August M
A small community gathering in Perthshire has grown into an international network focused on climate action. What began as an experiment over tea and conversation is now marking its 10th year, with similar events taking place around the world.
The idea remains simple, but its reach has expanded far beyond its original setting.
Where it began
Jess Pepper was helping serve tea at the latest Climate Café in Dunkeld and Birnam, a decade after opening the first one in the village. She described the concept as straightforward and welcoming.
“A Climate Café, very simply, is a community-led space that brings people together to drink, chat and act on climate,” she said, the BBC reports.
Pepper said she was unsure how the first meeting would be received in 2015, but quickly realised there was demand for a place where people could talk openly. Since then, she has gone on to co-ordinate the Climate Café’s global network.
From talk to action
For some attendees, the idea initially prompted doubts. Lachlan McEwan said he was uncertain about the impact of discussion-based gatherings.
“I was a bit sceptical to start with,” he said. “And then I got invited by Jess to a meeting and had a cup of coffee, and suddenly realised it was a safe space for you to say what you thought.”
Those conversations led to practical initiatives, including a local foodshare scheme. Fiona Ritchie said the project focused on reducing food waste by collecting surplus food from cafes and residents at collection points around the village.
Measurable changes
The group has also taken on targeted environmental challenges. Alasdair Wylie, a local businessman who attended early meetings, said energy efficiency was a key concern.
In 2018, the café’s members set out to cut water use locally. Over the following year, residents and businesses saved one million litres of water using tools such as shower timers.
In 2019, Dunkeld and Birnam were named Scotland’s first Water Efficient Village by Scottish Water.
A wider network
Thirteen-year-old Dougie, who was listening in at the café, said the initiative began because people were not talking about climate change locally.
Ten years on, Climate Cafés operate in many countries. In Jakarta, Amanda Katili Niode said the network offers “a caring and human space” where people can share concerns without judgment.
In Lagos, Saviour Iwezue said the cafés help connect everyday experiences to the global climate crisis. Back in Perthshire, the original group says it will continue focusing on local action with wider impact in mind.
A broader shift in local engagement
Observers say the Climate Café model reflects a wider move toward informal, community-led discussion spaces, which are often used to build trust and encourage participation on complex issues such as climate change.
Sources: BBC
