Brent Cabinet set to launch wide consultation on Draft Climate Emergency Strategy aiming for carbon neutrality by 2030

 

Tomorrow's Cabinet Meeting (10am Monday November 9th) will decide to go ahead with consultation on a Draft Climate Emergency Strategy (Timetable above).

The Strategy aims to involve all stakeholders in the achievement of Carbon Neutrality by 2o30,

Apart from consultation with ward councillors,  who will be seen as ambassadors for the strategy, there will be virtual events and webinars with schools, businesses, environmental groups and residents, especially those who will be most affected by climate change - young people, older people, people with disabilities and BAME communities.

The strategy has 5 themes:

Theme 1: Consumption, Resources and Waste

4. The long-term objective of this theme is: ‘By 2030, our communities will be living more sustainably: consuming less of the products and materials that accelerate climate change, whilst also wasting less of the world’s natural resources. This behaviour shift will have helped to cut Brent’s consumption emissions by two- thirds, and drive a substantive reduction in the amount of household waste produced within the borough’.
5. The key areas of focus in achieving this goal are: creating the optimum conditions for community-led behaviour change; ensuring that the supporting waste related infrastructure continues to be improved; and enhancing the green and circular economy in Brent, shifting to a local economic model where resources and products are kept in use for a long as possible.

Theme 2: Transport

6. The long-term objective of this theme is: ‘By 2030, petrol and diesel road journeys will have at least halved in the borough, being driven as close as possible to zero, with an accompanying increase in journeys made by residents through cycling, walking or public transport’.
7. The key areas of focus in achieving this goal are: supporting and encouraging active travel; moving away from petrol and diesel vehicles; and encouraging public transport where possible and safe to do so.

Theme 3: Homes and Buildings

8. The long-term objective of this theme is: ‘By 2030, as many homes and buildings in the borough as possible will be more energy efficient, be powered by renewable sources, and be resilient to future adverse weather events caused by climate change - and we will do all in our gift to achieve an average Energy Performance Certificate rating of ‘B’ in directly owned council stock.
9. The key areas of focus in achieving this goal are: improving energy efficiency in all homes and buildings, whether existing or new-build, facilitating a shift to powering homes and buildings through renewable energy sources; and adapting our homes and buildings to ensure that they are more climate resilient to cope with the potentially dangerous effects of climate change in years to come.

Theme 4: Nature and Green Space

10. The long-term objective of this theme is: ‘By 2030, Brent will be one of the greenest, most biodiverse and climate-resilient boroughs in London with our residents better connected to nature’.
11. The key areas of focus identified in achieving this goal are: enhancing green (and blue) spaces and biodiversity wherever possible; improving our wider green infrastructure such as green corridors; and adapting our green spaces to assist in mitigating against adverse weather impacts in years to come.

Theme 5: Supporting Communities

12. Underpinning all four themes above is the overarching theme of ensuring that our communities are supported in delivering the proposed climate objectives for the borough.
13. The long-term objective of this theme is: ‘Everyone who lives, works or studies in Brent will have improved access to clear and understandable information on the need to tackle the climate emergency, and as many people as possible will be actively engaged in taking action to help the borough become carbon neutral by 2030’.
14. The key areas of focus in achieving this goal are: developing an environmental network in Brent for organisations, communities and individuals to be the catalysts of driving this agenda forward; supporting the key sectors which will need to be at the forefront of making sustainable change happen (households, schools, businesses, the voluntary and community sector); and through launching and utilising the Brent Carbon Offset Fund to drive carbon reduction at a local level.
15. Once adopted, the strategy will be treated as a ‘live’ document, with the annual delivery plans reviewed each year to ensure that the Borough is progressing against its overall aim for carbon neutrality by 2030. The setting of intermediary/midway targets for the Strategy for the period leading up to 2030 will be considered as part of this ongoing review process.

 The full draft is embedded below: (Click on 'X' bottom right corner for full screen version)