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Local Councils and target for reduction of carbon emissions
5 December, 2006 - 00:53
Hi
I am suggesting that wherever where your local council which has NOT set a target for carbon reduction we should campaign for a target. This can be done in a variety of ways, and in my next posting I will tell our story. But first lets dither about what target. We in Derby have decided to go for 25% reduction over 5 years. Here is the wording on our petition:
We the undersigned, while recognising the efforts made by the City Council in the campaign to reduce carbon emissions, believe that much more has to be done and that setting local targets is an important part of this process. We therefore call upon Derby City Council to reduce its own carbon emissions by a minimum of 25% over the next five years. We believe that the council has to give a lead to other users in the area.
Some might suggest that this is too much. Compared to what Woking have achieved this is little. I would argue that we need to set a reasonably stiff target in order to go out to others, like firms.
Some might suggest that it wont be possible to get industry to achieve this. But the council is not industry and the council can best lead industry by taking a tougher stand.
Some might suggest why not go with the 3% coming out of the big ask campaign. That is the lowest common denominator, and if we can’t have councils exceeding that target then what can one go for?
Many argue that we have to take a lead in our behaviour and life styles etc. Yes but we cannot allow this to hold us back on the corporate and civil demands. Cf the concept of rationing; this makes little sense unless there are nationally and locally agreed targets. Cf Speed limits – I personally would drive faster is speed limits where voluntary.
Re leverage and impact. I believe that putting pressure on the Council over this is far more effective than yet another general awareness campaign about conservation etc. We have a limited time and limited amount of things we can do. My belief is that we should operate the 20:80 rule – 20% of what we do has 80% impact.
6 December, 2006 - 09:41
#2
You are completely right; the ice caps may have melted by the time we get things done. So......
One can agonise over seemingly correct and precise targets. We took a leap and set a challenge. We are getting somewhere and I promise to tell the story, later. The 25% over 5 years is pushy but not extreme. LETS USE IT AS A NATIONAL SUGGESTION FOR COUNCILS, to be adapted locally as appropriate. Yes it was discussed in Sheffield and there was great interest. But I believe we need a hard debate and a stronger national lead on this.
If the mechanisms for not measuring are not in place then that will be accelerated by a target campaign - it should not be an argument for not having targets.
Partnerships with firms are good (and they are in place with Derby) - but can also be a barrier - it is better that the Council gives a lead from the front than waiting for all to agree. There is nothing stopping people in workplaces and colleges asking for their own organisation to set the same; in addition to supporting the pressure upon the council.
Incidentally 19 people attended our local meeting last night (more than half came as a result of seeing the Al Gore Film and publicity about our targets) and the main focus is maintaining our petition and pressure until the council ratifies the targets.
3 January, 2007 - 16:46
#3
Leading by example
Ever wondered which are Britain's best performing councils on green issues? Ponder no more, we name the top 10.
http://environment.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,,1981389,00.html
4 January, 2007 - 02:12
#4
As I said before we have been campaigning for our local council to adopt a target of 25% reduction over 5 years.
The issues of targets for carbon emissions were critical and it seemed to be a way of uniting all of us. And we were more likely to have some impact upon the Council than say, Rolls Royce. Hence our local campaign and petition.
The situation is now that not only has the leader of the Council supported our campaign but in effect the 25% reduction over 5 years is about to become Council policy (fingers crossed). The Council has just switched its electrical supplier to renewable energy and says that this will result in a 14% reduction (questionable but good), at an extra cost of £20,000 a year. So the whole thing of 3% annual reduction would have been far too feeble and I am dismayed to see that some councils are only setting a target of 1.25% over a number of years.
At the moment we are organising a meeting with representatives from all the political groups on the council to come to our next meeting and to issue a cross party statement, etc. The intention is for the local paper to become committed to the campaign.
5 January, 2007 - 00:29
#5
Peter's work with his local council is great - it just goes to show that everyone else is simply compromising - up to the hilt.
