Community action/Greenwich

The aim of this page is to recognise, celebrate and encourage the self-empowerment of community agency networks (CANs) and community groups' activism for climate, environment and many other sustainability topics across Greenwich.
News
All hands to the pumps: the colourful rise of community-owned pubs, positive.news (Mar 05, 2024)
Greenwich: Closed pub reopens as community hub, BBC News (Dec 15, 2023)
Revealed: the UK’s ‘best’ new buildings, positive.news (Oct 23, 2023)
The climate cafe where misery is 'empowering', BBC News (Jul 26, 2026)
‘I don’t like being stuck in an office’: the young people helping plant a ring of trees around London, theguardian.com (Jun 17, 2026) — London Tree Ring project aims to create corridors of plant and animal life around the city to strengthen its biodiversity
London, San Francisco and Beijing achieve ‘remarkable reductions’ in air pollution, theguardian.com (Mar 12, 2026) — Cycle lanes, electric cars and other interventions have helped 19 global cities slash levels of pollutants by more than 20%
National Trust asks public to join call for urgent Government action after hundreds of wildfires break out, and full extent of nature loss at Dunwich Heath emerges, nationaltrust.org.uk (Aug 07, 2026) — “The climate crisis long predicted by scientists is happening here and now. Ferocious wildfires, unprecedented temperatures and record-breaking droughts are already hitting communities and nature across the UK – they are not a distant threat. Tackling this emergency must be a cross-Government priority because it touches every aspect of our lives, our society and our economy. So we’ve launched a petition to demonstrate to Ministers the strength of public feeling on this issue." National Trust Director-General Hilary McGrady. To sign the petition, visit: nationaltrust.org.uk/wildfire-petition
Firefighting aircraft aren’t enough – Britain needs to build a wildfire‑resilient society that involves everyone, Komal Raj Aryal, Lecturer in Crisis and Disaster Management, Aston University, theconversation.com (Aug 06, 2026)
All of England's rivers and lakes polluted with chemicals, officials say, BBC News (Aug 06, 2026)
South Korea's president orders all-out response to heatwave, reuters.com (Aug 06, 2026)
Young activists in the Maldives confront climate threats to their island nation, seattletimes.com (Aug 06, 2026)
Philippines steps up solar transition as Iran war hikes energy costs, eenews.net (Aug 06, 2026)
Networks and sustainability initiatives
- Care & Climate, a new cultural space - "a transitions space for holding communities in the now to the next, space for staying with the trouble (a phrase borrowed from Donna J. Haraway) and to be in solidarity with one another." added 10:31, 7 December 2022 (UTC)
UK and international events
UK events
Aug 10 - 16, 2026 (Mon - Sun) — National Allotments Week, 2026 theme is “Grow to Learn.”, thenas.org.uk
Global or international events
Aug 09, 2026 (Sun) — International Day of the World's Indigenous People, observed on 9 August each year to raise awareness and protect the rights of the world's indigenous population, un.org
Aug 12, 2026 (Wed) — International Youth Day, awareness day designated by the United Nations taking place on Aug 12 each year, un.org
2021-2030, UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, International community action events
Community resources
- The Star of Greenwich, community owned pub in the heart of East Greenwich, added 18:48, 10 March 2024 (UTC)
Climate action
- Carbon Neutral Greenwich, "sets out what we need to do to reach carbon neutral by 2030 under seven key themes", consultation process ends March 7, added 18:02, 22 January 2021 (UTC)
- Declaration in response to the climate emergency, royalgreenwich.gov.uk, June 2019
Greenwich Students' Union is the university's students' union. In October 2019, the GSU Student Assembly voted to ask the university to declare a climate emergency and for the university and union sustainability strategies to consult with students in creating them. This call to action aimed to speed up the university's efforts at becoming carbon neutral. W
Cycling activism
- E-Z Cycle electric bike loan scheme Royal Borough of Greenwich
The Thames Path Cycle Route is a black-signposted route that follows the river between Putney Bridge in the west and Greenwich in the east. It mostly follows the Thames Path, but diverges in various sections, especially where the path follows a footpath-only route. It also links National Cycle Route 1 (east of London) with National Cycle Route 4 (west of London). W
Education for sustainability
- Sustainability: University of Greenwich, @Sust_Greenwich
Open spaces
- Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park TCV
The Royal Borough of Greenwich has over fifty parks and open spaces within its boundaries. The Green Chain W, a linked series of linear and circular walks, include some of those open spaces within Greenwich. The Chain originates at three points along the River Thames and stretches to Crystal Palace Park. Greenwich is a riverside borough, and one of the largest open spaces is the Thames itself, forming the northern boundary of the borough. A sign posted riverside trail W forms a walkway for both pedestrians and cyclists. W
News archive
"What if the only important work left is to care for each other and care for the planet?" asks Greenwich's Care + Planet, The Daily Alternative (Dec 01, 2022)
2016-2021
- The activist entrepreneurs running zero-waste shops, Aug 6, 2021...bbc.co.uk/news
- London's first cycling Quietway officially opens from Greenwich to Waterloo, Jun 14, 2016...road.cc
About Greenwich
The Royal Borough of Greenwich ( , , or ) is a London borough in southeast Greater London, England. The London Borough of Greenwich was formed in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963. The new borough covered the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich and most of the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich to the east. The local council is Greenwich London Borough Council which meets in Woolwich Town Hall.
The Royal Borough of Greenwich is a large borough covering almost 50 km², approximately 19.3 miles, and containing a broad mix of historic, suburban, and rapidly redeveloping districts. It includes the Greenwich Town and Park, the site of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Maritime Greenwich which encompasses the Prime Meridian, the Royal Observatory, Cutty Sark, and the former Royal Naval College. Also in the borough, Greenwich Peninsula is known for The O2 Arena and river transport links; while Eltham is home to Eltham Palace. Other major neighbourhoods within the borough are Woolwich, a historic military and industrial centre now undergoing major regeneration; Shooter's Hill, noted for Severndroog Castle; and parts of Abbey Wood and Thamesmead in the east. The borough is also home to parts of Blackheath, Lee, Kidbrooke, Charlton, Plumstead, and Avery Hill, together forming a diverse urban area ranging from significant heritage districts and established residential suburbs to large waterfront redevelopment zones along the River Thames.
To mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II, the borough became a Royal Borough on 3 February 2012, due to its historic links with the Houses of Tudor and Stuart of the royal family. Greenwich was the seat of the Palace of Placentia which was built in the 15th century under the orders of Henry VI and Henry VII. It was the birthplace of Henry VIII, Mary I, and Elizabeth I, all of whom lived at the palace. The Queen's House was gifted to the queen consort Henrietta Maria in 1629 by Charles I. The Royal Observatory was commissioned in 1675 by Charles II.
External links
- Greenwich Council (local government)
| Authors | Phil Green |
|---|---|
| License | CC-BY-SA-3.0 |
| Cite as | Philralph (2019–2025). "Community action/Greenwich". Appropedia. Retrieved August 12, 2026. |