A Carbon Neutrality and Climate Resilience (CNCR) Action Plan has been published for consideration by the Council’s Scrutiny Committee.
The CNCR Action Plan identifies a proposed one-year action plan together with route maps for longer term action, and the role that SWT will need to play in delivery.
In all, over 300 potential climate actions are identified to progress over the next ten years as part of the Council’s corporate priority of working towards a carbon neutral district and Council by 2030.
This builds on recent initiatives by the Council including its Zero Carbon Affordable Homes Pilot, the Wildflower Meadow project, the electric vehicle charging point scheme and free tree ‘giveaway’ for town and parish councils.
The CNCR Action Plan which would be subject to annual review, would sit alongside and build upon the Somerset Climate Emergency Strategy produced jointly by the five Councils in Somerset. The joint county-wide strategy has also been published this week and will be going through the democratic process at each of the district and county councils.
Alongside the CNCR, the report to SWT Scrutiny proposes the establishment of a multi-agency Climate Emergency Task Force made up of key local authority and community-based partners. The Task Force would become a forum for knowledge and resource sharing, fund raising, and engagement, ensuring collective district-wide action.
Cllr Peter Pilkington, Executive Member for Climate Change, said; “The Council has already committed to working towards carbon neutrality by 2030, and as such the Somerset Climate Emergency Strategy and CNCR Action Plan add detail as to what is necessary to ensure we are resilient to the projected impacts of climate change.
“The Task Force will provide a strategic basis for partnership working going forwards addressing these issues together, implanting the actions and projects, and helping to identify the places where we can look to focus partnership working going forwards as a mark of how important we all consider the issue to be.”
The Council’s CNCR Action Plan and the Somerset Climate Emergency Strategy are due to be considered by the Council’s Scrutiny Committee on 14 October, Executive Committee on 20 October, and Full Council at a special meeting on the 26 October.
Further details on the Somerset Climate Emergency Strategy and the CNCR Action Plan can be found on our website www.somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk/climate-emergency/climate-change-strategy/