Climate breakdown is unavoidable. We’ve already emitted enough greenhouse gases to ensure we break through any “safe” limit, with no sign of emissions dropping, or even levelling off. And the consequences are already being felt across the world. So, while it’s still imperative that we continue to work to reduce emissions and stop the harm we’re doing, we also need to accept that the future is going to be very different to the present.
It’s likely – though not inevitable – that our national government and local councils will either cease to exist entirely, or be forced to drastically reduce their roles in the face of the strains that climate change and nature collapse will bring. Mass immigration, frequent and extreme weather events, crop failures and supply-chain breakdowns are likely to bring an end to the globalised economy we have known and tip us, fairly quickly, into a new world. The precise shape and timing of this collapse is unknowable, but there are plenty of people who’ve given some thought to it (look up Collapsology) and suggest that the decline could be a series of smaller, sharp shocks interspersed with periods of relative stability. Looking at the state of the world today, it’s easy to believe that we have already started on this path.
In this future we will be reliant on the people and resources closest to us and those communities which start to develop these local connections now, will be better placed to deal with the hardships to come.
At Weymouth Climate Hub we’re endeavouring to put the first steps towards local resilience in place, with reference to Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs.
Our Projects
The aim of the Climate Hub is to act as a catalyst and incubator for new environmental projects that will make a real difference in the local area. Bringing together all interested parties under one roof enables the sharing of ideas and resources which we hope will lead to big changes.
Please get in touch if you’d like to help with any of the following:
 | Retrofit Weymouth Our project to reduce energy use in homes across the town, including renovations, insulation, draught-proofing and renewable energy installations. |
| 🌱 | Weymouth Growers’ Network Building our local growing community to make us more resilient to the food insecurities that lie ahead. |
 | Speakeasy Our spoken word night with a 1920s gangster feel. Anyone is welcome to perform something based on the written word. |
| ☕ | Climate Club A weekly, informal meet-up over coffee to chat with like-minded people about anything you like. |
| ♻️ | The Circular Shop Promoting the circular economy through tool lending, organic foods, and reuse services on Lennox Street. |
| 🛡️ | Community Resilience Understanding local risks and how to deal with them. We must have plans in place for when bad things happen. |
| 📍 | Climate Hub Pop-Ups Taking the Climate Hub idea out on the road! We are organising events at community buildings around the town. |
Future Projects
Coming soon (maybe, hopefully) at Weymouth Climate Hub:
| Energy Champions | Recruit and train local energy champions for each neighbourhood in the town. They can propagate advice to friends and neighbours and hopefully refer people to funding schemes, installers and other helpful organisations. |
| Town Council CEE Plan Gateway | Provide a permanent display for the Town Council plan, take suggestions and feedback from the public and liaise with appropriate councillors/officers. |
| Low Carbon Tool / EN-ROADS | Have a PC constantly connected to climate simulation tools (EN-ROADS, Impact Tool), so anyone coming in can have a go with them. Offer workshops/training in these tools. |
| Knowledge Base | Have a PC available for querying our local knowledge base, so people can easily find the resources they need (eg local installer of heat-pumps). |
| Library of Things | In conjunction with the Circular Shop – borrow tools, equipment, and items you don’t need to own. |
| Toy Library | Exchange, borrow, buy second-hand toys. |
| Book Library | Eco books available for borrowing. |
| Clothes Rail | For swapping/donating clothing. |
| Refill Shop | In conjunction with SW Coast Refills – reduce packaging waste. |
| Cafe | Community gathering space with refreshments. |
| Bike Workshop | Learn to repair and maintain bicycles. |
| Kids Area | Safe space for children with educational activities. |
| Repair Cafe | In conjunction with Repair Cafe Weymouth – fix broken items instead of throwing them away. |
| Terracycle Specialist Recycling | Collection point for hard-to-recycle items. |
| Community Fridge | Reduce food waste by sharing surplus food with the community. |
And there are reasons for optimism. Yes, the climate will be permanently changed, and yes, nature may take a long time to recover, but the collapse of the current systems of human organisation can be seen as a positive. It could mean a chance to rebuild in a fairer way and to focus on what makes most humans actually happy.