CLIMATE Action Ilkley (CAI) is hosting a public meeting on Wednesday, March 20 which will cover a potentially controversial topic: ‘To meet net zero do we need policies to limit flying and driving?’

The free event is at the Clarke Foley Centre, Ilkley, at 7.30pm and the main speaker is Dr Noel Cass, of the University of Leeds.

A spokesperson for CAI said: "Transport is a big issue – 2023 in Ilkley showed what strong opinions it can generate. But leaving aside road safety, transport is a huge problem for climate change. It generates 26 per cent of UK greenhouse gas emissions and this percentage is rising. This does not include emissions from our international flights – these more than tripled between 1990 and 2019, only falling due to Covid19. This is a major topic in this election year and Climate Action Ilkley is aiming to help citizens judge the choices which are, or should be, on offer."

Steve Peel of Climate Action Ilkley (CAI) added: "Tackling climate change will require changes in our lifestyles – hence the headline title of this event; ‘Your Lives in Their Hands’. Governments in the UK and around the world have avoided imposing or even incentivising such changes which they see as vote-losers. But unless they do, the path to net zero will become rapidly untenable."

Noel Cass, Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds, has studied people's understanding of climate change and their lifestyles, particularly in relation to flying, driving and other travel choices. He has found that when people fully understand the impact of their choices they could be content to change them, especially if government shifted investment priorities, for example towards public transport and active travel.

Tickets are free and available on Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/your-lives-in-their-hands-tickets-850652844557

It will be interactive with time for questions and there will be other specialists available for a panel discussion.

This is the second event in the CAI series Your World, Your Vote. Other planned events are on Tuesday, April 16 on renewable energy, fossil fuels and nuclear energy with Prof Peter Taylor and Thursday, May 9 on the Climate Majority Project with Rupert Read.

They are open to anyone interested to talk about solutions to climate and ecological emergencies. Speakers, expert in their fields, will explain the current situation, how it came about, what government policies are currently in place and what needs to change to meet future climate and sustainability targets.