If we are to accept the work that George Monbiot has been writing about everywhere in almost every piece of printed media I've read recently, the target should be a 90% reduction in Carbon Energy, by 2030, which equates to about 9% year on year.
Way beyond the feeble percents and a bit that some councils and other organisations have struggled to agree on.
There's no way that the Climate Change emerging from Global Warming can be viewed as anything other than an unfolding catastrophe in the making, fuelled by the burning of Carbon Energy and its attendant problems.
My motto is : No Compromise !
10 January, 2007 - 12:15
#6
Just as they are important internationally and nationally I think the issue of LOCAL targets are really important.
A question is what should the target be for the local council? Should we just settle for the FOE 3%, which is presumably a national not a local target? If a campaign has already been started (e.g Portsmouth) or the council has already agreed to a target (as in Sheffield) then so be it; the next thing to do is to focus upon the measurements and the actions. But if the council has not agreed I don't think we should let them get away with less than 5%. A council should be giving a lead to others in the area. A 3% is a lowest common denominator; if one asks everybody to go for 3% then it won't be met because the numbers (and mass) falling below will not be counter-balanced by those exceeding. Anyway we all know that a 3% reduction won't solve our problems.
I think if we are trying to build a national organisation locally (can one have a national organisation without local bases?) then the national organisation needs to give a lead, if only a suggestion, as to what the target should be for the local councils.
10 January, 2007 - 15:15
#7
You ask
Does switching their electricity supplier to renewable count towards emissions reductions?
My feeling is yes, but there are lots of buts. One is how can we be assured that this will be NEW renwable energy instead of e.g buying from existing Hydro-electric energy?
12 January, 2007 - 12:32
#8
No. My feeling on this is that 25% over five years is a good, realistic target. I don't think we should be going for FOE's 3% annual target (which you correctly state is a national rather than a local target) when we can do a lot better. Councils are smaller, and therefore should be nimbler bodies, than national governments.
13 January, 2007 - 19:49
#9
Lambeth Climate Action Group(s) is intended to provide a focus and support for local people who want to act to combat climate change in whatever area. It is intended to be a group of self-sustaining (and motivating) groups sharing information and resources as appropriate. One result is that Lambeth Council and councillors have come to us asking for meetings. As a result of us getting our first Green councillor the returning Labour council set up a Sustainability and Climate Change Scrutiny Commission to make suggestions and monitor its performance. It has representation of committed people from "all 4 major parties". The council has passed a goodish motion on the Stern Report in which it said at our suggestion that it 'will put combatting Climate Change at the heart of its work'. We need to keep them up to that. I sent a copy of the FUNNY WEATHER comic (Kate Evans produced by COIN) to every councillor with a covering letter about the seriousness of Climate Change, the Guardian article by George Monbiot summarising his HEAT book http://environment.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,,1935560,00.html and a 17 point plan of actions the council should take (attached). This has been requested by the Commission to use in their submissions.
The head of planning came to our first LCAGs meeting and convened a group to work on Planning and Development and working with Lambeth. We had a rather inconclusive fringe meeting to look at what is possible in the light of the Government's Planning Policy Statement: Planning and Climate Change which puts carbon reduction at the heart of planning. The Government has set an ambition in its Planning Policy Statement that all housing should be zerocarbon by 2016. That equates to more than the 9% reduction year on year demanded by a 90% reduction by2030 but of course takes no account of the 90% of emissions that come from old housing stock for which the Government seems to have no plans. (Unlike Germany where 5% a year are being upgraded to new build standards at the cost of billions of euros.) But at this rate Councils cannot drag their heels. The heat is on.
The London Plan to which Council Planning Policy now has to conform has also been recently updated to expect councils to demand 20% renewable on all new developments but councils don't have to adopt this till they rewrite their 'guidelines.' Lambeth is struggling to get 10% renewables in practice and to enforce and monitor its quite advanced sustainability guidelines paras 32a and 32b of the soon to be adopted Unitary Development Plan. (see below) so how it would deal with more stretching targets is unknown. Lambeth seems willing to write new planning guidelines as soon as the Alterations to the London Plan demanding 20% renewables are adopted in February.
