Engagement on Plymouth's latest actions on the climate emergency will begin later this month.
Initial plans to help tackle the crisis were first launched in December 2019, setting out 39 actions the City Council would take to address its own carbon emissions and 75 actions planned for Plymouth as a whole.
Over the past year, and despite the challenges of the pandemic, many of the actions detailed in those plans have now been completed and so the time has come to ramping up the actions for 2021.
The draft actions for the second Corporate Carbon Reduction Plan 2021 and the Climate Emergency Action Plan 2021 will first be reviewed by the Council's Brexit, Infrastructure and Legislative Change Committee when it meets on Wednesday 13 January.
Following this, any suggested recommendations will be taken on board before the plans are put before the Council as a whole on Monday 25 January and then rolled out for engagement with partners and in the community.
Councillor Sue Dann, Cabinet Member for Street Scene and the Environment, said: "Climate change is a top priority for Plymouth City Council now, and as we look to the future so I'm really pleased to be able to present these latest plans to my colleagues, firstly at scrutiny and then at our City Council meeting later this month.
”We’ve had a very successful first year delivering over 100 actions from our first Action Plans and it’s great to be able to highlight the good work that is happening in organisations across the city.
"It's vital that the City Council continues to show leadership on climate change issues and agrees on the way forward so that together, we can reach our ambitious 2030 net zero target.
“This includes getting our own house in order so we can continue to deliver important services for local people in a more sustainable way, but in a way that no community gets left behind.
"I think what I'm most proud of is that the plans are not just word; they are all about action; actions that pave the way to a carbon neutral future for our city.”
The Corporate Carbon Reduction Plan 2021 centres on what the City Council can do within its own operations. There have been some notable successes to date with the last plan delivering the replacement of fossil fuel powered vehicles with electric alternatives, reviewing street lighting and focussing on emissions and waste from Council buildings. 
The Action Plan also sets out the Council’s social and moral responsibility to take positive action and provide strong leadership on averting the dangerous effects of climate change and leading by example.
The Climate Emergency Action Plan 2021 meanwhile concerns the whole of the city and how everyone can be part of the change needed to reach net zero by 2030. It sets out the city-wide strategic approach and response to the declaration of the climate emergency and how partners can help contribute to wider cause.
It describes the three phases of Plymouth’s response to climate change issues: an Emergency Response Phase 2019-2021; a Transitional Phase 2021-2023, and an Acceleration Phase 2023-2030.
There have also been some notable city-wide success during 2020 including installing ground-source heat systems, updating planning policies, improving the energy efficiency of over 100 homes through the Warm Homes Fund, installing over 45 workplace electric charging points, and commencing many of the walking and cycling projects that form part of the Transforming Cities Fund.
Councillor Dann added: “Notwithstanding the awful impacts of the pandemic we know we must all change our behaviours and our relationship with the natural world. We know we need to do more and we also know we can’t do it alone.
“In addition to what we have achieved so far we will continue to make funding bids throughout 2021 to maximise what we can achieve for Plymouth so that there is a future for us all and we can leave a lasting legacy for the young people of this proud city.”
You can watch the scrutiny meeting on 13 January live on the Council webpage using the link below.