Building positive climate action: screening the National Emergency Briefing

Locally in Peebles, south of Edinburgh, we held a viewing of the National Emergency Briefing in the arts centre. 90 people, including someone who had been a member of the International Panel on Climate Change, attended the film and subsequent panel discussion.

The panel consisted of three local climate activists, one a previous Scottish Green Party candidate, one a biologist, one employed by the Scottish Borders Climate Action Network, along with a geographer and our newly elected MSP, who committed to having the film shown in the Scottish Parliament.

A focus on action

The focus of the discussion was on positive action, both local and national. Audience members were asked by the chair to commit to writing to their MP to ask him to support the showing of the film on national television, which is one of the aims of the movement.

The film is factual and hard hitting and even those of us in the audience familiar with the science were affected by it. Reflecting afterwards, the organisers felt that it had been valuable to show it while being aware that it may have been shocking for many in the audience. Hopefully the emphasis on engagement and positive action helped to ameliorate the shock.

Organising the screening

I co-organised the film showing as a concerned citizen, climate activist and member of Global Justice Now. I am also a Quaker and convenor of the Scottish Quaker Parliamentary Engagement Working Group which works to inform and establish relationships with MSPs on issues of climate justice, peacebuilding and economic justice. Through the group's newsletter and communications we are encouraging Quakers throughout Scotland to consider organising film showings.

We encourage people to screen the film with an opportunity afterwards for discussion and sharing of concerns and responses. By asking people to engage with their MP and MSP on climate change we hope to encourage more involvement in the political process, as well as peoples' sense of agency. This is especially valuable for those for whom the climate emergency is the catalyst to engage for the first time.

The Parliamentary Engagement Working Group will follow up the commitment which our local MSP made to have the film shown in the Scottish Parliament and will continue to press for the film to be shown on national television.

The other network which is actively promoting film showings is Medact, an organisation of health professionals, working for climate and social justice. The film content aligns with Medact's work on planetary health – what is good for individual health is good for planetary health, and vice versa.

Over 30 Quaker meetings have now hosted a screening of the National Emergency Briefing. Find a screening near you at nebriefing.org.