Helen Godwin

As Mayor of the West of England, Helen Godwin has set out to boost the region’s economic growth, in part by investing in climate change resilience and clean energy. Godwin’s Green Energy Fund, launched earlier this year, helped finance the Clean Power Pilot, which this summer provided mobile batteries and green hydrogen at live events and film and television operations, exploring alternatives to diesel generators. —Jessica Hullinger

What is a climate solution that isn't getting the attention or funding it deserves?

Nature itself can help provide improved resilience. It's part of the solution! It means wetlands that, in the right place, improve flood management. Which is why we’ve invested in an £80 million stretch of defenses along the Severn Estuary, which has the second-highest tidal range in the world. Street trees and green roofs that cool buildings and outside spaces also have a role to play, just like the floating ecosystems we're pioneering on our waterways, because we have to think of nature as critical infrastructure.

These are recognized solutions that the public and private sector can support, which protect livelihoods and create jobs. I've announced a new £5 million fund to step up nature recovery efforts aligned with our priorities for sustainable economic growth. This will mean landscape scale projects, adding to the Western Forest already being planted—the country's first new national forest in decades, with 20 million new trees coming to the West Country.

What gives you hope about the future of the planet?

Solutions to the climate crisis are known. The changes taking place in our climate aren’t going to slow down and wait for a big fix in 10 years' time, whether that's AI or something else. Taking action now, with the tools we currently have at our disposal, should be our focus. In my region, working with partners in Wales, that means finally harnessing the immense tidal power of the Severn Estuary to create jobs, cut emissions, and reduce energy bills.

And after the dramatic extremes of this summer, which are most likely a forewarning of even bigger changes to come, we know people want to see more action. Concern is widespread, particularly among young people, as we see more impacts from the changing climate globally and locally. We need to be bold, and cannot afford to wait for the next generation of leaders. The time is now.