Chris Martin (Footsteps’ secretary) spoke about the Birmingham climate emergency and the role for faith communities at the recent Harnessing SME Innovation and Tackling Climate Change conference at Birmingham University. The aim of the conference was to explore how ‘small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs, aka small businesses) can help tackle climate change through innovation.
Traditionally academics detach themselves from faith and especially religion, but Chris’s presentation generated much interest and discussion at the conference. He highlighted the key aspects of Birmingham’s just transition to a Net Zero Carbon City and the moral compass and shared values provided by the world faiths. Chris linked the transition to Net Zero Carbon to Birmingham’s previous transitions he had personally experienced – the decline of manufacturing industry in the early 1980’s and the growth of Birmingham as a service and knowledge based city.
There is a full write up of the conference from the Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship.