Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy

Transcription

1 Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July 2008 Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July

2 Contents 1 Introduction Climate change the threat and the opportunities 3 The vision for Lewisham 4 Our achievements 4 2 The policy context International and national 5 Regional 6 Local 6 The role of local authorities 7 3 Carbon Dioxide emissions A statistical analysis 7 4 Leadership and delivery by the Council Buildings 9 Services 10 Sustainable procurement 13 Staff awareness and action 14 5 Delivering with our strategic partners The local strategic partnership and the local area agreement 17 Working with business 17 Other partnerships 18 6 Reducing the carbon footprint of citizens and communities The strategic planning and policy framework 19 Advice and financial support 22 Empowering local communities 23 Tackling fuel poverty 25 7 Adaptation to climate change Climate change strategic framework 26 8 Delivery of the strategy Key actions and timetable for delivery 27 Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July

3 1. Introduction 1.1 Climate change: the threat and the opportunities Climate change is accepted as an urgent and serious issue across mainstream politics and the scientific community, and is of concern to a wide range of citizens. There is broad agreement that climate change is already happening, that this can be attributed to human activity and that changes in the world s climate pose a major threat to our long-term well-being and prosperity. A range of international and national agreements, policy documents and scientific studies have strengthened the call for action at all levels, from Governments across the world to individual citizens. There is now a consensus that systematic changes are needed to the way society works and the way we live our lives as individuals. The Prime Minister Gordon Brown emphasised the priority attached to this issue when he said Our mission is, in truth, historic and world changing to build over the next fifty years and beyond, a global low carbon economy. And it is not overdramatic to say that the character and course of the coming century will be set by how we measure up to this challenge. November 2007 The Stern Review on the economics of climate change, published in 2006, emphasised the scientific basis for responding to climate change, saying An overwhelming body of scientific evidence now clearly indicates that climate change is a serious and urgent issue. The Earth s climate is rapidly changing, mainly as a result of increases in greenhouse gases caused by human activities. In responding to the Stern Review, David Miliband, the then Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs highlighted the dangers we face, when he said that Climate change is the greatest long-term threat faced by humanity. It could cause more human and financial suffering than the two world wars and the great depression put together. All countries will be affected, but the poorest countries will be hit hardest. October 2006 In 2007 the Local Government Association established a Commission on climate change, which described the central role local government has to play in responding to climate change. The Commission s final report underlined this challenge, saying Local government proved its mettle in the nineteenth century, leading a revolution in public health and sanitation and in the twentieth century raising the standard of social housing, establishing the provision of social services and promoting economic regeneration. Local government action on climate change should be rooted in ensuring the community s economic, social and environmental well-being. It should become the defining feature of community leadership. This document identifies the actions the Council is committed to delivering in responding to the threat of climate change. Sections 1-3 provide the background and context, sections 4-6 describe the actions we propose to mitigate climate change and reduce CO 2 emissions, section 7 reviews the Council s adaptation strategy and section 8 sets out the key targets and actions underpinning the strategy. The Strategy is based on achieving a lasting and sustained decrease in emissions of CO 2 working with our strategic partners and with citizens to: Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July

4 reduce demand for energy increase energy efficiency increase the use of renewable sources of energy tackle fuel poverty Effective action at the local level is not just about guarding against long-term environmental dangers. Reduced energy consumption and improved energy efficiency offers tangible benefits in the here and now, including improving the competitiveness of local businesses and helping citizens save money on energy bills. It is also a means to promote greater equality, targeting advice and support to the most vulnerable citizens, tackling fuel poverty and ensuring that the effects of climate change do not disproportionately affect the most disadvantaged. 1.2 The vision for Lewisham Sustainability is about achieving a balance, between the needs of today and those of the future and ensuring that all our policies contribute towards Lewisham s objectives for social justice, economic development and safeguarding and promoting the environment in all its forms. In this context the Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy has been developed within the wider context of Lewisham s Sustainable Community Strategy, which establishes the long-term strategic vision for the borough. Our ambition is for Lewisham to play a leading role in responding to climate change locally, regionally and nationally with the aim of achieving the lowest level of per capita level CO 2 emissions in London. Achieving this will mean fulfilling the Council s community leadership role with other public sector bodies and our partners on the Local Strategy Partnership. It will also be dependent on our ability to enable citizens across the borough to fully contribute to, and benefit from, a low-carbon economy. One of the ways we will do this is through the introduction of a new Innovations Fund. We will seek to use this fund to lever additional external funding into the borough to maximise the range of projects and the impact the Fund can deliver. Projects planned for 2008/09 include: A green schools initiative Extending the reach and scope of schemes to tackle fuel-poverty and improve energy efficiency in housing across the borough. A local Personal Carbon Trading scheme. Development of a low-carbon business centre Collaboration with other public sector agencies. Community-based projects developed with local assemblies, faith groups, schools, community groups and others. 1.3 Our achievements Lewisham Council was awarded Beacon Status in 2005/06 for work on sustainable energy, and has a wide variety of programmes aimed at energy efficiency and reducing CO 2 emissions. Our achievements include: A reduction in energy use in the housing sector of 23% against a base year of Between 1995 and ,200 homes in the borough received efficient new central heating systems and improvements to insulation. Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July

