For additional climate change news visit:
 South West Climate Change Impacts Partnership News
 See also the news pages for:
 Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
 &
 Department of Energy and Climate Change
 

Two South West Communities are low carbon winners
Two communities from the South West are celebrating after winning up to £500,000 each to help install new green technologies such as solar panels, hydro turbines and energy saving insulation. The grant money, announced on 4 February through the Government’s Low Carbon Community Challenge, will be spent on a range of green measures which will cut carbon, save money on energy bills, and could even see some communities make cash from generating their own energy supported by the Government’s new clean energy scheme.
    In total, 22 communities will benefit from the £10million Low Carbon Community Challenge grant fund. The aim of the fund is to inform government of what works at a community level to cut emissions. The first ten winners were announced on 21st December last year. The South West winners are:
  • Exmoor National Park in Somerset and Devon where The LCCC funding will be used to help fund renewable energy projects such as wood pellet heating and solar installations in six communities that have been participating in community sustainable energy planning. One of those communities (Lynton and Lynmouth) is planning to install a community owned hydropower turbine that will generate an income for the community and the fund will help in raising awareness of the scheme amongst potential investors.
  • Ladock and Grampound Road in mid-Cornwall Plan to upgrade homes, schools, community halls and businesses with a combination of energy efficiency measures and microgeneration technology. They will monitor their progress through smart meters to assess the impacts of behaviour change and renewable energy technologies. Any income from clean energy will be fed back into a community fund for further low carbon investment. The project will also see the plantation of a nut grove carbon sequestration project and the installation of an electric vehicle charging point.
    Further information on the Low Carbon Community Challenge (LCCC) can be found on DECC's website from this link: LCCC - DECC.
February 2010

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Lundy Island is England's first marine conservation zone
The waters around Lundy Island, off the coast of Devon, became England’s first Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) under the Marine and Coastal Access Act on 12 January 2010.
    The new network of Marine Conservation Zones in our waters will protect England’s marine species and habitats, from the common to the rare and to the threatened. Four regional projects have started working with local groups and businesses to identify further areas that will be designated as Marine Conservation Zones.
    Defra's Minister for the Marine Environment, Huw Irranca-Davies, said: "With the new Marine Conservation Zone around Lundy Island we have taken the first step in creating a network of marine protected areas. We can’t always see what is happening to the wildlife and habitats under our seas, but they need just the same protection as those on land and this world-first in legislation will provide that. The four MCZ projects around England’s coastline are working with local interest groups to identify what other areas should be given this protection and I encourage all those that use the sea for work or recreation to get involved with their local project team."
    Lundy Island is just over three miles long and half a mile wide and the surrounding waters are home to varied wildlife including a high population of seals, lobsters and a number of different species of coral. The waters around Lundy were a marine nature reserve, until their change of status to an MCZ. Specific conservation objectives for the island will now be developed which will be open for consultation. Local byelaws will remain in place to protect the island’s wildlife.
    Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee are the bodies responsible for advising ministers on the delivery of Marine Conservation Zones.
    Further information can be found on Natural England's website from this link: England’s first Marine Conservation Zone (Natural England).
January 2010

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Consumers can help secure Britain’s food future
Ensuring food security is just as important to Britain’s future as energy supply, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Hilary Benn told delegates at the Oxford Farming Conference on 5th January as he unveiled the Government’s food strategy, Food 2030. The Food Strategy sets out the challenges facing Britain in maintaining a secure food supply at a time of rapid population growth and climate change, and following the big price increases seen in 2008 following droughts and the rise in the price of oil.
    Mr Benn said that people power can help bring about a revolution in the way food is produced and sold, and that food businesses, including supermarkets and food manufacturers, would follow consumer demand for food that is local, healthy and has been produced with a smaller environmental footprint – just as consumers have pushed the rapid expansion of Fairtrade products and free range eggs over the last decade.
    "A decade ago, only 16 per cent of eggs produced in the UK were free range. In the last ten years that’s more than doubled to just under 40 per cent. Waitrose, M&S and the Co-op now sell only free range or organic eggs. And with the UK 80 per cent self-sufficient in free-range eggs this is a great example of how our farmers have responded to what consumers want, to the benefit of both." He also said that government and food businesses needed to support consumers by providing more accurate information about the origin and nutritional content of the food they buy.
    The food strategy sets out goals for 2030, and the changes that need to be made to achieve them, including:
  • Farmers producing efficiently, sustainably and safely to high standards of animal welfare, with food production supporting our rural communities and contributing to UK and global food security.
  • Farmers and fishermen producing more with fewer resources and fewer carbon emissions, with investment in the right skills.
  • An innovative, competitive, skilled and resilient food sector, supported by first class scientific research and development, with sustainable supply chains.
  • Informed consumers able to choose and afford healthy food, supported by better labelling and information.
  • Government support for partnerships, funding of research, regulating where necessary and cutting red tape where possible, leading by example through public food procurement, and campaigning for change in Europe and globally.
    The Government’s food strategy, Food 2030, can be found at: www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/food/strategy/.
January 2010

