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Restormel Borough Council – taking a lead on climate change....Why they are doing things to help the climate.... Restormel Borough Council recognises that climate change will have a significant impact both across Cornwall and within their Borough. The Council is also aware that in order to tackle climate change effectively, all sectors of society including local authorities, businesses, the community and individuals have to be involved. The Council want to ensure that its own operations do not have a negative impact on the climate and wants to support the concerns of the local community who have indicated that protecting the local environment and tackling climate change is a top priority.What they are doing.... As an organisation the Council has already taken steps to reduce its own carbon emissions by installing energy efficiency measures in council owned buildings, such as timer switches on electrical equipment and low energy lighting. This ensures that they do not waste energy or produce unnecessary emissions of carbon dioxide that drive climate change. The Council has made total savings of Restormel launched the ‘Cool It!’ initiative early in 2007 in partnership with Caradon and North Cornwall District Councils. The aim of the project is to encourage local residents to make a pledge to do their bit to reduce climate change and in return the Council will plant a sapling in the local area. Restormel Borough Council has also recently signed the Nottingham Declaration – a national climate change scheme aimed at local authorities. By signing the Declaration the council has pledged to actively tackle climate change in Restormel and to work with others locally to help reduce carbon emissions and help the UK to meet its national climate change targets. Over 200 Local Authorities in the UK have already signed the Nottingham Declaration. Kerrier, Penwith and Cornwall County Council have also signed this pledge in Cornwall. Having shown its commitment to Why it’s important….. The blanket of gases that keeps the surface of the earth warm and able to sustain life is getting thicker, trapping in more heat. This is caused by the release of greenhouse gases as we burn fossil fuels for energy and cut down forests. Scientists now agree that to avoid radical changes in temperature in the future, action is urgently needed now. Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas which causes climate change. Every tonne emitted into the atmosphere commits the world to more warming. However, we can do something about it – every tonne of emissions avoided reduces the threat of climate change. This is why we need to address this issue now, wherever we can. The scale of the challenge presented by climate change means that all sectors of society need to be involved in tackling the problem. The UK Climate Change Programme recognises the crucial role that local government can play in reducing emissions and adapting to climate change. By signing the Nottingham Declaration, Restormel Borough Council acknowledges the important role they have in helping to tackle the problem. Their forthcoming climate strategy and action plan will ensure that they begin to work with others to help to protect and improve Restormel.Further information.... To find out more about climate change and how it will affect all of our lives, visit our understanding climate change pages. The UK Climate Change Programme, published in 2006, sets out how the UK is working to a national goal of reducing carbon dioxide by 20% below 1990 levels by 2010 and, in the long-term, reducing emissions by 60% by 2050. You can find out more from the Defra climate change pages. In early 2007 the Government announced it plans to introduce a new Climate Change Bill which would put in place legally binding targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 60%. This is currently out for consultation and you have a chance to help shape how the final bill will look. Follow this link for further information. For more information on the Nottingham Declaration, including an outline of how local authorities can develop an action plan for tackling and adapting to climate change, you can visit the Energy Saving Trust website. To find out what local authorities in Cornwall are doing to tackle climate change you can follow the links below:
Building Photo courtesy of Restormel BC
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OptionsThis StoryListen again to this story.... Related Stories17.Climate change will affect us all 26. Cornwall Sustainable Energy Partnership 35. Its not to late to tackle climate change Related LinksClimate Change Restormel BC Defra Climate Change Bill Nottingham Declaration Penwith DC Kerrier DC Cornwall CC
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£140,000 in relation to their energy use, which has resulted in the a reduction of an estimated 642 tonnes of carbon. Some of this money has been re-invested into further energy efficiency work. Re-investing energy savings is one way that local authorities can establish a self-replenishing fund enabling further savings to be made.
tackling climate change by signing the Declaration, Restormel are now in the process of developing a climate change strategy and action plan with partners and local communities to address the causes and impacts of climate change in Cornwall. The council plans to work with all sectors and industries in the local community to reduce green house gas emissions reducing energy costs, congestion, improving the local environment and by tackling fuel poverty. 