Appendix ‘A’
Community Climate
Change Programme
for
Lancashire.
Lancashire County Council
1
Introduction
The Climate is changing, and the United Nations Inter-Governmental Panel on
Climate Change has stated that emissions from human activities are responsible
for observed increases in the global average temperature.
The IPCC makes some bleak forecasts. Billions of people face shortages of food
and water, and an increased risk of flooding. The effects of climate change
would worst affect people living in poverty in the Third World.
In light of these forecasts, the UK government has asked local authorities to:
"lead their community and their local partners on climate change".
(Local Government White Paper).
In driving this agenda forward, a budget to tackle climate change was agreed by
the Cabinet earlier this year. This comprised a budget of more than £1million of
new money in 2007/08, plus capital of £400,000 in each of the next two years.
The County Council’s action on climate change will comprise two main elements:

Getting our own house in order. The Property Group are engaged in a
range of carbon reduction projects.
Future initiatives might also seek improvements in the County Council’s
internal environmental performance and involve all Directorates.

Community and partner engagement. In light of the White Paper’s
obligations, the County Council has a duty to show leadership on climate
change issues, and to catalyse action with partners and communities.
This paper seeks to address the last point by setting out a programme to engage
Lancashire communities and partners in climate change action.
Seven projects have been identified. Two have specific costs and outcomes
associated with them (Lancashire Local Climate Change Fund and the Schools
Education Programme). The remaining five projects are in development and will
be the subject of further reports.
As far as possible, all the projects seek to lever in additional financial
contributions to sit alongside those of the County Council.
Most of the projects are likely to draw in significant partner contributions, and
these will be described in more detail as the projects develop.
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Lancashire Locals Climate Change Fund
What is it?
A new climate change fund of £250,000 per year for three years distributed
between all 12 Lancashire Locals to support community action on climate
change.
Whilst each Lancashire Local will have its own fund, joint climate change projects
between Lancashire Local areas would be welcomed.
The Fund will generate community level contributions to help reduce greenhouse
gas emissions (mitigation) or help communities cope with the inevitable impacts
of climate change (adaptation).
The Fund will also lever in additional external funds from, for example,
government or regional grants; the group’s own resources, or from other local or
national funding sources.
Experience of other environmental funds (in the Forest of Bowland and
nationally) suggests an appetite for this sort of fund, and the grant level to
support community renewables projects has been high.
Moreover, the profile of climate change is higher now than at any other time, and
the Government has just launched a ‘micro renewables strategy’ to promote the
sector, including a proposed relaxation in planning policy.
A fund of £250,000 would seem capable of accommodating some of the demand,
but it is likely that demand will outstrip the supply of funding.
The £250,000 fund would be allocated according to carbon dioxide emissions per
head of population per district as follows:
Note: The figures in the table below are derived from the Department of Trade
and Industry Domestic Energy Use Statistics 2004 Data.
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Share of
£250,0000 fund
Burnley
18,229
Chorley
21,577
Fylde
24,926
Hyndburn
17,857
Lancaster
19,717
Pendle
19,345
Preston
18,973
Ribble Valley
25,298
Rossendale
24,554
South Ribble
17,857
West Lancs
23,065
Wyre
18,601
How will it work?
Each Lancashire Local may invite expressions of interest from community and
voluntary groups, or Parish Councils for grants to support local climate change
projects that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation) or help
communities cope with the inevitable impacts of climate change (adaptation).
Businesses and individuals may also apply, but a clear community benefit must
be demonstrated.
Examples of projects could include: raising awareness and communications work
at local level of the urgent need to tackle climate change; community ‘micro
renewable’ energy schemes (eg see the Energy Saving Trust web site
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/generate_your_own_energy
);
carbon
capture through tree plant, peat bog restoration or other sequestration methods;
mini wind turbines and solar panels on community buildings; energy efficiency
measures.
Each project would need to demonstrate its contribution to mitigating or adapting
to climate change in Lancashire.
A specialist ‘Community Renewables and Climate Change Project Officer’ will
support the Fund by providing information, advice and support to community
groups and Lancashire Locals on micro renewables, and carbon mitigation and
adaptation would support the programme. The Environment Directorate is
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currently looking at the re-designation of a post along these lines.
