Sunil Kapur reflects on Wanstead Climate Action’s recent screening of People’s Emergency Briefing at Wanstead Library and outlines the concerns and hopes the film raised
The event was very well attended by local residents, and we were delighted to be joined by Calvin Bailey MBE (MP for Leyton and Wanstead), Councillor Jo Blackman (Redbridge Council’s lead on the environment) and three other local councillors.
People’s Emergency Briefing is a film about the risks to British life from ongoing damage to nature and to our climate. The 50-minute film presents evidence from leading UK experts on climate science, food security, health and economic stability. It is about the direct impact of climate change on ordinary life; only last summer, there were wildfires on Wanstead Flats, which led to the call-out of 70 firefighters and 10 fire engines. In the film, naturalist and television presenter Chris Packham is joined by people from all walks of life, who discuss their concerns and hopes in footage which is both serious and uplifting.
After the screening, there was a facilitated discussion. Attendees discussed their responses to the film in small groups before sharing their thoughts with the wider room. Some felt sadness, despair or frustration. Others felt we have the ability to change things, through our spending power or by lobbying elected representatives. Calvin Bailey MP expressed his own concerns about climate change. With a family himself, he wants them to have the same opportunities, including a good environment. He referred to the throwaway culture and shared that he learned to darn as a child and has passed the same skill to his own children. He acknowledged that climate change is the number-one issue of our time. However, he added that we are in a cost-of-living crisis, so the transition needs to be delivered in a way that supports those worst off.
In January 2026, Redbridge councillors unanimously declared a nature emergency. Councillor Jo Blackman found the film moving and reminiscent of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth. She mentioned local achievements, including more EV charging points, cycle lanes and pollinator pathways. Jo thanked those in the room who had engaged in consultations to help make these changes happen. She did not dismiss the despair felt by some in the room, but reaffirmed her commitment to further drive down emissions in Redbridge.
Cedric Knight of Wanstead Climate Action spoke briefly. Noting that the talk was taking place in the library’s Churchill Room, he quoted: “I never ‘worry’ about action, but only about inaction.” The meeting closed with all attendees being encouraged to contact their MP. Every MP is being asked to call on the government to provide a clear, televised briefing to the nation about the risks of climate change.
For future screenings of People’s Emergency Briefing, visit wnstd.com/pebscreen
For more information on Wanstead Climate Action, visit wnstd.com/climate
