AN environment group based in south Shropshire will have a guest speaker from the Solomon Islands when they hold a virtual conference on Saturday.

Gladys Habu will be joining the Shropshire Climate Action Group as a keynote speaker at ‘Next Steps.’

Her home in the south Pacific is threatened by rising sea levels.

Ms Habu, is a climate activist who has campaigned for many years at a local and international level to advocate for increased awareness of the impact of climate change.

Recently her climate work was recognised by Her Majesty the Queen and she became the 168th Commonwealth Point of Light awardee.

She is a Pharmacy Honours graduate from Monash University and works as a full time Pharmacist at the Solomon Islands National Referral Hospital.

‘Next Steps’ will present and debate the work undertaken by over 100 volunteers in areas such as transport, land and biodiversity, energy, buildings, commuinities, and education.

There is a report that will be published shortly setting out the work by working parties set up by the Climate Action Group.

Issues that the groups have been looking at include transport, energy reduction and how south Shropshire can achieve its objective of being carbon neutral.

It will be an opportunity to explore ideas on how the Plan can be put into action on the ground.

Jane Cullen, from the group, said that there are big issues that can only be tackled by Governments around the world.

But she said that there are also things that people can do on their own patch to cut emissions.

One of the issues that is a major factor in south Shropshire is transport where the working group has been led by Professor John Whitelegg from Church Stretton.

This includes the issue of the high dependency upon the private car in a very isolated rural area where there is very limited public transport.

Other issues will include electric vehicles where some say that the environmental benefits are less clear cut because of the enviromental costs involved in mining the precious metals needed for the batteries and end of life disposal of the batteries.

People can register for the conference between 9am and 1pm on Saturday, May 22 and request a link by visiting

https://southshropshireclimateaction.org/conference-registration There is no cost but donations will be appreciated.