5 Buying electricity from renewable sources, saving an estimated 30,000 tonnes of CO 2 annually from through the use of 100% green electricity. Being one of sixteen UK authorities to have won funding in 2003 to undertake a local authority carbon management programme with funding from the Government's Carbon Trust. Accreditation, since 2003, under the Energy Institute s Energy Efficiency Accreditation Scheme. The Institute s assessment commended the Council s holistic approach to energy and sustainable development as well as its longstanding commitment to renewable energy. Introduction of a pioneering Green Procurement Guide, which was highly commended at the 2007 Local Government Chronicle awards From running the South East London Energy Efficiency Advice Centre funded by the Trust. In 2007 coordinating a London-wide Climate Change awareness raising programme on behalf of DEFRA. Introduction of a new Energy Action Zone providing advice and financial support to people vulnerable to fuel poverty In disposing of waste the Council land fills less than 13% of its waste, significantly less than the London and UK average. Landfill is a major contributor to climate change through methane gas. 2. The policy context and role of local authorities 2.1 International and national The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has been unequivocal in attributing the observed increased in global temperature to man-made greenhouse gas emissions. The UK Government signed the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, agreeing to limit the UK s greenhouse gas emissions. It made a legally binding commitment to reduce the emissions of a basket of six greenhouse gases by 12.5% below 1990 levels over the period The European Commission's Action Plan on Energy Efficiency (2000) indicated the need for specific measures in the building sector, and in 2003 the European Parliament and Council agreed a Directive on The Energy Performance of Buildings, designed to promote energy efficiency and achieve a convergence of building standards across member states. Measures within the directive include a methodology for calculating the energy performance of buildings performance standards on new and existing buildings certification schemes for all buildings inspection and assessment The Stern Review on the economics of climate change was commissioned by the Treasury and chaired by Nicholas Stern, former chief economist of the World Bank. Its findings published in 2006 provided an authoritative and technical assessment of the issues and called for urgent action at all levels to prevent the devastating economic consequences of climate change. The Department of Trade and Industry, subsequently restructured as the Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform published Meeting the Challenge: a White Paper on Energy in May This White Paper set out the national framework for responding to the challenges of future energy supplies as well as climate change mitigation, energy efficiency and fuel poverty. This White Paper was Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July

6 the precursor to the legally binding targets for CO 2 emissions in the 2007 Climate Change Bill. Following the Climate Change Bill the Government has established a Committee on Climate Change that will be the focus within Government for assessing targets as well as looking at wider initiatives such as carbon budgets. Planning Policy Statement: Planning and Climate Change supplement to Planning Policy Statement 1 was published in December 2007, and describes how regional and local planning can contribute to reducing CO 2 emissions. This puts the onus on local development documents to provide a framework that promotes and encourages renewable and low carbon energy generation technologies at a local level. The Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act was passed in 2000 committing the Government to eradicating fuel poverty entirely across the UK by The Local Government Association established a Commission on Climate Change that published it s findings in The report evaluates the need for action and outlines the role of local government in responding to climate change. 2.2 Regional The Greater London Authority is statutorily required to produce a Climate Change Mitigation and Energy Strategy. The Mayor of London published a Climate Change Action Plan in 2007, which argued for stronger action nationally and regionally in cutting emissions and undertook an analysis across domestic, industrial and transport sectors to identify targets for savings in CO 2 emissions for London, including a proposed 60% reduction in emissions by The priority attached to this issue is also reflected in other strategic GLA documents, including The London Plan, which establishes the basis of the planning framework for London. The London Plan includes a range of policies designed to promote sustainable development, for example through reducing the need to travel. It also includes a requirement for renewable energy to make up 20% of energy usage at all new developments above a certain size. The Mayor of London s Transport Strategy, published in 2001, identifies proposals to increase capacity and invest in the capital s public transport systems, provides the strategic framework for the congestion charge zone as well as the more recently introduced low emission zone. Through the strategy the Mayor has established targets for a 15% reduction in road traffic for central London and the reduction in growth of traffic elsewhere in the capital. Lewisham Council has worked closely with the GLA on a range of climate change mitigation issues. This includes promoting renewable and low carbon technologies, such as new Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants. Lewisham was one of five boroughs funding a London-wide CHP survey in 2005 which examined the potential for CHP across the capital. 2.3 Local Lewisham published a Climate Change Strategic Framework in 2006, which set out the Council s proposals for adaptive solutions to climate change. These proposals are included as part of the Council s overarching climate change strategy. The key elements of this adaptation strategy are set out in section 7 below. Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July

