For our October meeting we’ll be listening to the 99% Invisible series: 'Not built for this'.

We used to think of climate change in the future tense, as something we would have to deal with decades from now. But increasingly frequent fires, floods, storms and periods of extreme heat are making clear that many of its consequences are already being felt.

In this six-part series, 99% Invisible looks at how climate change is affecting communities across the United States, from Vermont to California, and from southwest Florida to central Arizona and the Louisiana coast. It explores how changing environmental conditions are exposing vulnerabilities in the built environment, and how communities are being forced to adapt to risks that their homes, infrastructure and institutions were never designed to handle.

Although the series focuses on the United States, many of the questions it raises have clear relevance in a British context. How prepared are our own towns and cities for more frequent flooding, extreme heat and other effects of a changing climate? Who should bear the cost of adapting homes and infrastructure? When does it make sense to protect and rebuild communities, and when might we need to reconsider where and how we live? Lastly, what can we do in our areas to make a difference?

Nottingham Humanists are hoping to host a screening of the Climate Change National Emergency Briefing film later this year. This podcast discussion group will hopefully offer a chance to start thinking through some of the issues beforehand and arrive at the screening with a broader understanding of the questions involved.

You can find the podcast episodes here.

Please come along to join the discussion, share perspectives, and meet others with an interest in humanism. Obviously, the more of the series you can listen to beforehand the better, but don’t feel you need to complete all six episodes to join us. Even one or two should give you plenty to bring to the discussion.

Please register to let us know you'll be joining us. This event is free to attend, but we welcome any donations, which help with our running costs.