Community Groups and Lancashire Locals could also be advised and supported
by the Environment Directorate’s rural team and the environmental projects
team. Both teams have a very strong track record of working with community
groups on ‘traditional’ environmental projects in urban and rural Lancashire
(typically advising over 200 groups per year). Whilst climate change activity
would be, for the most part, a new area of work, the core skills of both teams in
working with community groups will be very useful.
Elected members will be engaged in the distribution of grants from the outset.
Expressions of interest will be invited, and members can consider these as they
arrive, supported by officer and technical advice. A three strong officer panel,
comprising the Project Officer and a member from each of the two teams, will
consider completed applications for grant. The Panel will compile a report with a
recommendation to the relevant Lancashire Local. This will ensure that each
Lancashire Local has the benefit of professional and technical advice on the
climate change mitigation and adaptation outcomes from the project. These can
be complex for some micro renewables projects. The Panel, drawing on its
experience of community projects and funding, can also help to ensure that each
project maximises its leverage of external funds, and can advise on the viability
of the project.
Funding
Community environmental projects can take a long time to develop from the
initial idea, particularly when groups are seeking to draw in funds from
elsewhere.
Experience shows that it is essential to have a fund that is capable of carrying
over finance from one year to the next when dealing with the non-professional
community and voluntary sector. This should prevent a ‘dash for cash’ within a
specified deadline, and will allow time for the development of more rounded
projects from community groups.
Grants
The following sets out some detail of how the fund might operate.
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Grant awards will normally be in the range of £500 - £15,000.
The following funding ceilings will apply:
Incorporated Voluntary Sector groups and bodies
75% max
Locally based or semi-formal Community Groups
90% max
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Priority
Priority will be given to projects that:

Contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Bring in funds and/or support in kind from sources outside the County
Council.

Are innovative or demonstrate best practice, capable of replication
elsewhere in Lancashire.

Involve young people and local community groups
Who can apply?
Voluntary sector, individuals, businesses or local community groups can apply.
Parish Councils may also apply. The Fund would not be open to public sector
organisations.
Individuals or businesses can only be beneficiaries where the project shows a
clear benefit to the wider community.
1. applicants should find a minimum “in kind” own funding contribution of
10% and seek externally ‘matched’ funding where possible. These
contributions must come from outside the County Council.
2. in exceptional circumstances a greater award may be made to any
applicant.
3. in all cases an agreement setting out what is required for satisfactory
completion of the project will be signed prior to receipt of any grant.
4. for match funding purposes volunteer time can be included. It will usually
be calculated at £50/day (£6.25/hr) for general volunteers and £100/day
(£12.50/hr) for specialist, technical or professional volunteers.
Grant payments may be staged if necessary. If this is the case, the following
criteria will apply:
1. 50% of grant would be paid on commencement of the project – enabling a
measure of “pump-priming” finance.
For locally based or semi-formal Community Groups seeking small
amounts of funding, this pump priming may be increased to 90%% (or
100% exceptional circumstances).
2. 25% of grant is paid on attaining a “milestone” point established in the
funding agreement contract between applicant and County Council
officers following grant approval.
3. the final 25% payment of grant will be paid on completion of the project
and supported by a written report, receipted invoices and a photographic
record.
4. Grants covering more than one Lancashire Local will need the agreement
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of each Lancashire Local involved.
Relationship to other Lancashire Local funds.
It will be important to ensure, as far as practicable, that the members of each
Lancashire Local consider expressions of interest for this new fund at the same
time as they consider other LL grants. This will help to ensure there is a broad
overview of the grants offered across the community by each Lancashire Local.
Environment Directorate officers are working with officers in the Policy Unit to
ensure members have a ‘one stop’ consideration of Lancashire Local grants to
community groups in each district.
Reviewing the Fund
This will be the first time the County Council has operated a community fund
dedicated to climate change. Experience with other environmental funds
suggests a strong appetite for this sort of fund.
Other schemes (eg the AONB Sustainable Development Fund) have funded
small numbers of these sort of projects, but climate change mitigation and
adaptation have not been among the main objectives.
It will be important to analyse how the fund works alongside separate local funds,
particularly those controlled by Lancashire Locals. It will also be important to
monitor the profile of the fund over the year.
Operation of the fund will be kept under regular review, with a major review after
12 months.
At the current time, the County Council has set aside funds for general climate
change activity for three years only, and the Fund cannot be sustained beyond
this period without a fresh commitment of resources beyond 2009/10.
