HORSHAM DISTRICT COUNCIL
The Council signed the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change in 2007. This pledges that we will take steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our own buildings, transport and operations and also work with the community to do likewise. The importance of taking action on climate change is also acknowledged in the Council's Corporate Plan 2008-2011.
For several years we used the framework of an environmental management system to continuously improve our environmental performance. We have now moved on from this approach. We are focusing on seven key areas and are integrating our environmental management within our corporate performance management framework and relevant strategies and plans. Much of this work directly relates to reducing carbon emissions. Indeed, several key strategies already contain commitments that contribute to tackling climate change.
Producing a Climate Change Strategy provides an opportunity to pull together existing work within the Council and to build on this. However, we can also have an influence beyond our own buildings and transport. We can provide leadership on this issue and bring organisations together to take action.
In this section there is a brief description of some of the actions that we have already taken in relation to climate change, followed by actions for the next five years. This will be a starting point for action and we will need to continually review and update what we are doing.
There are some overarching issues associated with carbon emissions that do not fall within the subject headings.
Future Actions
| Initiative | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 to 2 years: | |
| Carbon emissions from Council buildings, transport and operations | Finalise a “carbon profile” for carbon dioxide emissions from main Council activities and reaffirm the targets for reducing emissions |
| Carbon Trust Local Authority Carbon Management Programme | Investigate the implications of the Council joining this Programme |
| 2 to 5 years: | |
| Low carbon exchange | Investigate establishing a low carbon exchange for the Sussex area, creating carbon credits to fund local projects that reduce carbon emissions |