Climate impacts, and the ways people can work together to protect their communities, will be discussed at a Community Climate Talk for Cornwall in Falmouth this month.

Dr Emily Cox, who specialises in public attitudes on climate and energy, will speak at the free event at The Cornish Bank in Falmouth, on Monday, August 22

The event will also include short talks by Olympic sailor, Laura Baldwin, a global spokeswoman for the climate, as well as Falmouth people sharing their feelings about the climate crisis.

Cornwall endured record-breaking temperatures for the region this July, which soared to 36 degrees Celsius in Bude on July 18, with experts warning of increasing heatwaves in years to come.

The region is one of 20 locations in England expected to suffer severe flooding over the next 30 years, with sea levels predicted to rise by 35cm according to a study by researchers at the University of East Anglia.

Huge areas of Cornwall coastline are predicted to be at risk from Newlyn to Penzance and Marazion, Falmouth docks, road and rail links at Hayle, large sections of Par, Perranporth, Newquay, Bude, Wadebridge and the riverside at Lostwithiel.

Dr Cox, a research associate at Cardiff University and the University of Oxford, believes people need to feel more empowered to "create the change that we want to see in the world."

She said: "My work involves working on climate change, learning how people think about climate change, how people respond to climate change, and I’m personally interested in techniques that we might use to mitigate climate change and how people might respond to those kinds of things.

"Scientists have done a fantastic job of communicating the science of climate change and its seriousness, to the point where most people say they’re worried about climate change.

"A more complicated subject is what we should actually do about it.

"We have a moral duty to at least bear witness to harms that we see occurring in our world.

"We know the vast majority of people would like to see an end to fossil fuels and would like us to transition in a careful, orderly manner towards a less polluting sustainable energy system.

"Yet we see that policies are designed according to who has got the most money - which unfortunately is the fossil fuel companies."

Organisers of The Community Climate Talk, which is one of 20 taking place around the country, have described it as a chance to hear from a scientist working on the issues, share thoughts, emotions and suggestions, and consider what we can all do to change things.

The event starts at 6.30pm and will include a half hour talk by Dr Cox, followed by short stories from local activists, including a zoology student and a community care assistant, describing how the climate crisis has affected them.

Free vegan food will be provided to give people a chance to mingle, talk, and ask questions of Dr Cox and local activists afterwards.

The event is expected to finish around 9pm and the bar will be open for anyone who wants to stay.