7 Other relevant local strategic documents include: Shaping Our Future Lewisham s Sustainable Community Strategy: outlines the commitment of the Lewisham Strategic Partnership to develop sustainable communities where people take responsibility for their impact on the environment and use resources responsibly. The Local Development Framework: establishes the planning framework promoting and encouraging energy efficient development. The Local Implementation Plan (2006): includes measures to reduce the environmental impact of transport and promote alternatives to the car The Lewisham Air Quality Action Plan (Feb 2008): describes the key actions needed by the Council and other agencies to deliver improved air quality and identifies how this will be achieved. Environmentally responsible procurement strategy (2001) / Guide to Green Procurement (2006): sets out the principles that should be taken into account in purchasing goods and services to achieve best value for money and deliver on environmental policies and commitments The Affordable Warmth Strategy (2004): includes measures to ensure that the most vulnerable people in Lewisham have access to affordable heating This Climate Change Strategy draws together the main strands of action across the borough within an overarching strategic framework to set out the Council s ambitions and plans. The Strategy is underpinned by specific actions within a range of existing strategic documents as well as the detailed service actions plans and work programmes of teams within the Council. 2.4 The role of local government Local government is uniquely placed to tackle climate change having a democratic mandate for action, a direct connection to citizens and a strategic role leading other public, private and voluntary sector partners. This was recognised in 2000 through the Nottingham Declaration, which enabled councils to publicly signal their commitment to tackling climate change. Lewisham Council signed was an early signatory to the Declaration. The importance of the role councils have in responding to climate change and on sustainable energy is reflected in the Government s national performance framework for local government, which includes the following measures: CO 2 reduction from local authority operations (NI 185) Per Capita emissions in the local authority area (NI 186) Tackling fuel poverty: people receiving income based benefits living in homes with a low energy efficiency rating (NI 187) Adapting to climate change (NI 188) 3. Carbon dioxide emissions: a statistical analysis CO 2 emissions for the UK UK total CO 2 emissions in 2005 were 545 million tonnes a year; this represents an estimated 2% of global emissions CO 2 accounted for 85% of the UK s man-made greenhouse gas emissions in 2006 London s total CO 2 emissions in 2005 were 50 million tonnes a year, or 9% of the total UK figure Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July

8 Sources: DTI White Paper 2007; DTI White Paper 2007; Mayor of London s Climate Change Action Plan 2007 CO 2 emissions by London borough Lewisham is the second lowest London borough for per capita CO 2 emissions and 12 th out of 33 in terms of total emissions. London Borough Per capita Total London average Barking and Dagenham Barnet Bexley Brent Bromley Camden City of London Croydon Ealing Enfield Greenwich Hackney Hammersmith and Fulham Haringey Harrow Havering Hillingdon Hounslow Islington Kensington and Chelsea Kingston upon Thames Lambeth Lewisham Merton Newham Redbridge Richmond upon Thames Southwark Sutton Tower Hamlets Waltham Forest Wandsworth Westminster Figures given are for CO 2 emissions tonnes per head of population, and total emissions expressed as thousand tonnes of CO 2.Source: AEA Energy and Environment/DEFRA 2005 Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July

9 CO 2 emissions by sector Lewisham has a distinctively different profile for emissions by sector in comparison to the national and London average. Industry and Road Domestic commercial transport Lewisham 26% 44% 30% London 42% 33% 24% UK 45% 27% 27% Figures given are % CO 2 emissions by sector. Source: AEA Energy and Environment/DEFRA Leadership and delivery by the Council Lewisham Council s services use energy in a variety of forms, from heating and lighting schools, fuel for vehicles collecting rubbish and lighting the borough s streets. These all contribute to the Council s carbon footprint, which in 2005 was calculated as being 44,200 tonnes of CO 2 per annum. The Council is aiming to achieve a 10% reduction in CO 2 emissions by 2010 as measured by national indicator 185: CO 2 reduction from local authority operations. This section identifies the main strands of activity that will achieve this reduction, and covers: Council buildings; heating and lighting, maintenance refurbishment and new buildings Council services; vehicles, street-lighting, housing, leisure services, waste and recycling, biodiversity Procurement Staff awareness and action We will be working through the Carbon Trust s Local Authority Carbon Management Programme to benchmark our capacity to deliver CO 2 savings and develop a detailed Carbon Management Plan across Council operations. 4.1 Buildings The Council owns and manages a large number of buildings used for a variety of purposes including offices, libraries, leisure centres, community centres and depots. These vary considerably in size, age, condition and location across the borough. Maintenance has an important part to play in reducing CO 2 emissions, and the Council cyclical maintenance of heating and air conditioning will be used to maximise energy efficiency. This will include prioritising repairs to faults that cause energy to be wasted. The Council has established a systematic approach to energy monitoring, based on electronic data retrieval systems. This monitoring system analyses energy use to identify the worst performing buildings, enabling energy saving improvement works to be targeted where they are needed most and where they will deliver the greatest cost savings. All major refurbishment works on Council buildings and all new Council buildings will have sustainable development principles included the design and delivery. Examples of this include Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July

