crossing and HS2 schemes combined, woodlandtrust.org.uk, added 14:07, 9 August 2023 (UTC)
About South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England that are in the top level category for statistical purposes. It consists of the nine counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex. South East England is the third-largest region of England, with a land area of 19,072 square kilometres (7,364 sq mi), and is also the most populous with a total population of 9,379,833 in 2022.
South East England contains nine legally chartered cities: Brighton and Hove, Canterbury, Chichester, Milton Keynes, Oxford, Portsmouth, Southampton, Southend-on-Sea and Winchester. Officially it does not include London, which is a separate region. The geographical term for "South East England" may differ from the official definition of the region, for example London, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex are sometimes referred to as being in the south east of England. This article only considers the South East as being the official statistical region.
In medieval times, South East England included much of the Kingdom of Wessex, which was the precursor to the modern state of England. Winchester was the capital of England after unification of the various states, including the kingdoms of Kent, Sussex and Mercia. Winchester stopped being the administrative capital of England some time in the 13th century as its influence waned while the City of London dominated commerce. The last monarch to be crowned at Winchester was Richard II in 1377, although the last monarch to be crowned by the Bishop of Winchester was Queen Mary I in 1553.
Today, the region's close proximity to London has led to South East England becoming a prosperous economic hub with the largest economy of any region in the UK, after London. The region is home to Gatwick Airport and Heathrow Airport (the UK's two busiest airports). The coastline along the English Channel provides numerous ferry crossings to mainland Europe. South East England is also known for its countryside, which includes two national parks: the New Forest and the South Downs, as well as the North Downs, the Chiltern Hills and part of the Cotswolds. The River Thames flows through the region and its basin is known as the Thames Valley.
Near you
Brighton - Malling - Oxford / Buckinghamshire - East Sussex - Hampshire - Kent - Kent news - Oxfordshire - Berkshire - Surrey - West Sussex / Saving water in South East England - London and South East England
See also
- Towards a more democratic and climate friendly way of meeting housing need across England
- London and South East England
- Rural sustainability UK
- Saving water in South East England
References