Lewisham Council’s plans to tackle climate change and improve energy efficiency across the borough have been agreed at a Council meeting this week.
The Council's Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy was ratified by the Mayor on 9 July. The Strategy sets out the Council’s vision and includes a range of projects intended to achieve the borough's targets for reducing emissions of carbon dioxide.
Mayor of Lewisham, Sir Steve Bullock, said: “We have already introduced a number of measures on energy efficiency and received national recognition for our work in attaining Beacon Council status for Sustainable Energy."
“This Strategy builds on these achievements and signals the importance we attach to this issue. We anticipate it delivering savings on energy bills for the Council and for residents, in particular those most affected by recent increases in energy costs. The Strategy will also ensure we meet our climate change targets and contribute to targets for London and the UK.”
The Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy is designed to ensure the Council leads by example on energy efficiency and is the starting point for working with its strategic partners and with citizens to deliver a wide range of programmes and projects.
New projects planned for the borough include:
- Green Schools initiative: The Council is developing a holistic package of sustainability measures for schools, based on an assessment of buildings and involving children and representatives of the school.
- Fuel poverty: Ensuring that those most affected by the increasing cost of energy bills are able to heat their homes effectively by improving insulation, ensuring they access benefits and grants, and providing advice on low-cost energy efficiency measures.
- Low-carbon business hub: Using new technology and other building improvements to create a low-carbon business centre, attracting ‘green collar’ workers and environmentally aware social entrepreneurs.
- New Energy Action Zone: Extending Lewisham’s successful Energy Action Zone, providing door-to-door advice and information on energy efficiency and access to grants to improve insulation and energy efficiency to every home in the borough.
- A pilot ‘Green Street’ initiative: Working in collaboration with the London Development Agency to deliver a street-wide package of improvements and support for residents, designed to make a significant reduction in CO2 emissions.
- Local Authority Carbon Management Programme: Working with the Carbon Trust to ensure the Council leads by example in energy efficiency and provide the basis for delivering our targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from Council activity including heating and lighting buildings, street lighting and transportation.
Lewisham is also currently taking part in a personal carbon trading scheme national pilot. The pilot is being run by the RSA. The pilot will be assessed at the end of the trial period, with a view to informing national energy policies.