10 The refurbishment and rewiring of the town hall which includes energy efficient lighting using sensors to switch off lighting when a work area is not in use, saving an estimated 3,000 a year from the electricity bill The Building Schools for the Future programme, which is creating new school buildings across the borough and will include renewable energy technologies. Each has a target of generated 20% of its energy use from renewable features. Lewisham has a policy of buying electricity from renewable sources when it is practically possible. From the Council purchased 100% green electricity. Due to the lack of availability the Council currently uses 80% green electricity, but our intention is to raise this back to 100%. Council buildings: Actions and Targets Contribute to the delivery of an overall 10% reduction in CO 2 emissions from Council operations from Extend the good practice established through Lewisham s Building Schools for the Future programme in ensuring that sustainable development principles are involved in all Council-led major refurbishment and new-build projects from design to implementation. Expand electronic monitoring of Council buildings energy consumption to target remedial works for the poorest performing. This will include a report to the Corporate Sustainability Board on potential energy-saving works. The Council will continue to maximise the purchase of renewal electricity and seek to return to 100% use. Introduce Display Energy Certificates in each of the Council buildings with a floor area of 1,000m 2 and above, providing a visible and publicly available energy rating of these buildings. Undertake an independent diagnostic of further carbon and energy savings. The results of this will inform a Carbon Management Plan identifying the detailed actions needed to meet our targets for CO 2 emissions and the estimated contribution from different council services. 4.2 Services Vehicles The Council owns and operates a fleet of 300 vehicles, including 38 refuse vehicles, 71 minibuses, a range of vans and other light vehicles. The fleet includes electric and LPG fuelled vehicles as well as 6 Prius Hybrid cars. The Council s fleet exceeds the standards for the London Low Emissions Zone, and an Environmentally Friendly Vehicle and Fuel Plan has established a purchasing hierarchy that has been used to establish environmentally friendly vehicles as the fleet standard. The Council seeks to minimise annual mileage of the Council s vehicle fleet through eliminating unnecessary journeys, reducing the need to travel where possible and providing drivers with training in economical driving techniques and journey planning. Despite an increasing workload for example in relation to household refuse Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July

11 collections since 2002 the total amount of fuel consumed annually by the Council s vehicle fleet has fallen by 8%. Street lighting The borough s street lighting, which includes column lamps, traffic islands and traffic signs, is the responsibility of the Council for all streets except trunk roads. The Council is currently undertaking a Comprehensive Lighting Review intended to establish the strategic basis for future investment in street lighting provision. This Review will in particular inform the agreement of a new Private Finance Initiative (PFI) to review and replace street lighting across the borough. This PFI project is expected to improve the energy efficiency of the borough s street lighting, reducing energy consumption and costs. This will include the use of variable lighting levels based on an assessment of lighting needs in each area responding to crime and public safety, transport requirements, the location of schools and other relevant factors. This ability to set the level of lighting according to local need will enable energy consumption to be tailored to particular circumstances. Additionally improvements in energy efficiency will be achieved through the investment in new equipment delivering energy savings for equivalent lighting standards, reduced light pollution and the use of new technologies like LED street lighting where they represent a viable alternative. The Council is also replacing the borough s traffic islands with units that either reflect headlights, or where additional lighting is required use renewable solar power. These new units reduce CO 2 emissions as well as the energy requirements of installing and maintaining fixtures linked to an underground power source. Housing In 2007 housing management transferred to a range of new providers including Lewisham Homes, an arms length management organisation (ALMO), housing associations and Private Finance Initiative (PFI) companies. Further details of how the Council plans to work with these bodies in achieving improved energy efficiency and reductions in CO 2 emissions is set out below in section 5.1 Leisure services The Council has a number of leisure centres operated by a diverse range of leisure contractors. These centres, particularly swimming pools, can make a significant contribution to the Council s overall carbon footprint and the contracts that are in place create incentives for contractors to reduce their costs by saving energy. Contractors are in particular encouraged to achieve ISO accreditation, which provides evidence of management of environmental risks, legal and regulatory compliance, reduced public liability costs and overall cost savings. A number of the centres have been working with the Carbon Trust to identify and implement energy saving programmes. These have included optimising environmental controls, improvements to heating systems, staff awareness programmes, introduction of efficient lighting, water saving shower systems, and improvements to the ability to accurately measure and target energy use. Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July