Project Summary
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£250,000 each year for three years to be distributed among 12 Lancashire
Locals according to the carbon dioxide emissions per head of population of
each district.
Each Lancashire Local to invite community and voluntary sector bids for
funding for climate change mitigation (reducing carbon) and adaptation
(coping with change) projects.
Environment Directorate officer support for community groups and Lancashire
Locals.
The Fund will lever in other contributions. Uncommitted funds to be carried
from one financial year to the next to assist in the generation of community
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and external financial contributions.
Review of the operation of the Fund after 12 months.
A need to explore the sustainability of the Fund beyond 2009/10.
Recommendation
1. That a £250,000 per year for three years Community Climate Change Fund is
established and distributed among 12 Lancashire Locals according to the
carbon dioxide emissions per head of population of each district and used
along the lines of this report.
2. The Fund allows for uncommitted funds to be carried from one financial year
to the next to assist in the generation of community and external financial
contributions.
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Lancashire Schools Climate Change Education Programme
The aim of the Lancashire Schools Climate Change Education Programme is to
develop and deliver a programme that helps children become more aware of
their links to the changing climate and the natural world; and to strengthen
responsible behaviour towards the environment.
A secondary aim is to help children to take the message home to their parents.
and to signpost parents to other aspects of the Community Climate Change
Programme (eg Carbon Pledging and Carbon Offsetting).
An educational programme can be delivered to about 180 schools per year in
partnership with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust.
The programme will use drama, innovative video diaries, site visits and linking
firmly into the National Curriculum. The County Council’s Science Education
Advisor has been involved in the initial design of the programme.
The County Council’s Environment Directorate has a good and longstanding
working relationship with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust (approx 5 years) in
delivering environmental awareness programmes in schools, often centred on
the waste agenda.
The Trust has a strong track record and they understand the schools system.
This programme would be an extension of that working relationship.
It is therefore recommended that Standing Order 74 (advertising requirements for
contracts for goods, works or services with an estimated total value of spend
over £50,000) is relaxed and that the Environment Directorate’s working
partnership with the Trust be extended along the lines of this report.
Programme
Timescale
Recruitment of Staff
July 07
Design and produce programme and props.
Develop monitoring and evaluation techniques
Aug-Sept 07
Produce Publicity material
Contact and Consult schools
Aug -Sept 07
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Run Visits to schools (approx 180)
Sept – June 08
Develop, promote and run Eco Events to
promote environmental issues during school
holidays
Jul – Aug 07 and Apr 08
Collate evaluation
Run Visits to schools
June-July 08
Produce completion report
July 08
Funding profile:
Lancashire County Council
Wildlife Trust
£75,000
£8,300
The Wildlife Trust will provide support and facilities towards the running
expenses of the project. These resources will be made in kind to the value of
£6,300 and will include office accommodation, Human Resource support
including Criminal Record Clearance and advertisements for both positions. IT
support and facilities, e-mail, telephone and utilities.
The Trust will also make a contribution in kind towards organisational overheads
for the project to the value of £2000.
Lancashire County Council publications will be made available and the Council’s
logo will be clearly displayed on all publications, website and equipment.
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Project Summary
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A Schools Education Programme running from July 2007 to July 2008 to help
children become more aware of their link to the changing climate and the
natural world; and to strengthen responsible behaviour towards the
environment.
A secondary aim is to help children take the message home to their parents,
and to signpost parents to other aspects of the Community Climate Change
Programme (eg Carbon Pledging and Carbon Offsetting).
About 180 schools per year receiving the programme.
The programme will use drama, innovative video diaries, site visits and link
firmly into the National Curriculum. The County Council’s Science Education
Advisor will help to guide the project.
The project is an extension of a longstanding working relationship with the
Lancashire Wildlife Trust using environmental drama and awareness raising
in schools.
It is therefore recommended that Standing Order 74 (Advertising
requirements for Contracts for goods, works or services with an estimated
total value of spend over £50,000) is relaxed and that the Environment
Directorate’s working partnership with the Trust be extended along the lines
of this report.
The County Council will provide £75,000 and the Trust will contribute £8,300
towards the project.
Further funding will be needed to take the programme to other schools after
July 2008, and this will be the subject of a report next year.
Recommendation
1. That the Cabinet Member for Resources and Performance be requested,
under the provisions of Standing Order No 72, to agree the waiving of
Standing Order 74 (advertising requirements for contracts for goods, works or
services with an estimated total value of spend over £50,000) and that the
Environment Directorate’s working partnership with the Trust be extended
along the lines of this report.
2. The County Council contributes £75,000 towards the project.
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Lancashire Light Bulb Library
Lighting accounts for 10-15% electricity use in homes. Installing energy efficient
light-bulbs can reduce household electricity use and bills. Moreover, it is one of
the simplest and most cost effective ways of reducing carbon emissions.
Barriers preventing people doing this include: the fear that new light-bulbs will not
fit into existing fittings; or will not provide an adequate quality of light. The limited
availability of anything other than standard energy efficient bulbs in most local
shops, together with the significant cost compared to traditional incandescent
bulbs is also a major barrier to take up.
To overcome this, it is proposed to establish an energy efficient light bulb
borrowing and purchase scheme through the County Council’s network of 76
Libraries.
Officers from the Environment Directorate are involved in a very constructive
dialogue with the County Library Manager and key library staff about how to
develop this scheme.
The County Library Manager and Environment Directorate officers are also
exploring how the service can contribute to a range of other climate change
initiatives through the community engagement role of libraries.
The Light Bulb scheme would contain a large variety of energy efficient bulbs,
many of which are not readily available in local shops (including spot lights,
dimmable bulbs and candle bulbs with narrow and standard fittings) that can be
borrowed, from a local library; tried out in light fittings at home; and then ordered
and purchased at a very competitive price.
A similar internal (ie staff only) scheme is run by Shropshire County Council and
the Marches Energy Agency. The Lancashire scheme would seek to work in
partnership with both organisations.
Using the power of well being under the Local Government Act 2000, a similar
scheme would be piloted with staff in the Environment Directorate at Lancashire
County Council, then rolled out across the county through the Library service.
Thinking on this project is developing, and a report will be presented at a future
meeting.
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Project Summary
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Using energy efficient light bulbs is a simple way for individuals and families
to reduce their carbon emissions.
Barriers to the use of such bulbs include their limited availability (beyond
standard efficient bulbs); the relatively high cost; and concerns about the
quality of light and fit of the bulb.
A borrow, try out and purchase (at competitive prices) scheme through
Lancashire libraries would help to dismantle these barriers for people.
Officers from the Environment Directorate are in discussions with Shropshire
County Council (a Beacon Council for Sustainable Energy) and the Marches
Energy Agency about working in partnership to develop the Lancashire
scheme and a scheme in Shropshire.
There are legal issues to overcome but it is hoped the scheme will be
developed using the County Council’s well-being power under the Local
Government Act 2000.
A report on progress and next steps will be brought to a future meeting of the
Committee.
Recommendation
1. The Committee receives a future report setting out more project detail,
together with the likely funding requirements (these are expected to be
relatively modest).
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Lancashire Climate Change Strategy
The Local Government White Paper (Strong and Prosperous Communities)
states that local government has a pivotal role to play in mitigating and adapting
to climate change. This puts a new duty on local authorities to:
"lead their community and their local partners on climate change".
To that end the County Council, together with the Environment Agency, sought
the agreement of the 12 district councils and the 2 unitary councils earlier this
year to work in partnership to prepare a Climate Change Strategy for Lancashire.
The County Council and the Environment Agency have agreed to facilitate the
process through the use of existing resources. The County Council also has a
general partnership arrangement with Forum for the Future (FFF - a leading UK
sustainable development charity) and they are assisting with the process.
In order to drive the process, the first scoping meeting of a new Lancashire
Climate Change Group took place in April 2007 facilitated by FFF. Subsequent
meetings are planned this year, with the next meeting on 3 July which will be
aimed at elected members. The aim is to prepare a Climate Change Strategy for
Lancashire for early 2008.
The strategy will focus on a small number of actions that are most effectively
delivered at sub regional level, and that complement district level activity.
Separate workstreams of the strategy are emerging as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Spatial planning
Transport & access
Economic development
Communications
Joint Projects
A series of jointly funded projects will emerge from the Climate Change Strategy
(eg Lancashire Carbon Offset scheme and a Lancashire Carbon Pledge scheme
to suggest just two).
Partner contributions and the County Council’s likely contribution to these
projects will emerge as the strategy develops, and this will be brought before the
Committee.
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Project Summary
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The 15 local authorities in Lancashire, the Environment Agency and other
partners have agreed to work in partnership to prepare a Climate Change
strategy for Lancashire.
The strategy will be prepared by January 2008. It will focus on a manageable
number of actions that can be most effectively delivered at sub regional scale,
complementing district and regional level activity.
The level of partner contributions to the separate actions will emerge as the
strategy develops, and these will be brought before the Committee, together
with the funding implications for the County Council, as soon as practicable.
An initial scoping meeting for the strategy was held at the end of April. The
next meeting (3 July) will seek to engage elected members; and will also
focus on the economics of climate change with the Lancashire Economic
Partnership.
Recommendations
1. The Committee notes the progress in preparing a Climate Change Strategy
for Lancashire.
2. The Committee receives update reports as the strategy develops, together
with reports on the County Council’s forecast partnership contribution to joint
projects as they emerge.
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Lancashire Carbon Offsetting
The County Council’s Climate Change programme will, first and foremost,
encourage individuals, communities, businesses and organisations to take steps
to reduce the amount of CO2 they produce.
But in some situations it is difficult to reduce carbon emissions significantly. This
is where offsetting has a role.
What is Offsetting?
Offsetting means paying someone to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere on your
behalf. In that way individuals, communities, businesses and organisations can
pay for the damage they cause and the money helps to fund the transition to a
lower-carbon world.
So as well as taking steps to reduce their 'carbon footprint', individuals,
communities, businesses and organisations can offset what remains, helping to
pay for carbon reduction elsewhere or to capture carbon though biodiversity
measures.
There is a burgeoning international sector in the voluntary offset market. In all,
more than 30 organisations across the developed world now sell voluntary
offsets, with several companies established in the UK.
Many of the offsets sold tend to fund projects in other parts of the world since
these can normally guarantee ‘additionality’. In other words, some assurance
that the project has really added something that would not have happened
anyway and that CO2 is being saved.
Code of Practice
In attempt to regulate this new industry in the UK, DEFRA has issued for
consultation a Code of Practice for the voluntary offset market. Proving
additionality is on of the areas addressed.
Another area is the issue of ‘double counting’ CO2 savings. The UK government
has a legally binding Kyoto target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. If a
voluntary offset scheme made CO2 reductions in the UK, these may be doublecounted on behalf of individuals and also on behalf of the UK government
towards their target. That means the offset scheme would only be helping to
make reductions that had already been promised.
In an attempt to regularise these issues, the Government’s Code suggests that
offsets should in future be cleared via a United Nations verification system.
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Whilst this would be welcome for large offsets from Member States and
international companies, it would be too expensive and complex to administer for
local voluntary offsets. It may also prevent offset payments funding projects in
the UK.
The Cabinet Member for Planning and Environment has responded to the
consultation setting out the concerns along these lines. A final Code of Practice
is expected by the end of the year. It is clearly advisable that any Lancashire
scheme meets the Code to ensure its credibility.
County Council officers have also mobilised the Local Government Association to
press for change in the proposed Code, and have encouraged the LGA to host a
national seminar on the issue in the Autumn.
Lancashire Projects
The unique selling point of a Lancashire based scheme is that local citizens,
businesses and organisations will be able to see their financial offsets delivering
projects in line with the county’s priorities, rather than in some other part of the
world that has no association with Lancashire. Four schemes are envisaged:
1 Lancashire Woodland Project – the County Council is the lead player in
the project. Tree panting with schools, perhaps linking with tree planting
in schools in Gulu (Uganda) (see below). This would tie in with the
Schools project (another part of the climate change programme described
in this paper).
2 Lancashire Moorlands – simple ‘rewetting’ of moorland peat in the West
Pennine Moors, keeping carbon locked in. Peat is one of the world’s
largest carbon stores, but also has the potential to be a massive emitter of
carbon.
3 Lancashire-Gulu (Uganda) Link – The United Nations Inter-Governmental
Panel on Climate Change has stated that developed countries are having
a substantial impact on Third World countries because of our emissions,
contributing to poverty and drought. This is forecast to worsen
considerably. Through the offsetting scheme, the County Council’s
longstanding link with Gulu would enable Lancashire people and
businesses to partly compensate for their emissions by, for example,
funding tree planting or other projects that help poor communities cope
with climate change.
The Gulu project would also help to overcome the issue of ‘double
counting’ if this is still an issue in the final Code of Practice from DEFRA.
Uganda is a developing country without Kyoto targets. It would ensure
that CO2 offsets purchased in Lancashire go beyond current UK
commitments.
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4 Lancashire Light Bulbs – providing free or very low cost energy efficient
light bulbs to Lancashire people and families, particularly those from
disadvantaged communities.
Regional Offsetting
The North West Regional Development Agency has indicated that it intends to
develop a carbon offsetting scheme.
County Council Officers have been in contact with the Agency amid concerns
that the project might present a ‘rival’ scheme in Lancashire.
Discussions with the NWDA and their consultants have allayed these fears.
Indeed the Agency is prepared to part finance a Lancashire scheme as part of its
support for a network of five interconnected sub regional offset schemes.
The Agency’s consultants have complimented Lancashire’s thinking on offsetting
to date, and have welcomed the Gulu dimension.
Pump Priming Fund
It will be necessary to catalyse projects with a pump-priming fund because of the
time lag in generating sufficient offsetting funds to develop projects.
The NWDA has given an early indication that it will contribute to such a fund if
the County Council and its partners contribute.
The extent of partner contributions will be known over the coming months, and
these will be reported to the Committee, together with a request for a contribution
from the County Council.
Who are the Target Audiences?
The Lancashire Carbon Offsetting scheme will be open to individuals, businesses
and public sector organisations.
Public Sector organisations will be able to offset meetings voluntarily (eg AGMs),
particularly those at locations dominated by car transport.
The County Council could explore the feasibility of such a scheme being
available on a voluntary basis to offset its own emissions. The Government has
a similar scheme for offsetting Whitehall’s emissions (eg at its conference
facilities that have significant levels of car transport)
Environment Directorate officers could explore the feasibility of using such a
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scheme in Lancashire. This could also complement to the emerging staff travel
plan.
Next Steps
The uncertainty around the expectations contained in the final DEFRA Code of
Practice for voluntary offsetting means that it is difficult to envisage the final
shape of the Lancashire scheme. This is also providing uncertainty for other sub
regional schemes supported by the NWDA.
Officers will continue to work to develop the scheme with the LGA, NWDA,
DEFRA, and the Lancashire Gulu-Link.
Project Summary
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In some situations it is difficult to reduce carbon emissions significantly. This
is where offsetting has a role.
Offsetting means paying someone to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere on your
behalf.
DEFRA has issued for consultation a Code of Practice for voluntary offsets.
As it stands, the draft Code will make it difficult to operate local voluntary
offset schemes whilst meeting the Code‘s standards. The final shape of the
Lancashire scheme will remain unclear until the final DEFRA Code is
published.
The scheme could fund climate change projects such as the Lancashire
Woodlands Project; ‘re-wetting’ Lancashire moorland to keep carbon locked
in; and through the Lancashire-Gulu (Uganda) Link, assisting Gulu to cope
with the effects of climate change caused by emissions from the developed
world.
The NWDA has indicated that it wishes to support sub regional offset
schemes, including the Lancashire scheme. Other partners have also
expressed a willingness to contribute to the project.
Offsetting can have a role in helping to reduce the carbon footprint of public
sector operations, such as hosting conferences and meetings dominated by
car transport. Such a voluntary scheme is operated by the Government to
offset Whitehall’s emissions, and officers could explore the feasibility of using
such a scheme for some of the County Council’s operations.
Recommendations
1. The Committee notes the progress in establishing a Lancashire Offset
scheme, and receives further reports as the project develops.
2. Officers explore the feasibility of applying a voluntary offset scheme to some
of the County Council’s own operations. This could include travel
arrangements (eg staff travel plan) and conference venues, among other
activities
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Lancashire Carbon Pledge Campaign
Effective action on climate change will require everyone to participate, and
change their behaviour in a variety of simple ways.
Communications research has shown that schemes that ask people to pledge to
undertake action are more effective at changing behaviour. However, it is
important that the initial commitment to take action is followed up with advice,
support and assistance to maintain that commitment.
There are several potential models that a Lancashire scheme could follow to
achieve this, including the nationally recognised CRed (carbon reduction)
programme. A partnership with CRed, enabling the County Council and its
partners to use their experience and expertise in this area, would cost in the
region of £30,000 for three years. It is hoped that partner contributions will help
to fund this aspect of the programme.
The Northwest Development Agency, as part of implementing the regional
Climate Change Action Plan is encouraging local and sub-regional pledge
schemes throughout the region.
As with carbon offsetting, there is potential for duplication and there will be a
need to continue to engage with the Agency on this.