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Green announcements in the Pre-Budget Report
The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Pre-Budget Report made on 9 December 2009 provides a further £400 million to support business investment in low-carbon growth and help households reduce energy costs. Combined with policies announced since September 2008, this could support over £15 billion of additional public and private investment in the low-carbon and energy sectors over the next three years. The Pre-Budget Report announces:
  • additional support for offshore wind projects accredited from April 2010 to March 2014 via the Renewables Obligation - the temporary increase in Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) for offshore wind will be amended so that all projects accredited between April 2010 and March 2014 will qualify for 2 ROCs, supporting at least an additional £400 million of investment. It also announces that technical change to improve the certainty of the ROC price will be brought forward to 2011;
  • doubling to four the UK’s commitment to fund carbon capture and storage demonstration projects via contributions from electricity suppliers phased over the period 2014 to 2018;
  • establishing Infrastructure UK to leverage further investment in low-carbon projects including by: investing €100 million (£90M) in a European Investment Bank-led fund to deploy up to €1.5 billion of equity and €5 billion of debt in low-carbon infrastructure; and considering the case for a low-carbon investment institution;
  • £120 million for low-carbon industries in the UK, including new manufacturing and testing facilities for offshore wind, and support to improve energy use in the chemicals industry;
  • £200 million to improve energy efficiency and tackle fuel poverty by: offering £400 for up to 125,000 households to upgrade their old boilers to the latest efficient models with a greener boiler incentive (available to those who buy a new efficient boiler or renewable heat unit to replace a working G rated boiler); and providing extra resources for Warm Front to help 75,000 of the most vulnerable households with heating and insulation;
  • confirming that the income received by those who generate small-scale renewable electricity for their home through the clean energy cash-back scheme, worth on average £900 in 2010, will be tax free;
  • helping one million more vulnerable households with discounts on their energy bills by increasing support provided by energy companies from £150 million to £300 million by 2013-14;
  • increasing support for low-carbon vehicles through exempting electric cars from company car tax from 2010, introducing a 100 per cent first-year allowance for electric vans, and investing a further £30 million on low-carbon transport projects.
    Link to: Pre-Budget Report microsite.
December 2009

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Act on Copenhagen
With the historic climate change conference COP15 (15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) opening in Copenhagen on 7 December, you can follow developments hour by hour on the Act on Copenhagen website www.actoncopenhagen.decc.gov.uk. You can register on that website for regular updates throughout the negotiations.
    Act on Copenhagen is the online voice of the UK Government on Copenhagen, and will aim to cover as much as possible of what the UK delegation is doing in Copenhagen, as well as other activities relevant to the conference, through a choice of 5 stories every day. If you would rather get a snapshot of the day, then you should visit www.decc.gov.uk, where you will see all main stories with links to further developments.
    The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (Copenhagen) website is at http://unfccc.int.
December 2009

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New Greener Home Working advice
Whether you are running a business from home, planning to start a new home-based business, or just working from home on occasions, Business Link and the Energy Saving Trust have produced online tips, tools and guides that can help you take steps towards a greener home office. Their short videos show you quick and easy ways to reduce your running costs and create a greener office. For "steps to a cost efficient and greener home office" click on this link: Greener Home Working online videos & advice.
November 2009

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Government sets strategic low carbon direction for overhaul of energy system
Faster and fairer planning decisions on new energy infrastructure were brought a step closer this month as Energy and Climate Secretary Ed Miliband laid before Parliament draft texts setting out the national need for a low carbon secure energy mix. He also set out a new policy for the transition to clean coal. The draft National Policy Statements (NPSs) published today are a crucial part of reforms that will remove unnecessary planning delays facing large energy proposals. They will be the basis on which individual planning decisions are made from March 2010 by the new Infrastructure Planning Commission.
    To meet our low carbon energy challenge, and due to the intermittency of wind, we will need significantly more generating capacity in the longer term. One third of that larger future generating capacity must be consented and built over the next 15 years to 2025. While there are already proposals to build more energy infrastructure, more is needed to bring about the shift to a low carbon future. The NPSs include clear direction towards a massive expansion in renewables, a new nuclear programme based around ten sites assessed as potentially suitable for new build (including Hinkley Point and Oldbury in the South West) and a programme to demonstrate clean coal technology.
    Six National Policy Statements (NPSs) have been published - one overarching and one for each of the following areas: fossil fuels, nuclear, renewables, transmission networks and oil and gas pipelines – alongside the Government’s final Framework for the Development of Clean Coal. For clean coal, with immediate effect, to gain development consent all new coal generating plant will have to show that they will demonstrate the full Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) chain (capture, transport and storage) from the outset on at least 300 MW net of their total output. A programme of up to four commercial-scale CCS demonstrations, including both pre-combustion and post-combustion capture technologies, will be funded by a new CCS Incentive. Legislation to introduce this has been proposed for the forthcoming Parliamentary session.
    The full announcement can be found on the DECC website from this link: DECC Press Release 9.11.09.
November 2009

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New campaign to encourage less waste and more recycling
A new campaign, part of the Government’s Act On CO2 campaign, looks at everything from food waste to furniture recycling and encourages consumers to 'Remember. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle'. A new website offering tips and advice to consumers on making better use of the things we all too often put straight in the bin or take to the dump, has also been launched at www.direct.gov.uk/waste.
    Research published recently by Defra showed that an additional 500,000 tonnes of household waste could be saved from landfill by doing more to reuse it or find another home for it. Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said: "I set out recently what the Government will do to help the country on its path to becoming a zero waste nation. Making better use of everything around us will really help us to tackle the impact our waste has on climate change, and save us money too. That’s why our campaign is encouraging everyone to rethink what they might think of as ‘waste’ and ‘recycling’ – we can all do things like put our old sofa on Freecycle rather than taking it to the dump, or recycle our old mobile if we get a new one."
October 2009

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More home grown fruit and vegetables
A new Task Force to help England to grow and eat more fruit and vegetables and improve the nation's health has been launched by Defra. Comprising growers, retailers, consumers and agricultural researchers, the Fruit and Vegetables Task Force will develop an action plan to increase the production and consumption of fruit and vegetables in this country.
    According to Defra, in 2008 domestic production of fruit and vegetables was 37% of demand. The UK produces 11% of the fresh fruit we consume, which has increased in the last five years, and 58% of fresh vegetables, down from 63% five years ago. Compared to five years ago, more of the apples we eat are grown in the UK, and nearly 13% more strawberries eaten in Britain are grown here. However, the proportion of pears and plums consumed that were grown here have declined. Most cabbages and carrots eaten in the UK are also grown here, but UK production of tomatoes has declined over the last decade, meaning a greater proportion of the tomatoes we consume are imported.
    Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Hilary Benn said that the new group needed to look at ways to get people growing their own fruit and vegetables, as well as ways to support England’s commercial growers – and to get people choosing local fruit and veg, particularly when it's in season. For Defra's web page on sustainable, secure and healthy food click here: Defra - Food.
October 2009

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New guidelines for business to help measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
New guidance to measure and tackle greenhouse gas emissions for businesses and organisations has been published by Defra and DECC. The guidance has been published alongside advice on what it means to be carbon neutral.
    The guidance is part of the Government response to the Climate Change Act 2008 and has been produced by Defra and DECC. Organisations using this voluntary guidance will not be required to submit reports or make data available to government. Reporting on emissions is voluntary. The guidance covers all 6 Kyoto greenhouse gases. Organisations can measure and report on all emissions that they are responsible for – both direct emissions and indirect emissions.
    The guidance is based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, which is the internationally recognised standard for corporate accounting and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions produced by the World Resources Institute/World Business Council for Sustainable Development. The guidance can be found at: www.defra.gov.uk/environment/business/reporting/index.htm.
    DECC held a consultation in early 2009 on a definition of carbon neutrality and recommendations on good practice. Based on the consultation document and the responses received, the Government has adopted the following definition: "Carbon neutral means that – through a transparent process of calculating emissions, reducing those emissions and offsetting residual emissions – net carbon emissions equal zero". The summary of the responses to the consultation and guidance on carbon neutrality is now available from this link: Carbon Neutrality - DECC.
October 2009