12 Each centre is also expected to implement a green travel plan encouraging staff and local residents to use alternatives to the car and promoting cycling and walking. Waste and recycling The London Borough of Lewisham has a clear vision for the sustainable management of its waste and is committed to providing an efficient, high quality, cost effective and sustainable approach to the collection and management of waste, following the principles of the waste hierarchy, sustainable development and best value. The Council s Waste Strategy is based on the waste hierarchy of reduce, reuse recycle and compost, energy recovery and disposal. Energy saving, and hence a reduction in CO 2 emissions through recycling materials can be significant for household goods: aluminium takes up 95% less energy when recycled; steel cans 75%; paper and cardboard 70%; glass 30%. Generating and disposing of waste results in loss of valuable natural resources as well as the additional impacts associated with the extraction and processing of new material and the manufacture and distribution of new goods. Recycling and recovering energy from waste offers opportunities to conserve the use of new materials and reduce the use of fossil fuels. Waste that decomposes under anaerobic conditions found in landfill sites gives off greenhouse gases in the form of methane. Lewisham land fills less than 13% of waste products it collects, one of the lowest rates in the country. Proposed policies that work towards mitigation of climate change include: minimisation of growth in waste maximise opportunities for diversion of waste keep landfill of waste to a minimum treat waste at the highest level of the waste hierarchy as is economically practicable: reducing the use of; reusing; and recycling resources Biodiversity Examples of actions promoting biodiversity that also have a positive effect in responding to climate change include: the use of living roofs increasing insulation and reducing energy consumption; helping to reduce the local air temperature; reducing the threat of flooding by providing a sustainable urban drainage solution and creating new links in intermittent network of habitats thereby facilitating the movement and dispersal of species. improvements to open space management to support wildlife; increase in local nature reserves and the reduction of areas deficient in publicly accessible wildlife sites will encourage the development of a green infrastructure that is essential for the movement and adaptation of species. encouragement of green-spaces as pedestrian corridors and cycleways provides attractive alternatives to car-use therefore reducing CO 2 emissions. Council services: Actions and Targets Contribute to the delivery of an overall 10% reduction in CO 2 emissions from Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July

13 Council operations from Continue to increase environmental performance across the Council s vehicle fleet, establishing low emission vehicles as the fleet standard. Minimise the Council s fuel consumption through improvements to vehicle standards, minimising annual mileage and training for drivers, achieving an ongoing annual decrease in fuel consumption. Improve the energy efficiency of the borough s street-lighting, achieving improvements in lighting with a decrease in energy consumption following delivery of the PFI contract. Work towards compliance across all leisure contractors to ISO providing evidence of environmental standards including measures to reduce CO 2 emissions. Minimise the contribution of waste production and management to emissions of greenhouse gases through reducing the growth of waste and minimising landfill. 4.3 Procurement Procurement is the process of acquiring goods, works and services, covering both acquisition from third parties and from in-house providers. The process spans the whole cycle, from identification of needs through to the end of a services contract or the end of the useful life of an asset. It involves options appraisal which may result in the provision of services external to the Council, in appropriate circumstances. Achieving best value for money through procurement means choosing the bid that offers the optimum combination of whole life costs and benefits to meet the customer s requirement. The council s requirement can include social, environmental and other strategic objectives and is defined at the earliest stages of the procurement cycle. Our aim is to ensure that specifications for contracts will include high standards for energy performance and reductions in CO 2 emissions in line with best practice. In 2006 Lewisham published its Green Procurement Guide for Council staff, contractors and suppliers. This advises them on good practice in purchasing the most environmentally sound products, and establishes the expectation that the Council will specify energy efficient products when purchasing goods and services. The Procurement team are actively encouraging Lewisham staff to specify their requirements in line with the guide or other sustainable policies; and where technological advances are made to exceed the stated requirements. Council procurement: Actions and Targets Contribute to the delivery of an overall 10% reduction in CO 2 emissions from Council operations from Extend the roll out of the Green Procurement Guide through promotion and the provision of additional training The Council e-procurement system will guide purchasing offices towards the more energy efficient and environmentally friendly products Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July

