Environmental writers and activists Mike Berners-Lee, Simon O’Brien and Fiona Shaw, along with guests from the Liverpool Shift Sustainability Network, invite you to join them in continuing to raise our voices to highlight the ongoing Climate Emergency and share ways we can force action.
There is no getting away from the reality that things are getting worse, with no reprieve in sight, now that the world’s most infamous climate denier holds the world’s most powerful seat in the White House. Big oil, and companies across the world involved in pollution and destruction, have been given a license to burn the planet.
The shocking facts remain. Every year we throw away 1.3 billion tons of food. Industry is the third biggest emitter of greenhouse gases. Every single day, we continue to heat up the planet, and three hundred football pitch-sized forests are cut down every hour. We are still dependent on fossil fuels, and millions of litres of sewage are dumped into clean water rivers each year. On the school run, children in cities have to navigate cars and breathe in invisible particles that cause life-limiting health conditions.
Governments do little more than offer window dressing and pay lip service to taking action, while implementing new laws to limit protest, reserving some of the harshest sentences for people involved in environmental protests.
This insanity can only be brought to an end by communities from across the world who suffer the most. Make it your priority too and join us to make sense of this madness – let’s find a way together to extinguish the flames.
Mike Berners-Lee consults, thinks, writes and researches on sustainability and responses to 21st century problems. He is the author of acclaimed books, including A Climate of Truth, There is No Planet B and How Bad Are Bananas? The carbon footprint of everything. As founder and director of Small World Consulting he helps organisations of all sizes and sectors to address the challenges of the Anthropocene. He is a professor at Lancaster University, where his research includes supply chain carbon modelling, sustainable food systems and the environmental impact of ICT. He has made numerous speaking, radio and television broadcast appearances to promote public awareness of sustainability and climate change issues. In February 2025, he was awarded the Planet Earth Award by the Alliance of World Scientists for his work on seeking solutions to environmental challenges.
Simon O’Brien is a British environmental campaigner and sustainability consultant, known for his work on climate change, biodiversity, and resource conservation. He leads various projects on sustainable urban development and waste management and is actively involved in promoting green spaces and active travel in the Liverpool City Region.
Fiona Shaw runs publishing and communications agency Wordscape, which publishes good business magazine Ethos. She has more than 25 years’ experience working with businesses to tell their stories, articulate their purpose, increase their impact and enhance their commerciality – through books, magazines, campaigns and strategy. Fiona holds an MA in responsible business management from Berlin’s Steinbeis University and sits on the board of several social businesses, including Kitty’s Laundrette and Baltic Triangle Area CIC; she also co-hosts the sustainability meet up People, Planet, Pint.
Shift Liverpool, founded by Metal, is a new sustainability network for cultural organisations in the Liverpool City Region. With urgent climate change action needed in the next decade, cultural organisations will face increasing pressure to provide clear plans for carbon neutrality. Shift Liverpool aims to: Reduce carbon footprints, Move away from harmful practices, Promote carbon reduction and offsetting. Cultural organisations are invited to join Shift Liverpool and sign the pledge.
We encourage people to use public transport to travel to events where possible.
Public Transport:
The following transport lines have routes that pass near Edge Hill Station (Stop A)
Bus: 26, 27, 61, 78, 79
Nearest bus stop(s): Overton Street (Approx. 9 min walk), Melville Place (Approx. 13 min walk)
Nearest train station(s): Based at Edge Hill Station
The Black-E is an accessible venue; however, please note that the walkways are narrow and may not be suitable for larger motorized wheelchairs. If you have any questions or concerns regarding accessibility, please don’t hesitate to contact us: info@writingonthewall.org.uk
*These are difficult times. We know some people may struggle to afford full price tickets. If you would like to attend this event but can’t afford to, please contact info@writingonthewall.org.uk. All queries will be treated in confidence.
The Black-E, 1 Great George St, Liverpool L1 5EW
£5.00
Date: May 7, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm
Ends: 9:00 pm
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