Campaigners from the Alton Climate Action Network (ACAN) want a key moment in the battle against Covid recreated to fight climate change.

They are seeking a National Emergency Briefing - similar to Boris Johnson’s “stay at home” Covid speech in 2020 - aimed at making people act differently to save the planet.

ACAN screened the People’s Emergency Briefing on Climate and Nature at Goldfinch Books on April 8. Eleanor Hill from ACAN said it left the audience “fired up with the need to make changes”.

It will be shown again in the Martin Read Hall at Alton College on June 19 at 7pm, with free tickets available at www.tickettailor.com

ACAN did a climate and nature survey in Alton High Street on May 9, asking passers-by to answer yes, no or don’t know to six climate and nature questions by placing sticky dots on a sheet of paper.

Eleanor added: “The answers showed, overwhelmingly, that we know we are facing a precarious future. What we are less sure of is what we can do to limit the damage.”

Sue Hubbard, who runs Alton’s Repair Café, switched to dairy-free cakes and asked East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds to support the parliamentary call for a Covid-style National Emergency Briefing to inform people of the seriousness and urgency of the climate and nature emergencies, and how to address them.

Eleanor said “It worked with Covid - people changed their behaviour based on what they heard in the Covid briefings - and we need the same approach now.

“We firmly believe that the people of Alton are more than ready for this and want to see urgent action being taken, at all levels in our society.

“We all need to know the facts, and we all need to join the groundswell of citizens ready to roll up our sleeves and get on with sorting this out.”