14 4.4 Staff awareness and action Lewisham Council is the Borough s largest employer, and our staff have the potential to have a considerable impact in reducing CO 2 emissions. This may be directly through their work, but can also extend to life outside the office. Those who are encouraged to make a difference to reducing energy consumption more widely can also inspire others encouraging family, friends and neighbours to take positive steps towards sustainable energy use. There are three main ways in which we will help this to happen: ensuring a high-level commitment to tackling climate change within the Council and ensuring compliance across Council services providing information and encouragement for staff to take actions to reduce energy use and CO 2 emissions providing support and funding for initiatives that will make a difference and would otherwise not happen The Council s Corporate Sustainability Board is the focal point at officer level in the Council for environmental issues, chaired by the Executive Director for Regeneration and attended by senior managers. This Board will have responsibility for delivering this Climate Change Strategy, and will monitor and review progress against targets, and undertake a compliance check of services in delivering the actions identified in the strategy. There are in addition a range of other groups within the Council that will work towards supporting the delivery of the Climate Change Strategy and engaging staff in supporting and building on policies and programmes to reduce energy consumption and CO 2 emissions. These include: The Sustainable Construction Forum which covers the greening of design, construction and maintenance work carried out in Lewisham. The Energy Forum which covers all energy efficiency and CO 2 reduction issues. The Environment Champions, staff who have volunteered to take an active role in promoting environmentally sustainable initiatives in the Council including encouraging people to switch off computers and to recycle more paper. The Staff Travel Group, which works to promote sustainable transport within the Council Employee commuting is an important part of the Council s carbon footprint. The Council s has a Staff Travel Strategy that promotes sustainable alternatives to caruse through a range of initiatives including interest free loans for season tickets and bicycles as well as car sharing and car pools. At the London Sustainable Transport Awards 2007 Lewisham s Staff Travel Strategy won the award for Best Council Travel Plan. The Council also supports flexible working arrangements such as working from home and the use of technology like video-conference facilities to reduce the need to travel. The Lewisham Energy Loans Scheme provides interest free loans and advice for the installation of energy efficiency measures and renewable technologies installations in homes and for alternative fuel vehicles if they are privately used. This is available to Council, Primary Care Trust, and Lewisham College personnel. It uses a revolving loan fund, initially provided by the Energy Saving Trust and administered by Crownsavers, the Lewisham employees credit union. Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July

15 We will use a range of ways to raise awareness of climate change as an issue and enable staff to get involved. This will include The inclusion of presentations and information to all new members of staff as part of the Council s induction process The addition of sustainability issues and information about the Green Procurement Guide as part of the Council s project management training A new personal carbon trading scheme open to staff to raise awareness of the issues and provide practical steps people can take to reduce their CO 2 emissions The creation of a new environmental award as part of the annual staff Pride Awards Staff briefings and involvement at team meetings. In 2007 the Council held a Sustainability Fair, which was well attended by staff and included the involvement of a wide range of activity across the Council relating to sustainable development. Staff awareness and action: Actions and Targets Contribute to the delivery of an overall 10% reduction in CO 2 emissions from Council operations from A new specific and enhanced role for the Corporate Sustainability Board in relation to delivery of the Climate Change Strategy. Introduce a new personal carbon trading scheme involving Council officers designed to raised awareness of the issue and as a means of promoting specific CO 2 reduction initiatives. Extend the support and advice provided through the staff travel strategy in promoting alternatives to the car. Include specific advice to all new members of staff during their induction on the Council s approach to climate change. Add coverage of sustainability within the staff Project Management training. Introduce a new environmental award for staff as part of the Council s Pride Awards. Reduce energy consumption through computers and other IT through the use of awareness campaigns encouraging staff to turn off rather than leave equipment on standby, and through the use of software designed to switch of unused equipment, Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July