I prepared a sort of agenda, resource guide to our 'fringe meeting'. Some of it is London specific but some of it may be of general use. It is not a finished piece nor the work of an expert but it may at least give some pointers and useful links. (attached) Lambeth's planning sustainability policies are also appended.
The Town and Country Planning Association website is immensely useful. They have a lot of really useful stuff on their website. http://www.tcpa.org.uk/climate-change.htm Rob Shaw of their sustainability unit was very helpful before our meeting.
The most interesting and radical things that are going on are the people led initiative such as Transition Town Totnes www.transitiontown.org, See Rob Hopkins course notes for his important course Skillling Up for Powerdown http://transitionculture.org/skilling-up-for-powerdown-course-notes/ a really excellent resource. and lots more on www.transitionculture.org
Also: Sustainable Thornbury in Bristol http://www.sustainablethornbury.org/about.html
Ashton Hayes http://www.goingcarbonneutral.co.uk/
http://www.communitysolution.org/ is an important overarching site for this kind of work.
I will add more as I think of it.
Duncan
16 January, 2007 - 12:29
#10
The links between Derby City Council and the Derby CACC are now strong, but there don't appear to be any with the Derby County Council. I've written to all the Derbyshire County Councillors and invited them to the repeat showings of 'An Inconvenient Truth' on Feb 6th and 8th.
If there are any Derbyshire County Councillors reading this, or people who are working with the Councillors on a climate change agenda, I'd be grateful if you could please contact me. The intention is to campaign for a hard-hitting year-on-year reduction target.
I can be contacted on 01773 828 446 and on dpj_davidjones@yahoo.co.uk.
David Jones
19 January, 2007 - 21:14
#11
We in Derby are planning an open meeting in Derby for all who are interested in discussing setting and implementing carbon reduction targets, preferably 25/5. It seems to painfully clear that in addtion to councils talking they need to set targets and measure them.
We are NOW having our meeting on Saturday the 3rd of March from 10.30 till 3:15. (not 17th of Feb) We will have the Leader of the City Council there for some of the time.
Other speakers Johathan Neale and a somebody from USA talking about what happened in Portland.
I am in the process of doing the planning and would like to know if anybody out there is interested?
email us please: contact@derbyclimatechange.net
For a coy of the flyer click here http://portal.campaigncc.org/files/march3.doc
23 January, 2007 - 18:08
#12
Just in case you are trying to get a friendly councillor to draft something here is the paper which was passed unanimously by the Council cabinet, which includes all parties. See http://portal.campaigncc.org/files/derby%20council%20climate%20paper.pdf
The next stage is the implementation, in the Spring, in particular of paragraph 1.13 which suggests “the following approach to undertake this significant piece of work.
1. Scope the likely contents and provisions of a climate change action programme, assess resource requirements and establish project management arrangements and responsibilities.
2. Prepare and cost action programme.
3. Approve.
4. Commence implementation.
5. Monitor and review.â€
26 January, 2007 - 15:22
#13
Aberdeen City are one of the Councils listed, but few people here think that the Council as a whole deserves this honour! One of the problems is that Councils can perform really well in one sector still follow policies which increase overall emissions, because they have no joined-up strategy.
In Aberdeen, we've got some amazing people working on energy efficiency from Council properties and they certainly deserve much praise. They are also very good on offering free energy advice to people across the City. However, when it comes to transport and town planning, those gains are totally wiped out, and the overall carbon footprint is growing. We've got the Planning Department saying that they will not take global warming into account in planning decisions, we've got one of the largest urban road building programmes in the country, airport expansion, etc.
Whilst any good practice needs to be highlighted as an example, I think we have to be very careful to look at total carbon footprint resulting from Council policies.
