AIMS AND TARGETS

protecting the globeAims of the Strategy:

  • to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Council operations and services;
  • to ensure that measures are taken to prepare the Council’s assets and services for likely future changes to the climate;
  • to raise awareness in the wider community about climate change;
  • to work in partnership to reduce carbon emissions and prepare for the future changes to the climate across the District.

Targets:

  • For the District - aim to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 26% up to 2020 and 80% by 2050 (against a 1990 baseline)
  • For the Council - aspire to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 42% by 2020 and become carbon neutral by 2050
  • Adaptation:
    - assess the threats and opportunities of climate change on Council operations and services and assemble    evidence for the wider community by 2011
    - undertake a comprehensive risk assessment by 2012.

 

carbon footprint

There is a county-wide target for reducing carbon emissions. This agreement seeks to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 9.5% between 2008 and 2011. The target in this Strategy takes a longer term view of carbon reductions but incorporates the West Sussex wide target.

Data on our own carbon dioxide emissions is incomplete which is why there is not a firm target in this Strategy. More information on this will be available later this year.

It is not possible to have a quantitative target for adaptation. However, the Government has given Councils a framework of actions to prepare for future changes to the climate. The proposed target reflects this framework.