GEP

The Gloucestershire Environment Partnership (GEP) held its stakeholder event on July 16th 2009 at City Works in Gloucester.

Titled ‘Working Together on Reducing Gloucestershire’s Carbon Footprint" the event focused on how the Gloucestershire Conference, through the thematic themes can combat climate change through cuts in CO2 emissions.

Sustainable Construction Building for a Low Carbon Gloucestershire

Stroud College, Stratford Road, Stroud

Monday July 13^th   2009,  9.00am to 1.00pm 

 The Retrofit Challenge

• Preparing for a low carbon economy means we must nurture and grow a sustainable construction industry
• 35% of Gloucestershire's carbon emissions arise from the residential sector
• Moving quickly towards carbon reductions in this sector requires local action to focus on existing homes

 The conference will explore the key issues - detailing the retrofit challenge, the skills gap and planning for eco-build

Cllr. Mark Hawthorne, Chair of the Gloucestershire Environment

Partnership gave the opening address outlining why action on climate change is critical in order for Gloucestershire to realise its ambitions of more resilient communities, homes and natural and built environment.

 Theme champion, Catrin Maby from the Severn Wye Energy Agency, presented an outline of Gloucestershire’s carbon footprint, and GEP’s plan to reduce it through National Indicator 186: per capita reduction in CO2 emissions in the local authority area.  Catrin outlined the provisions of the Climate Change Act 2008 which requires  a minimum 80% reduction in CO2 emissions  based on 1990 levels by 2050. She also outlined the Government’s Heat and Energy Saving Strategy (under consultation) which outlines a  30% reduction on 2006 CO2 emissions by 2020 and emissions from existing buildings to be ‘minimal’ by 2050.

 Catrin illustrated that in 2005, Gloucestershire’s per capita CO2 emissions were  7.45 tones. To achieve the reduction target of 9.1% by 2010, and ‘turn the curve’, per capita CO2 emissions will need to be cut to  6.8 tonnes. Catrin presented a summary of the CO2 reduction plans developed by task groups for the domestic, business, public and transport sector. The task groups mapped existing and planned activities and assessed  potential CO2 savings from these activities  against targets. The task groups then identified gaps in activity and set priorities for further action, developing action plans, including proxy targets where possible.  Catrin finished by reminding the audience that the Local Area Agreement period is just the beginning and requirements for local action on climate change are likely to grow in future. Climate change is an issue that crosses all sectors and therefore, all partners need to engage and take ownership for carbon reduction.

 The Gloucestershire Conference thematic partnerships were invited to outline how they were managing their carbon. For the Health & Community Wellbeing Partnership, Diana Billingham, and Georgina Smith outlined the implications of climate change for health services and how the NHS were planning to address climate change.  Gloucestershire NHS has already approved a Carbon Reduction Strategy which seeks a 10% reduction in its carbon footprint by 2015 from 2007 levels.  Diana and Georgina covered both  the direct  health impacts - UV radiation, heat stress, accidents caused by storms- and the indirect  impacts  such as altering conditions for disease vectors, reducing agricultural productivity, and triggering conflict over scarce resources. They identified synergies between objectives, for instance reducing  obesity and healthy workplaces. This has resulted in joint promotions linking active transport, incorporating physical activity and promotion of healthy eating.  They observed that this could reduce carbon as less processed food often involved less travel and less packaging. 

 For the Economic Partnership, Catherine Farrell from Gloucestershire First outlined that the partnership’s mission was to ‘To create and foster a sustainable, low carbon economic environment in which businesses flourish, communities thrive, and individuals have the opportunity to reach their potential.” The Economic Partnership had recently developed the Integrated Economic Strategy for Gloucestershire (under consultation), which focused on a low carbon and sustainable development. Catherine summerised the range of projects that Gloucestershire First  were involved in including the Parklife Environmental Business Management programme, Rural Development Programme, and the strategic Infrastructure Delivery Project Team.

 Andy Newcombe from the Safer and Stronger Communities Partnership acknowledged the challenges that climate change posed for his partnership. He explained that up until recently, the issue of climate change had not been high on their agenda but in future meetings, the board of the Safer and Stronger Communities Partnership would be addressing the issues raised at the conference.

 The afternoon session was led by the Climate Outreach Information Network. They facilitated a workshop on ‘How to win a climate change argument in a 15 minute teabreak’. Based on research by WWF, the workshops focused on appealing to people’s values rather than winning technical arguments.

 The NI 186 Delivery Plan is available on the Gloucestershire Environment Partnership Website www.glosep.org.uk

 For the Agenda, click here: Working_Together_to_reduce_Gloucestershires_carbon_footprint_Agenda_3.pdf