52. 20-04-21 Livery Climate Action Gore Group Meeting

Tonight, I attended the second meeting of the Livery Climate Action Gore Group led by Alderman Alison Gowman (see Masters Blog No. 45 for details on the first meeting). The group is coordinating actions by the livery companies to fed into the City’s Climate Action Strategy. Around 50 people have volunteered to join working groups to progress various aspects of the City’s Climate Action Strategy, the Water Conservators have 8 volunteers, the largest of any City livery company. Finally, there is a core group of around 25 made up of presenters, facilitators and working group leads.

Alderman Alison Gowman indicated the key objective was to get Livery Companies green. However, the wider influence of the livery was discussed and recognised as potentially very beneficial in terms of climate change. I mentioned that for the Plastic Free City Campaign Water Conservators assisted the City of London Corporation (CoLC), and through them provided technical advice to key City businesses. Similar technical expertise could be provided for City businesses which would directly influence the City’s Climate Action Strategy targets. Also discussed was the possibility of producing something from the Livery Companies which the Lord Mayor could take to COP26 in November.

This was followed by a presentation on branding and name. Livery Climate Action Group was discussed as the name and generally agreed.  Three potential logos were presented and discussed.

In feedback from the working groups Robert Hughes-Penny (Finance) stated they were working on an Introduction to ESG and a glossary. Alison mentioned the CoLC were also producing a glossary. John Pike (Property) described the various sub-groups they were looking to form. This raised the issue of food and food waste (we waste 1 ton of every 3 tons of food produced). Alison said she would contact the Food Group regards a possible seminar on food and food waste. Gordon Masterton (General) reported back that the charter could be used as a guideline for each livery company. Averil MacDonald (Education) reported that the group had been working on a repository of information that could be used for education.