Cornwall County, England Climate Change Strategic Framework
Type: Policy
Status: In effect
Source File: http://db.cornwall.gov.uk/ltp/climatechange/index.html
Description:
Foreword
Cornwall County Council is committed to take responsibility to address the challenges of climate change. We understand that urgent action is required to reduce the severity of climate change that will be experienced globally, and to prepare for the local impacts.
We have a responsibility to the residents of Cornwall to do what we can to tackle the challenges of climate change, and make the most of potential opportunities. Our response to climate change will be integral to the Council’s overall aim of promoting sustainable development and achieving its vision of a ‘strong and sustainable community for one and all’. Our actions will look at the way we operate as an organisation and the way we deliver our services, as well as addressing the wider policy issues of planning, development and transport. We see our role as a community leader on the issue as important; working with the Cornwall Sustainable Energy Partnership we will be looking to lead the development of a sustainable and low carbon future in Cornwall.
Our climate change strategic framework and current programme of actions have been developed in the context of a range of existing initiatives on mitigation and adaptation. For example, along with the District and Borough councils, we were awarded “Beacon Council” status for Sustainable Energy in 2006 in recognition of the Council’s active and innovative partnership work in this area. Whilst good progress is being made on existing actions and initiatives, we are realistic that much more will need to be done to meet the scale of the challenges of climate change.
There is significant political and organisational will within the County Council to take climate change very seriously. After all, it’s a serious issue for Cornwall’s future.
We need to act as an example to Cornwall’s community. The adoption of this Framework and the programme of actions that will flow from it is a clear signal that the Council is determined to take decisive action, not just talk about the problem.
Adam Paynter
Deputy Leader, Executive Member for Environment and Heritage
Cornwall County Council
Executive Summary
Climate change is a global problem, with significant impacts at the local scale. Local authorities are considered to have a crucial role to play in responding to the challenges posed.
Cornwall County Council is committed to tackling climate change both in terms of minimising the causes of climate change and adapting to the effects in such a way that negative impacts are minimised and opportunities to capitalise on changes are taken. It will pursue this commitment in terms of the way in which it operates as an organisation, the way in which it delivers its services and in acting as an example to Cornwall’s community. The Council’s response to climate change will be integral to its overall aim of promoting sustainable development and achieving its vision of a ‘strong and sustainable community for one and all’.
This climate change strategic framework sets out:
- The science of climate change
- The impacts of climate change in a Cornwall specific context
- National policy guidelines and emission reduction targets
- The role of local authorities in tackling climate change
- The Council and Cornwall's emissions
- The Council’s response to tackle climate change
The overall aims of the Council’s approach to climate change are to:
- Place climate change in the context of sustainable development, recognising the social, economic and environmental consequences of actions.
- Develop challenging, but realistic and measurable short, medium and long term action plans for reducing emissions from the Council’s services and operations, as well as the wider community.
- Identify and understand risks associated with climate change, and prepare adaptation action plans accordingly, for the Council’s services and operations, as well as the wider community.
- Provide information to raise awareness and understanding of climate change, mitigation and adaptation within the Council and the community.
- Support specific actions with an appropriate evidence base and a commitment to monitoring and review.
- Ensure an integrated approach to climate change issues across Council policies and activities.
- Encourage others to reduce emissions and prepare adaptation strategies, and provide advice and information to enable this.
- Where appropriate, work in partnership (locally, regionally and nationally) with regards to mitigation and adaptation to share expertise and experience.
From the Source File, you can read the following sections of the framework: