(DEFRA) Third Sector Taskforce on climate change and environment launched

A new taskforce launched today will help the government and the not-for-profit sector to tackle climate change and environmental issues.

The group will be jointly chaired by Defra, Department of Energy and Climate Change and Cabinet Office ministers and third sector representatives and aims to identify specific actions that Government and the third sector can take together to tackle climate change, environmental problems and sustainable development more broadly. The Department for Communities and Local Government will also be represented on the taskforce. Third sector co-chairs will be nominated at the first meeting.

The taskforce was announced as part of Defra's Third Sector Strategy in November 2008. It is a unique opportunity for third sector leaders to come together to develop an action plan to raise the awareness and profile of climate change in the sector and to influence third sector and government action. The partnership will seek to increase the volume of activity in the sector on climate change, sustainability and environmental issues and will use the third sector network and contacts with communities to raise awareness and encourage action - such as helping people to be more energy efficient in their homes, creating low carbon neighbourhoods or towns or encouraging participation in environmental volunteering programmes. It will also look at how Government and the third sector can do more to connect with specific sectors of the community and how Government can best support the work of third sector organisations on these issues.

A diverse membership representing the full spectrum of third sector organisations - from all interest areas, not just the environment, and of all sizes - is crucial to the success of the taskforce. Applications for membership of the taskforce are now invited from third sector organisations. Specialist contributors will also be invited to participate on an ad hoc basis as required. The recruitment process is being coordinated by Green Alliance and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) who will provide the secretariat for the taskforce.

Defra minister Huw Irranca-Davies said:

"The taskforce will play a key role in helping us to reach communities through a medium that is easily accessible and that they trust. The third sector has unique access to a vast range of people and is ideally situated to help Government educate people about climate change and environmental matters."

DECC Minister Joan Ruddock said:

"Climate change is the most important challenge facing our society. Unchecked, it will have major impacts on individuals and communities, and on the interests of third sector organisations. We can tackle it, but only if all parts of society are mobilised to act. This new task force is part of making that happen."

Kevin Brennan, Minister for the Third Sector, said:

"The third sector has proven time after time its ability to engage with communities in a way that governments simply can't. It is vital to solving some of the biggest problems this country faces, and I look forward to seeing the taskforce's ideas on how we can tackle climate change together."

Stephen Hale, Green Alliance director, said:

"I warmly welcome the creation of this taskforce. There is already a wide array of creative and effective initiatives within the third sector on climate change and other pressing challenges. But we need a dramatic surge in the scale and impact of this activity to secure the action we need to avert catastrophic climate change and secure our futures."

Stuart Etherington, NCVO CEO, said: "The formation of this Task Force presents a real opportunity for organisations from across the sector to come together to harness our potential to tackle climate change and build sustainability."