Local Carbon Framework

Planning ahead – Economic benefits and a lower carbon footprint for Plymouth.

Plymouth’s Local Carbon Framework is almost ready for formal approval and adoption but there is one last chance for you to let us have your comments on its contents. To make this easier we have reduced the original 100 page draft down in to a 16 page summary.

With a focus on tackling climate change through positive action on our carbon footprint, the Local Carbon Framework confirms the emissions reduction targets we need to achieve, sets them out in a local carbon budget and goes on to suggest how taking this action will benefit the local economy; supporting the city’s aims for growth between now and 2020. It is a working plan that suggests how Plymouth can maintain its leading role as a low carbon city with a green economy.

Your support is sought for the Framework so any comments you have would be welcomed. These can be sent through to sustainability@plymouth.gov.uk. The deadline for your comments is Monday 14 May 2012.

Once adopted the summary will be supported by a fully inclusive report that combines the suggested outcomes of the reports outlined below.

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What would reduce Plymouth's carbon footprint even further?

In 2010 Plymouth was included in a UK Government pilot project looking at the development of Local Carbon Frameworks. These 'plans' will eventually be produced by every local authority but, for the time being, only nine councils have been tasked with looking at their local areas and deciding how the frameworks might work.

In Plymouth the focus for the study was the development of a low carbon economy and the way in which new ideas, such as local carbon budgets, might update the city's Climate Change Action Plan and contribute to our plans for sustainable growth and investment. Above all we are looking for the best way for everyone to reduce the city's carbon footprint.

Between 2005 and 2008 we know that this footprint has been reduced by over 5 per cent (75,000 tCO2). We also know that the footprint of individual residents - the per capita footprint - has also fallen from 6.0 tCO2 per person to 5.5 tCO2 per person and we have met our target of a 6.9 per cent reduction by 2010. We would like to continue this success and we now have the opportunity of producing a Local Carbon Framework as a series of guidelines for future action. One of the first steps to be taken was to review the evidence for change we can use in the report.

The final report, which is due for completion in late 2011, will be informed by a number of studies commissioned as a result of the pilot project. This includes:

A low carbon economy study from the University of Plymouth

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A carbon scenarios study by the University of Exeter

A review of attitudes to climate change and recommendations for encouraging behaviour change."

Briefing notes

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Progressing well'… that's the view of the city's Climate Change Commission whose Preliminary Report on the city's Local Carbon Framework was published on 17 August 2011. This report sets out the outcomes of research undertaken to date and begins to suggest what the final Local Carbon Framework could look like. As with all our projects your views are important to us so please do not hesitate to contact us.

Making Progress Across the South West

The following report from the University of Exeter considers the progress made in carbon reductions over the last five years.

Want to be more involved?

Between July and November 2011 we will be developing Plymouth's first Local Carbon Framework and would welcome your views. Please do not hesitate to contact us on 01752 304220 or to email us at sustainability@plymouth.gov.uk

Plymouth's Local Carbon Framework is a national pilot project sponsored by the Department of Energy and Climate Change

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