16 CASE STUDY: LEWISHAM SCHOOLS Lewisham s Schools have the potential to bring together a range of different strands of activity on climate change influencing energy consumption through school buildings as well as pupils, their families and the local community. All school buildings are part of the Council s energy monitoring used to target maintenance and remedial action, and each schools is encouraged to have an action plan focussed on building maintenance and improvements, good maintenance and changes in behaviour. From October of Lewisham s schools will produce a Display Energy Certificate enabling parents, children and staff to see how well the building performs. Lewisham currently has a large school rebuilding programme funded by the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme and through Private Finance Initiative (PFI) schemes. The new schools are built to significantly higher environmental standards to ones they replace. Each school will have high levels of insulation and will be designed to generate 20% of its energy needs on site using renewable technologies. The School Travel Plan programme requires all schools in London to produce a travel plan by 2009 and Lewisham schools are on course to meet this target. These plans help reduce congestion around schools, contribute to sustainable modes of travel, reduce pollution levels and improve the health of children and their families. The Council has been working closely with a number of schools on renewable energy projects, with schools among the first buildings in the borough to install solar panels. We plan to expand on this activity looking to develop school-wide approaches to sustainability and energy efficiency that could span renewable technology, improvements to insulation and heating systems, project-based initiatives on climate change and energy that could be incorporated in lessons, promoting alternatives to the car and waste and recycling measures. Together these measures will complement each other and potentially inspire pupils to encourage their friends and families to save energy. 5 Delivering with our strategic partners and across the borough The measures described in the preceding section will have a significant impact on the level of CO 2 emissions directly attributable to Council operations, but will only have a limited bearing on the borough-wide CO 2 emissions. In order to bring about the fundamental change across the borough in energy use and CO 2 emissions we will need to work our strategic partners and with citizens. Our intention is to secure a high-level commitment to delivering the borough-wide targets described in this strategy and the development of the detailed actions by partners individually and collectively that will underpin this commitment. We will seek to maximise the benefits of partnership working by securing economies of scale through pooled resources and through encouraging innovation and the exchange of good practice. The strategic partnerships already exist within Lewisham to make these aspirations a reality. This section sets out the main strands of work that will take this forward. Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July

17 5.1 The Local Strategic Partnership and the Local Area Agreement The Lewisham Strategic Partnership (LSP) brings together the key public, private and voluntary sector organisations working in the borough and includes members representing the health service, housing associations, educational institutions, job centres, the chamber of commerce, the police, the community and voluntary sector as well as the Council. Together the organisations within the LSP are the key decision-making bodies that affect the way the public, private and third sector function across the borough, and are in a position to influence a large part of the borough s CO 2 emissions. Shaping our future is Lewisham s Sustainable Community Strategy. Running from , it outlines an ambitious vision for the borough and six priorities which describe sustainable communities in Lewisham. Ambitious and achieving Safer Empowered and responsible Clean, green and liveable Healthy, active and enjoyable Dynamic and prosperous Within these priorities are specific objectives that contribute to tackling climate change and reducing carbon emissions, including a commitment to promote the use of sustainable modes of transport, to minimise waste and to manage local resources prudently. The strategy also details how local communities can contribute to achieving these objectives by considering energy-saving adaptations to their homes, recycling more and taking an active interest in the sustainability and well-being of their local area. Lewisham s Local Area Agreement (LAA) establishes the strategic priorities for the borough and sets targets agreed with central government in relation to a core set of improvement priorities. Lewisham s LAA includes a target to reduce CO 2 emissions (National Indicator 186 Per capita CO 2 emissions in the local authority area). We will seek to strengthen the connection between this borough-wide target and the strategic and operational policies of each of the partners on the LSP by establishing a wider commitment to mitigating climate change and a joint action plan on reducing CO 2 emissions. The LSP and the LAA: Actions and Targets Inclusion of National Indicator 186 Per capita reduction in CO 2 emissions in the local area agreement and a commitment to deliver an 8.5% reduction against NI186 by Secure confirmation of the commitment of all LSP partners to delivering boroughwide targets on climate change. Agreement with the LSP on an additional review of potential energy savings that each partner will contribute to the borough s overarching target. 5.2 Working with business Using less energy creates a direct competitive advantage by reducing costs. It can also enable businesses to tap into consumer demand for environmentally friendly Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July

18 products and services. As international and national markets move increasingly towards a low-carbon economy those that adapt quickest will be best placed to respond to new incentives and regulation. The Council s Economic Development Plan sets out the overarching strategy for working with and supporting business within the borough. This includes working in partnership through the Lewisham Economic Development and Enterprise Board to promote the development of local businesses. The Council also has a Business Advisory Service and Town Centre Management Team both of which work with local companies, help new businesses, and support them in improving their energy efficiency. The Council has established an Environmental Award as a regular feature in the Lewisham Business Awards. This award recognises and celebrates businesses that have developed sustainable business practices. The Council s Sustainable Transport Team work with local businesses to implement voluntary workplace travel plans to ease parking and congestion in commercial areas and promoting walking and cycling. Workplace travel plan networks will be developed in areas where clusters of organisations are geographically identified in the borough. The Council runs a Business Environmental Excellence Scheme, which offers free advice and support on waste and environmental issues and recognises good practice through bronze, silver and gold awards. The 2008 winner of the Lewisham Business Awards, the Colourhouse, achieved carbon neutral status in The Business Environmental Excellence Awards will now include specific criteria relating to carbon reduction. Our vision for Lewisham is to establish the conditions where businesses that successfully lead in their sector on energy efficiency and CO 2 emissions can thrive. In particular we will want to create new opportunities for low-carbon enterprises through accommodation that uses new technology to minimise the carbon-footprint and working with businesses that will support new initiatives for delivering energy savings across the borough. Working with business: Actions and Targets Work in partnership with the Lewisham Economic Development and Enterprise Board to support local businesses to improve energy efficiency in local businesses Deliver an increase in workplace travel plans Inclusion of new criteria on carbon reduction in the Council s Business Environmental Excellence scheme Develop proposals for new low-carbon business hubs 5.3 Other partnerships While the London Borough of Lewisham does not provide public transport services, the Council with its partners in the South East London Transport Strategy presses for improvements to existing services within the Borough. This includes planning new retail, business and leisure developments near good transport links. Lewisham is also a partner with the London Bus Priority Network that aims to create bus priority lanes. Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July

