Existing local climate solutions

29 August 2008

Local councils and planning authorities are slowly beginning to adopt local solutions to tackle climate change. Let's speed things up a bit!

What's already being done?

Please download our briefing: The Big Ask at the Local Level: What Local Authorities and others can do about climate change. The case studies outlined in this briefing are summarised below.

Getting policy in your local development plan - micro renewables:

The Merton model: The London Borough of Merton pioneered an approach which expects new developments to embed renewable energy

Thumbs Up - The policy reduces carbon dioxide emissions from new developments, of a specified size, by at least 10%.
Thumbs Down - The policy only applies to new developments or conversions, which is a minority of buildings. Also, up to 90% of the energy still comes from non-renewable sources thereby increasing carbon dioxide emissions not reducing them.

Getting policy in your local development plan - low carbon homes:

The Milton Keynes model: Milton Keynes council is requiring higher environmental standards in new developments.

Thumbs Up - Unlike other policies, Milton Keynes' plan addresses energy efficiency, renewable energy and carbon neutrality amongst other environmental concerns. It includes a 10% Merton-style target but also goes further, covering conversion, renovation and extension.
Thumbs Down - The policy only applies to new developments, which is a minority of housing stock. Offsetting emissions potential gives a loophole to developers.

Promoting decentralised energy:

The Woking model: Woking Borough Council set up its own energy services company, managing to reduce emissions from its own buildings by 77%.

Thumbs Up: Energy and carbon dioxide emissions from council buildings were hugely reduced and money was generated from the scheme by reinvesting profits.
Thumbs Down: Emissions were only reduced from council-controlled buildings, rather than from buildings in the borough as a whole. So

Promoting energy efficiency:

The British Gas and Local Authorities model: British Gas has been working with various councils to encourage energy efficient improvements to existing homes.

Thumbs Up: This scheme improves existing housing stock and offers financial incentives for householders to undertake these improvements.
Thumbs Down: Initially, British Gas had difficulty getting councils involved in the scheme and many were reluctant to join. Some councils have elected not to match British Gas' funding, so there's less of a financial incentive to householders.

Promoting renewables:

Please take a look at our briefing Supporting Renewable Energy Projects: How to get involved and help your local project through the planning system.