
What we do
The Norwich Climate Commission is an independent advisory body set up to bring actors from the public, private and third sectors together to support, guide and track the impact of ambitious climate and sustainability actions across the city. The Commission is currently made up of 8 Commissioners with a diverse set of professional backgrounds and interests, and is Co-Chaired by Asher Minns from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of East Anglia and Anthony Hudson from Hudson Architects. The Commission is also supported by Norwich City Council.
To find out more about Climate Commissions and what they do, see here.
Photo by Norwich City Council.
Who we are

Asher Minns is the Executive Director of the UK’s Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research. As Co-Chair of the Norwich Climate Commission he’s now combining everything that he knows from 20+ years of working alongside climate change research to focus-in on applying theory to place-based practice for Norwich, while listening and learning alongside the other Commissioners, stakeholders and citizens. Twitter: @asherminns.

Anthony Hudson is Founder and Creative Director at Hudson Architects, and a Visiting Professor at Norwich University of Arts. His projects include public buildings & spaces, urban & rural regeneration, galleries & museums, and housing. Anthony is Deputy Chair for Design:South East, Chair of Suffolk Design Review Panel, and a member of the RIBA Housing Group. Awards include 15 RIBA awards, RIBA East Building of the Decade, 4 RICS awards, Civic Trust and Sunday Times Building of the Year.

Emma Hampton is a Norwich City councillor for University Ward and cabinet member for Climate Change and Digital Inclusion. As well as being a Co-Vice Chair of the Norwich Climate Commission, she is Chair of Norwich City Council’s Climate and Environment Emergency Executive Panel (CEEEP) and is Vice Chair of Norfolk Climate Change Partnership (NCCP) Portfolio Holder group. Twitter: emmalhampton.

Dr. Nigel Hargreaves is a Chartered Engineer and holds degrees in engineering, climate change impacts and sustainability. His consultancy, Synfo Ltd. specialises in finding sustainable solutions to whole systems challenges relating to energy, transport, built environment and regeneration with circular and doughnut economies. He cofounded the Algae Innovation Platform and also Chairs Norwich Community Solar.

Daniel is Chief Executive of Future Projects, a Norfolk Charity working to tackle poverty, deprivation and disadvantage. He also represents the voluntary and community sector on several strategic partnerships and boards, including the Norfolk Safeguarding Adults Board, the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Partnership Board, the Children and Young People’s Forum and the Norwich Health and Wellbeing Board. His focus is on ensuring that climate action supports social justice, wellbeing and community resilience.

Livvy Hanks works as Climate Justice Lead for Quakers in Britain. She is also a founding member of Green New Deal Norwich, campaigning for policies and actions that address inequality and the climate crisis at the same time. She is keen to make sure the diverse voices of Norwich’s climate movement are heard on the Commission. Livvy previously worked as an editor and political researcher, and has lived in Norwich since 2013.

Simon is a participatory theatre producer, director, and performer, developing shows for, with and about people and their places. He is founder and creative director of Norwich based theatre participatory theatre company The Common Lot, winner of four Norfolk Arts Awards for theatre and community. He has produced many locally inspired, original theatre events with, for and about the people of Norwich and its rich history. Recent projects range from large outdoor projects like 100 Years of Mile Cross and Mousehold to the Marsh; to smaller scale pieces of applied theatre, such as “How’s Your Father?” a collaboration with Norfolk Children’s Services and UEA school of social work examining the challenges facing dads in the social care system, and a winner of a UEA Engagement Award.

John Moore works as an independent technical consultant on carbon reduction planning and delivery. He is actively involved in supporting community energy projects and is experienced in a wide range of technologies including generation from wind, hydro and solar, energy storage, hydrogen energy systems, low carbon heating and district heat networks. He is a Chartered Engineer who has spent 35 years working in high technology roles and still has a lot to learn.

John Jones is Head of Environment at Norfolk County Council and Co-Chair of the Norfolk and Suffolk Nature Recovery Partnership. He has a career-long interest in nature based placemaking and sustainable, active travel for the benefit of local communities. John strongly supports evidence-led decision making and looks forward to working with the Commission to help influence positive change for Norwich and its residents.

Matt Tomlinson is a scientist at the John Innes Centre and chair of the community wildflower meadow group – The Yare Valley Meadow Makers.
A Norwich resident for 25 years, he is deeply committed to enhancing our city’s public green spaces; to boost biodiversity, strengthen resilience to climate change and increase carbon sequestration. He has a long-standing interest in conservation and the environment and keen to ensure that all Norwich residents benefit from the many positive aspects that come with the increasing electrification of our city’s transport and heating.

Katherine is Environment and Sustainability Manager at East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust. She is a Practitioner Member of the Institute for Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) and sits on the IEMA East of England Regional Steering Group. Her career has mainly been in improving the environmental performance of higher and further education institutions, previously working at The University of East Anglia and College of West Anglia where she was instrumental in the College winning a Green Gown Award for Carbon Reduction. Although relatively new to the health sector, she is keen to ensure that addressing the climate emergency leads to healthier outcomes. She enjoys cycling around the city and is a volunteer walk leader with The Ramblers, leading group walks in Norfolk’s beautiful countryside.

Sarah is a Planning and Advocacy Advisor at the Norfolk Wildlife Trust. She is also coordinator of Norwich Friends of the Earth. Sarah previously worked at the University of East Anglia where she won the UEA Sustainability Champion Award and Sustainable UEA Special Recognition Award 2021. Sarah did a PhD in management of grazing marshes for breeding waders and has a long-standing interest in trying to make a positive change for our planet.

James, CEO of Repattern, is a sustainability strategist and systems thinker with a background of twenty-five years senior management experience in sustainable finance and business. James acts as strategy advisor to a number of regenerative businesses, NGOs and projects. He led the development of the WWF Nature-based Solutions Accelerator. He was Executive Director of the Climate Safe Lending Network and Group Director of Strategy for Triodos Bank – Europe’s leading international sustainable bank and investment manager.

Richard is Head of Research, Policy and Campaigns at The MCS Foundation. He is a sustainability research consulting and project management professional with over fifteen years’ experience in the private, public and third sectors. He holds a doctorate from UEA focussed on the contested role of community in tackling climate change and undertook ehtnographic research into the role smart technologies can play in managing domestic energy demand. His research and consultancy includes the redevelopment of the London Olympic Park, smart home technology design and local council waste and recycling.

Sabine Virani is the partnership coordinator of Sustainable Food Norwich (SFN) which is working to localise our food system in a way that meets everyone’s needs, including the Earth’s. SFN collaborates with partners across Norwich and Norfolk to address food poverty, diet-related ill health, and the climate and ecological crises, while supporting local farmers, food businesses and communities to thrive. Sabine’s focus is to ensure that the work of the commission is informed by the significant role our food system plays in causing climate change, as well as the crucial role it can play in climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Ali is a car-sharing pioneer and the founder and chair of Mobilityways. He launched the company in 1998 and has spent his whole career helping individuals and communities to travel more sustainably. Ali has won multiple awards for entrepreneurialism, community work and sustainability.
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