Local authorities and climate change mitigation SWRA Climate Change Action Plan workshop Taunton, 7 December 2007 Simon Roberts Chief Executive, Centre for Sustainable Energy
Outline Describe the role and potential of local authorities in climate change mitigation and how to consider quality of performance Examine latest developments in national policy and programmes Paint broad-brush picture of what s currently happening in SW Review funding and future for existing activities Explore regional dimension to improving local authority performance
Why local authorities? Because of what you do Planning, housing, education, economic development, regulatory enforcement, procurement, direct contact with citizens, civic leadership etc BUT Impact on carbon emissions depends on approach taken could be positive, negative or neutral, intentional or unintentional Most local authorities are not engaged & haven t needed to be Pockets of impressive action, principally driven by wilful individuals making the most of HECA remit Local & Regional Carbon Management Matrix describes opportunities
The Matrix 1 The Local and Regional Carbon Management Matrix 5 aspects of carbon management: Domestic energy efficiency Business energy efficiency Public sector energy efficiency Renewables and low carbon technologies Transport ( own use and borough-wide ) Examine the roles and levers which local authorities have available which can have carbon emission impact Also a regional dimension
The Matrix 2 Define weak, fair, good and excellent behaviour on each lever at local and regional levels what would we be able to see happening? Focused on what Local Authority can do itself, not what might be ideal outcome if all parties were active Creates a performance assessment tool and a guide to performance improvement Used with Easington District Council, London Borough of Islington and Bristol City of Council Currently being used with all Dorset local authorities
The Matrix 3 DOMESTIC ENERGY EFFICIENCY Levers User Input OVERALL APPROACH Assessor Rating Reasoning weak fair good excellent No real engagement with domestic energy efficiency Behaviour descriptions Some public commitment to energy/environment goals but limited action or strategic engagement Senior strategic engagement Full engagement with effective with domestic energy efficiency cross-dept action, relevant with resourcing and 'champion' strategic commitments, and with power to act several active staff Strategic engagement and resourcefulness Minimal attention to energy efficiency within corporate plans and strategies Broad commitment to importance of energy efficiency but no clear plan of action or resourced programme Clear strategic focus (either as domestic energy efficiency or as part of climate change strategy). Feature of Community Strategy and LSP activity, with measurable targets for achievement. Understanding and use of range of powers (wellbeing, regulatory reform order, spend to save etc) As good plus targets at or in excess of Energy White Paper with local authority taking responsibility for leading delivery within community Own housing stock/social housing sector policies Private sector housing / HECA Not on track to meet Decent Homes and no clear strategy for addressing Minimal HECA reporting Planning to achieve Decent Homes HECA strategy being followed with at least 2-day per week officer Setting higher thermal standards than Decent Homes with clear programme for achievement Specific programmes to improve private housing, with grant regimes reflecting e.e. priorities. Full time officer As 'good' plus training and advice support for tenants and staff on efficient use of heating etc Strategic approach to private households with clear targets for improvement, partnerships for advice and delivery, and monitoring
National developments 1 Climate Change Programme, Energy White Paper, Local Government White Paper, Climate Change Bill, Planning and Climate Change PPS, etc etc New local government performance framework: Community carbon emissions reduction (per capita, non-motorway traffic, excludes EU ETS sites Defra data) Own estate carbon emissions reduction Adaptation (signs of thinking about it properly) Fuel poverty (housing with low SAP occupied by benefit recipients) 198 indicators for Comprehensive Area Assessment with data published against the whole set LSPs to set targets for up to 35 indicators in LAAs Community carbon emissions indicator could be more focused (eg just housing)
National developments 2 Carbon Trust: growth of LA carbon management programme and SALIX public sector loan fund Energy Saving Trust establishing regional approach to energy advice provision with local delivery and local authority support CERT ( EEC3 ) setting much higher targets for energy suppliers (eg 3.2 million cavity walls and 2.4 million lofts insulated) Some focus in Defra on area-based approaches to fuel poverty and carbon emission reduction
Current activity in SW Effective (to variable extent) county-level partnerships supported and/or driven by effective local energy agencies (eg SWEA, WCEA, CEP, CSE) based on EEAC areas County partnerships tend to be about sharing experiences and learning, developing joint funding bids and programmes, supporting common delivery mechanisms Mainly focused on domestic sector and, in some cases, renewables (eg Devon and Somerset CCs) Collective approaches to energy suppliers for EEC programmes to enable local authority-badged schemes Some LAA focus on energy efficiency, fuel poverty or microrenewables as funded stretch targets (especially Cornwall, Gloucestershire, South Glos) Regional forum of HECA officers is active, as are public sector (or cross-sector) energy manager fora
Current activity in SW Quality? Beyond the wilful individuals? Best practice pockets masking generally indifferent performance?
Current activity in SW PLENTY OF ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT Opportunity to secure greater carbon reductions in the region through better local authority performance Key component of coherent strategy to tackle climate change
Funding and future Much of partnership maintenance and resource was developed and funded by Energy Saving Trust LESP programme in 5 counties (not Dorset or Wiltshire). Ended in October 2006 EST regional approach should replace this (possibly!) and add in some regional co-ordination focused on domestic sector Regen SW support for LAs on renewables planning Decent homes thermal standards and regional housing pot? Energy supplier programmes set to grow but role of local authorities? Link between stretch targets and funding?
What are regions for? Establishing clear strategic frameworks for planning, housing, economic development, transport and other issues across a region Providing effective co-ordination of local action and partnerships, sharing resources, improving information flows, and providing a common voice Marshalling regional and national funding streams into coherent spending programmes Supporting regional business, supply chain and skills development Encouraging innovation through effective regional partnerships with business and academic institutions and through accessible exemplar projects.
What s needed at regional level? What more do LAs need from regional level in order to cascade existing or future regional climate-related policies into local plans and strategies to ensure alignment? Is there anything the region could be doing to sustain and develop existing sub-regional partnership working between LAs? What are the resource sharing opportunities between LSPs? What are the information flows which could improve through better coordination above sub-regional level? (is there any value in this being regional rather than national?) Is there value in establishing a common SW LA voice on this issue? If so what is it saying to whom and through what means? Are there funding streams and national agencies operating regionally that could usefully be pulled into coherent shape for the SW?
Links Local and Regional Carbon Management Matrix (CSE) at www.cse.org.uk/matrix Council Action to Cut Carbon (CSE report to LGA CCC) at www.cse.org.uk/pdf/pub1086.pdf A climate of change: final report of the LGA Climate Change Commission at campaigns.lga.gov.uk/media/17/files/climateofchange_finalreport.pdf National Indicators for LAs: Handbook of Definitions (CLG consultation paper) at www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/indicatorsdefinitions Analysis to support climate change indicators for LAs (AEA Technology for Defra) at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/localgovindicators/cc-indicators.htm