London Sustainability Exchange

London Sustainability Exchange (LSx) aims to accelerate the transition to a sustainable London by connecting and motivating people.

As a charity LSX works in partnership with business, government and the voluntary sector to:
• Reduce London’s environmental footprint
• Improve the lives of London’s disadvantaged communities
• Improve the health of Londoners
• Improve the knowledge and skills of our communities to achieve these goals.

To achieve these goals we run learning networks and innovative exemplar schemes. We also seek to influence policy and practice throughout London.

LSx takes inspiration from many sources, identifying the critical elements for any given project and continuously building on our own experiences and those of others. In 2010/11 we were able to save 1,300 tonnes of CO2 and engaged with 120,000 people to lead healthier, more sustainable lifestyles.

London is inherently vulnerable to climate change. It is exposed to far greater potential damage from flooding than any other urban area in the UK. London is the area of the UK predicted to experience the most climate change due to the urban heat island effect, which leads to additional rise in temperature. Most Londoners are aware of climate change, but there is considerable confusion about the impacts on our city, and whether anything we do as Londoners can make a difference.

We aim to increase understanding of climate change: that it is happening now, it is affecting London, and that we can all play our part to reduce its impacts.

is Chief Executive Officer of London Sustainability Exchange; a groundbreaking voluntary organization supporting the delivery of London as the most sustainable world city. She is a member and former co-chair of the London Sustainable Development Commission and a member of the London Climate Change Partnership. She is also sits on the Stratford City Environmental Review panel. Her experience includes ten years in London politics, eight years in academia and research and ten years in civil engineering.

Prior to joining LSx, was Sustainability Manager for Future London, the capital’s regeneration centre of excellence. Until 2004 she was a London-wide Assembly Member, Deputy Chair of the London Assembly and Chair of Assembly’s Environment Committee. In 2003 she was the Mayor’s representative on the Energy Taskforce – part of the London Sustainable Development Commission, and responsible for setting a carbon emission reduction target for London. In 2004 she became chair of the DTI / GLA London Renewables group. As lead member for the Mayor on London Waste Action she facilitated funding for London’s waste awareness campaign.

She has written for various publications and speaks at conferences and seminars on: community empowerment, lifestyle change social marketing, air quality, energy waste and other issues.

trained as a Civil Engineer and worked for many years in the construction industry. She was a lecturer in design and construction management at the University of Greenwich until May 2000. Until she stood down in May 2002, was a Wandsworth Councillor and served on the Education, Housing and Environment committees from 1994, and was a lead member on housing in Wandsworth up until the May election for the GLA.