19 The Affordable Warmth Partnership exists to promote joint working on fuel poverty issues. It includes the Primary Care Trust, voluntary organisations, tenant associations and the Council s social care, housing and energy efficiency staff. 6 Reducing the carbon footprint of Lewisham s citizens and communities The key factor in delivering a systematic reduction in CO 2 emissions across the borough, will be the extent to which local citizens and communities are able to fully contribute to CO 2 reduction and to benefit from a low-carbon economy. Our approach to working with citizens and Lewisham s communities includes: The strategic planning and policy framework, establishing the conditions that will shape energy consumption now and in future years through planning, transport and housing policies Providing local people with support, including information and financial assistance, to enable them to take decisions that will reduce their energy consumption Empowering local people and communities to come together to create their own local proposals for reducing energy use and consumption 6.1 Strategic planning and policy framework Planning Under the new planning system, local government has to produce a Local Development Framework (LDF) setting out the Council s planning policies and strategies. The suite of documents within the LDF include the Spatial Core Strategy, Development Policies and Site Allocations, the Local Development Scheme and a Statement of Community Involvement. The LDF establishes a framework that promotes and encourages renewable and low carbon energy generation technologies at a local level. Lewisham s LDF promotes a target of at least 20% onsite renewable energy for all developments with over 1000m 2 floor space or containing ten or more residential units. It also includes a minimum requirements in relation to BREEAM, the internationally recognised environmental assessment methodology for buildings, and the Code of Sustainable Homes, a similar environmental assessment specifically focussed on new homes. These requirements are based on achieving a step-by-step increase in energy efficiency to meet the national target for all new homes to be carbon neutral by Transport Road transport is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK and the main source of local air and noise pollution. A reduction in car journeys not only delivers environmental benefits but also health and community benefits. Positive planning enables residents to walk and cycle more and encourages greater use of public transport. The Council supports the Mayor of London s Transport Strategy and will introduce measures aimed at reducing growth in road traffic through its Local Transport Implementation Plan. Using its planning powers, Lewisham will aim to encourage new developments to restrict car parking spaces, discourage car usage and promote facilities for cyclists and pedestrians. Developers will also be encouraged to Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July

20 consider whether there are adequate public transport links to their new developments. The Council is working to promote car clubs across the borough. These enable members to rent a vehicle on an hourly basis as and when they need a car. Lewisham Council introduced a car club within the borough in 2006, with designated spaces allocated in Council car parks. This operation has extended to on-street bays in controlled parking zones. Members can be individuals, who use the vehicles for personal use as well as organisations or businesses. The car club reduces the numbers of vehicles on the road as it provides an alternative to purchasing a vehicle. Transport for London research reveals that each car club vehicle replaces an average of 20 privately owned cars. Lewisham has a range of strategies and policies promoting alternatives to the car and to integrate these more effectively into land use and transport programmes, and we will continue to develop proposals that will increase the potential the transport sector has for achieving reductions in CO 2 emissions. The Council aims to reduce the food miles of food consumed in the Borough by promoting locally or at least nationally, produced food. Lewisham has in place a food strategy which includes this issue. It also has Food Sustainability Forum which meets regularly to progress work in this area. Housing Energy consumption within the borough s homes is the single largest source of CO 2 emissions, and we intend to focus on achieving reductions across the sector through improving insulation, giving people energy efficiency advice and targeted work on fuel poverty. Lewisham carried out a Housing Needs Survey in 2007 and the mix of property type in the borough is indicated in the chart below. Over a quarter of all dwellings have only one bedroom, a third are two-bed units and almost a further third have three bedrooms. Less than 10% of the stock has 4 bedrooms or more. Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy July