Our new climate and environment strategy sets out our priorities to get council carbon emissions to net zero by 2035 or sooner and help the district’s residents and businesses to reach net zero by 2050.
Our vision is one of a green community, green place and green council, focusing on mitigation to climate change and helping communities to adapt to its effects.
We have five strategic aims:
- Net zero council – be a carbon zero council by 2035 with climate and environment priorities embedded across all council services.
- Green communities and resilience – help communities to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and make themselves more resilient to the impacts of climate change.
- Travel and transport – support a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from transport in East Hampshire.
- Energy – reduce energy consumption from the built environment and increase renewable energy generation and storage.
- Natural environment – conserve and enhance the natural environment.
The strategy also sets out the approach we will take:
- Leading by example, as we have with our move to Monterey House, with 331 solar panels on the roof and battery storage providing nearly all the electricity we need.
- Where possible, using our plans (like the Local Plan), powers and services to help reduce the carbon emissions of the district.
- Working with communities to reduce their own carbon emissions, for example promoting the Warmer Homes scheme and providing funding through the Community Climate Action Fund (which is open now).
Cllr Robert Mocatta, EHDC portfolio holder for Regeneration and Place (which includes climate change), said:
“We’ve taken great leaps in our approach to tackling climate change over the last few years, and this strategy will continue to accelerate our action.
“One of these leaps has been the move to Monterey House, a much more efficient and modern workplace with energy saving measures that are already cutting our bills.
“We have a responsibility to future generations to reduce our carbon emissions as a council and to do what we can to support others to change.
“It's key that we work collectively with local communities to tackle the climate emergency, one step at a time.”