Monmouthshire MP Catherine Fookes joined more than 50 local residents to a screening of the People’s Emergency Briefing on Nature and Climate Change, which was hosted by Llanwenarth Baptist Church, Govilon on Thursday, May 22.

The hard-hitting film features footage from last November’s National Emergency Briefing in Westminster Hall, which brought together leading UK experts in climate science, food security, health, economics, national security and nature.

It presents a clear, measured overview of how the climate and nature crisis is affecting everyday life in Britain - and what the evidence says about risks and responses.

Most people in the UK do not realise how serious and immediate the climate and nature crises are. Current and former governments have not given the public the information needed to make informed decisions. This film was made to help address that gap.

The film was followed by a lovely discussion about how people felt after learning the facts and what action could be taken to build momentum by spreading the word.

Residents reacted in different ways after the screening. Some felt grief at the possibly beak outlook for the future, others expressed their frustration that infrastructure progress is so slow, and some were relieved that the issues were being discussed openly.

Ms. Fookes also expressed strong support for climate and nature action, highlighting the role of local organisations such as Gwent Wildlife Trust and the need to expand homegrown clean energy.

Monmouthshire County Councillor Ben Callard told the audience that anyone who cares about the climate must speak up. “Climate change deniers are loud and those who accept the science must be louder,” said Cllr Callard.

Church Secretary, Andrew Baker said that nature and climate change matter to Christians because of a commitment to creation care, or protecting the environment. He also noted that organisations such as Christian Aid and the Baptist Missionary Society have long campaigned on these issues, having seen how climate change has damaged livelihoods in poorer countries by reducing crop yields. He added that the church sees itself as part of the community and believes local resilience will be essential in responding to climate extremes.

To inform the public and begin a national conversation, the National Emergency Briefing team is calling for a government-backed televised Emergency Briefing and urging MPs to support it. Ms. Fookes pledged to write to Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer to express her support.

Until the Government holds an official briefing, community screenings remain the main way to share this information with the public and arious suggestions were made during the discussion for possible settings for further screenings , including local town and community councils, the Senedd, workplaces and meetings of branches of the U3A.

Details of upcoming screenings are available on the National Emergency Briefing (NEB) website.