4 February, 2007 - 20:12
#14
Islington's Climate Change Partnership had its second meeting on Friday. Centre for Sustainable Energy has worked through the data provided by 23 businesses that joined the partnership. Collectively they use about 10% of the energy in the borough (which I think is pretty impressive), the council itself is the biggest energy user by far. But the council is still keen to browbeat other businesses to join. CSE discusssed some aspirational targets of over 30% but that's still being worked out.
Arsenal Football Club didn't turn up for the second time but you only have to look at the substations on the Emirates stadium site to know that they are big energy users. Arsenal use high intensity lighting hovering above the pitch to make the grass grow. And no one seems to be able to find a light switch anywhere in the stadium. Beautiful, the game may be but it's a long way from being a sustainable activity.
A couple of people presented interesting case studies. City University decided to have a total power down over Christmas and New Year. The electricity consumption only dropped from 600Kw to just 500Kw and the building was virtually empty.
Islington Council described an in house 'switch off' campaign targeted at lighting, PCs and printers and the like. Staff were told there would be a random check on some time in the month. Staff came in one morning and some members found a chocolate on their desk. The campaign team waited until 11 AM before sending out an explanatory email. Brilliant.
9 February, 2007 - 11:34
#15
Derby Campaign against Climate Change
Open Conference
LOCAL COUNCILS AND THE 25/5 CARBON REDUCTION TARGET
Why your councils need to set targets and how you can make it happen!
Derby Campaign against Climate Change wants everybody to get their local and county council to adopt the 25/5 target, i.e. 25% reduction of carbon emissions over the next 5 years. Our experience is that it is possible to persuade councils. Our belief is that this should be a key and strategic focus for all climate campaigners.
Saturday 3rd March from 10.30am to 3.30pm
Friends’ Meeting House
St Helens St, Derby, DE1 3GY (next to Radio Derby)
Speakers
Chris Williamson (Labour Party, Leader of Derby City Council) What can be done by the council
Jonathan Neale (National Campaign against Climate Change) The international perspective
Erik Douglas (Green Party, from Portland, USA ) The Portland Oregon experience
Peter Robinson (Derby Campaign against Climate Change) Spreading the Derby experience
 Representative from other groups are invited to report and compare.
 Workshops on ‘What local councils can do to meet their target’.
 Other workshops arising from the interests of attendees.
 Discussion of strategies for developing and strengthening the campaign regionally and nationally.
GENERAL AND BOOKING INFORMATION:
COST: Free entry – donations welcome. Please bring your own sandwiches. Access to a microwave. Hot drinks provided.
PLEASE BOOK IN ADVANCE by emailing contact@derbyclimatechange.net or phoning Martin on 01332 558638 or Peter on 07876 595993
9 February, 2007 - 12:44
#16
The motion and Press Release are given below. Cllr Andrew Boswell
Motion:
'Due to the overwhelming evidence that Climate Chaos is a problem that will require all people, governments, businesses and institutions to take action to minimise its likely catastrophic effects, Council resolves:
to develop and support strategies within the Council for the reduction of carbon emissions by an increasing percentage per year up to a target of 6% reduction per year as soon as possible; this should be assessed and reported to full Council annually as part of the budget cycle and to the Climate Change Panel on a regular basis for monitoring;
to publicise the concept of a personal "ecological footprint" to Councillors and employees and to encourage them, where possible, to work towards (or maintain) a sustainable footprint; furthermore, Councillors are encouraged to take a test such as the one at http://www.myfootprint.org/ publicise their score, and consider how they can set a public example to their constituents by reducing their footprint.'
Council believes that the measures above will set an example to all statutory, commercial and voluntary organisations to take action on this issue.’
NORWICH GREEN PARTY NEWS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday 5th February 2007
Norwich takes a lead in tackling climate change
Norwich City Council has adopted a Green Party motion establishing the need for year-on-year reductions in carbon emissions so that our city can play its role in tackling climate change. The Green Party hopes that such action will be copied by other authorities, businesses and organisations across the country.
