Environmental Taskforce Launched

A new taskforce launched by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will help the government and the third sector to tackle climate change and environmental issues. The group will be jointly chaired by Defra, Department of Energy and Climate Change and Cabinet Office ministers and third sector representatives. It aims to identify specific actions that Government and the third sector can take together to tackle climate change, environmental problems and sustainable development more broadly. The group will also look at how the government can best support the work of charities and not for profit organisations on these issues.

The taskforce was announced as part of Defra's Third Sector Strategy in November 2008. It is a unique opportunity for third sector leaders to come together to develop an action plan to raise the awareness and profile of climate change in the sector and to influence third sector and government action.

Huw Irranca-Davies, Defra minister, said: “The taskforce will play a key role in helping us to reach communities through a medium that is easily accessible and that they trust. The third sector has unique access to a vast range of people and is ideally situated to help government educate people about climate change and environmental matters.” A diverse membership representing the full spectrum of third sector organisations - from all interest areas, not just the environment, and of all sizes - is crucial to the success of the taskforce. Applications for membership of the taskforce are invited from third sector organisations. Specialist contributors are also invited to participate as required. The recruitment process is being coordinated by Green Alliance and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) who will provide the secretariat for the taskforce.

Stephen Hale, director of Green Alliance, said: “I warmly welcome the creation of this taskforce. There is already a wide array of creative and effective initiatives within the third sector on climate change and other pressing challenges. But we need a dramatic surge in the scale and impact of this activity to secure the action we need to avert catastrophic climate change and secure our futures.” It is encouraging to know that the new taskforce is being considered to such an extent and thus the awareness and profile of climate change is being raised. This is highly likely to be effective in influencing third sector and government action.