That said, the Agency has indicated that it wishes to support sub-regional
schemes. Indeed, as with carbon offsetting, the Agency has given an early
indication that it wishes to support financially a Lancashire scheme.
Communications
Increasing awareness and understanding of climate change is important if
ultimately we are going to be able to change behaviours to tackle the problem.
The aim of a pledge campaign will be to tell the story of climate change and to
inspire individual and collective action.
Effective communication does not have to be big or expensive. But targeting at
the right place and at the right time is important. The intention is to use a range
of current networks and processes to help change attitudes and to signpost
people to places where they can get more help to reduce their carbon footprint.
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This can be done at the point of sale and use of carbon:
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petrol pump nozzles (over 1000 of these in Lancashire) – building on the
excellent work of the Trading Standards service in certifying the correct
calibration of fuel pumps.
bus liveries
Pay & display car park tickets.
BBC Radio Lancashire - drive time shows, building on the relationships
established on climate change issues.
BBC North West Tonight - building on the relationships established on
climate change issues.
Campaign Branding
The campaign to encourage people, businesses and organisations to pledge or
offset will require a strong identity to be successful.
For example, the ‘Manchester is My Planet’ campaign has generated 17,000
pledges to date, and has a strong brand identity with a local area (Manchester)
as well as recognising the global impacts of climate change ( My Planet).
Several factors will help to shape the campaign:
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professional communications advice
partner views, particularly those making significant contributions to the
campaign
the views of the Lancashire Youth Council
A menu of branding ideas will be presented to the Committee at a future meeting.
Community engagement through County Council and other public
services.
The County Council and its partners have some excellent processes and
networks through which it might be possible to signpost to the Pledge scheme
and the Offset scheme; as well as raising awareness about climate change and
the actions that may be taken.
The County Library Manager and the Chief Trading Standards Officer are keen to
explore how their services can help engage communities on climate change
issues.
Environment Directorate officers will work closely with these and other services
as the programme evolves over the coming months to ensure the County Council
is making the best use of existing community engagement opportunities.
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Project Summary
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Campaigns that ask people to pledge to undertake action are more effective
at changing behaviour. However, it is important that the initial commitment to
take action is followed up with advice, support and assistance to maintain that
commitment.
Several pledge schemes exist, and the ‘Cred‘ (Carbon Reduction) seems to
have merit and a prominent national profile. This scheme was identified by
the Chief Executive at his recent Leeds Castle meeting.
The Cred scheme costs around £30,000 for three years and the NWDA and
other partners have given an early indication that they would be willing to part
support such a scheme in Lancashire.
The County Council and its partners have some excellent processes and
networks through which it might be possible to signpost to the Pledge scheme
and the Offset scheme; as well as engaging communities about climate
change and the actions that may be taken, together with advice, support, and
assistance.
Constructive discussions have already taken place with the County Library
Manager and the Chief Trading Standards Officer about engaging
communities through their services. Other services will be engaged as the
programme evolves.
Recommendation
1. The Committee notes the thinking to date on this project.
2. The Committee receives further update reports as the project develops,
together with an indication of the likely contributions from the County Council,
the NWDA and other partners.
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Adapting to the Risks of Climate Change
Public services are vulnerable to the effects of climate change. More very hot
days, intense down pours of rain and storms will have implications for the
delivery of services.
Some recent examples from other parts of the UK include school classrooms and
residential homes getting too hot, flash floods affecting roads and property, and
‘melting’ highways in extreme heat.
Similarly, other public services will be affected by climate change. The Fire &
Rescue Service will probably face more grassland fires. The Constabulary might
see an increase in acquisitive crime because of doors and windows being left
open on hot days.
It makes sound business planning sense for the County Council and its partners
to undertake a climate risk assessment of their key functions, identify the main
impacts that are likely to affect operations; and to develop an adaptation strategy
which identifies key areas for action and sets out roles and responsibilities.
Public sector partners in the Lancashire Partnership recently agreed to
collaborate in such research.
Key aspects of scheme
Estimated costs
Research impacts
Communicate to and engage with
services
Expected to be met through existing
resources in the Environment
Directorate.
Preparation of Adaptation Plan
Project Summary

Research into the risks that climate change poses for the delivery of public
services; together with the preparation of an ‘adaptation strategy’.
Recommendation
1. The Committee is requested to note the project, and to receive an update
report as the research develops.
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