Green Party City Councillor Adrian Holmes, who proposed the motion, said:
"We are already starting to see increased freak weather patterns, such as floods and hurricanes. Action must be taken to cut carbon emissions if we are to avoid these weather patterns becoming much worse and avoid climate change theatening food security and causing species loss. Low-lying East Anglia would be among the areas affected if sea levels continue to rise as a result of global warming.
"I am delighted that the City Council has agreed to take a lead in reducing carbon emissions in its buildings and services each year and that this will be monitored by a Climate Change Panel and through the budget process. City Council policies across the board also need to be improved to secure a reduction in emissions. We very much hope that this move will prompt other business and organisations, including the County Council, to adopt similar approaches."
Dr. Andrew Boswell, Green Party County Councillor and Co-ordinator of the Norfolk and Norwich Campaign Against Climate Change, added:
"We now have an emerging consensus on the science of global warming – and a developing awareness of what needs to be done. We have to cut our dependence of fossil fuels and protect the rainforests. We are now seeing Governments starting to move: the US and UK Parliaments are considering legislation on targets for annual reduction in carbon emissions.
"The Institute of Public Policy Research has said in its High Stakes report that 80% cuts are needed if the UK is to play its part in tackling climate change, and environmentalist George Monbiot says 90% is needed by 2030. This challenging figures require local action across the country. It is encouraging that Norwich City Council has agreed the principle of year-on-year reductions, setting a good example to all businesses and organisations in the city. I hope this motion will prompt local authorities across the country to do the same."
Contact details for further comment / interviews:
Councillor Andrew Boswell: 07787 127881
Councillor Adrian Holmes: 07753 814347
Councillor Adrian Ramsay: 07940 930465.
Dr Andrew Boswell, UK Green Party councillor Norfolk County Council
• supporting Contraction and Convergence for long term climate stabilisation (www.gci.org.uk)
• “One World†columnist on UK Eastern Daily Press
• campaigner against large-scale, unsustainable biofuels – not a climate solution
E: andrew.boswell@yahoo.co.uk; T: +44-1603-613798, M: 07787127881;
Skype: andrewpboswell;
W: www.oneworldcolumn.org, www.norwichgreenparty.org; www.biofuelwatch.org.uk
15 April, 2007 - 21:56
#17
Just been talking to someone who works at the FSA (Financial Service Authority) in London. He says that staff members are told to leave their PCs on when they go home in the evening because the IT department might want to load patches, virus updates etc. They have 2000 to 3000 PCs. But, in same conversation, talked to someone from Department of Work and Pensions and he says that their IT department asks people to leave their PCs on by email before they go home if IT are going to download new patches etc. Does anybody else work in a large public, tax payer funded organisation like the FSA and is asked to leave their PC on?
Peter
I think this is very laudable campaign objective. My local council (Islington) has started a Climate Change Partnership with about a dozen or more local buinesses and community groups. They have not set targets but are planning to do so. The have also pulled in Centre for Sustainable Energy from Bristol. But my concern at the moment is that the polar ice caps will have melted before there are any measurable results.
A council officer at Camden tells me that Well, I would say of course that Camden's climate change action plan has some good stuff in it. Also try Sheffield, Kirklees and Southampton local authority websites (and of course there's Woking).
I don't see how we can ask a council to reduce emissions by XX% unless we and they know where that reduction is or could come from. Some councils can probably achieve much greater reduction than others. Does switching their electricity supplier to renewable count towards emissions reductions?
This a very crowded space, a lot of organisations are working in this area, can we assemble a list of websites and email lists that help councils reduce emissions? What would be really good would be to identify those websites that distill best practice.
Local Authority Carbon Management Programme looks interesting.
This is not directly related but very impressive nonetheless: British Gas extends council tax rebate programme to nearly 1 million homes.
Did this issue get discussed in Sheffield CCC meeting last weekend and what was the outcome?