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Energy Saving Week
19 - 25 October is the Energy Saving Trust's Energy Saving Week. This year’s theme is waste and they’re helping people across the UK, stop wasting their time, money and energy. Click here for details on the Energy Saving Week website. Short on time? Check out some quick and easy ways to stop wasting energy with the Energy Saving Clock. Some ideas only take one minute! Click here for Energy Saving Clock (external site).
October 2009

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ENVEC 2009 - conference papers now available
Over 200 delegates attended ENVEC 2009, the region's main climate change conference for 2009 held in Weston-super-Mare on 8th October. Conference presentations were from: Forum for the Future - How can the economic recovery be green?; EDF Energy - Keeping the lights on for business in a low carbon economy; and The Energy Saving Trust - Emission impossible? – the path to cutting the UK’s CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050. Expert briefing sessions were provided by UKCIP, EDF Energy and the Environment Agency.
    Conference papers can be found on the ENVEC website: www.oursouthwest.com/envec. ENVEC was supported by GOSW, EDF Energy, the Energy Saving Trust, the Environment Agency and SWCCIP.
October 2009

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Further Sustainability Appraisal of Regional Spatial Strategy
The Government has given the go-ahead to a further appraisal of whether proposals for the Regional Spatial Strategy for South West England (SW RSS) are the most sustainable way forward for the Region. Since the Regional Assembly submitted the draft RSS to the Government in June 2006, it has been the subject of extensive public debate and consultation. The Government had expected to issue the final version at the end of June 2009.
    In May, the High Court issued a judgment that the Sustainability Appraisal of the East of England RSS (EoE RSS) had failed to test reasonable alternatives to two of its proposals, and has remitted those proposals to the Government to reconsider them. In the light of this judgment, the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Government Office for the South West have looked again at the Sustainability Appraisal of the SW RSS, and whether they have tested reasonable alternatives to modifications introduced following the Examination in Public (EiP).
    The Government wishes to be satisfied that the Sustainability Appraisal of last year’s Proposed Changes to the SW RSS tested reasonable alternatives to those Areas of Search for strategic housing, business and other development which were added or amended following consideration of the EiP Panel's report.
    It has therefore decided to carry out a new Sustainability Appraisal, to ensure that alternatives to these elements of the proposals are properly tested and represent the most sustainable way forward for the Region. The new Appraisal is expected to take until early in the New Year. The Government has similarly decided to conduct further Sustainability Appraisal of the EoE RSS.
    In the light of the Appraisal’s findings, the Government will then decide what action to take to complete the SW Strategy to provide the clarity and certainty about the future framework for growth in the region which all partners are keen to see. Further information can be found on GOSW's website.
September 2009

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ENVEC 2009 - making sustainability happen in a changing climate
ENVEC 2009, the region's main climate change conference for 2009 takes place in Weston-super-Mare on 8th October. Supported by GOSW, EDF Energy, the Energy Saving Trust, the Environment Agency and SWCCIP, ENVEC will feature the new climate change projections, UKCP09, in the expert briefing sessions. Other conference and expert briefing topics will be: How can the economic recovery be green?; Keeping the lights on for business in a low carbon economy; Emission impossible? – the path to cutting the UK’s CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050; Carbon Reduction Commitment – the monitoring phase; and Business continuity in a changing climate – would your business stay afloat?
    Full details can be found on the ENVEC website at: www.oursouthwest.com/envec.
September 2009

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West of England Carbon Challenge
The Carbon Challenge calls all organisations with sites in Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset to commit to making annual cuts in their carbon dioxide emissions over the next four years, to reach a cumulative reduction of at least 10% by 2012. It is free to sign up and organisations that join can benefit from free advice, tools and practical support to help them to measure, manage and reduce their carbon emissions. The scheme is delivered in partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Energy and Business in the Community's May Day Network. Further details can be found on the project's website at: www.westofenglandcarbonchallenge.org.
August 2009

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Funding announced for local community flood protection
Local communities across England will benefit from £16 million funding to help them tackle surface water flooding, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn announced on 18 August 2009. £9.7M will help the top 77 local authorities develop surface water management plans where the consequences of surface water flooding are expected to be highest have been identified from new studies which model the effects of very severe rainfall. Such storms can occur anywhere and are expected to become more frequent in the future with climate change.
    Funding will be in the form of area-based and capital grants between August 2009 and March 2011. South West local authorities to benefit are Bristol, Bournemouth, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Plymouth, Somerset and Swindon. Local authorities for all other areas will also be able to bid for a share of £5 million to help them deal with known local flooding problems. Defra is also spending £1 million on making training, data and other tools available to help all local authorities manage flood risk.
    The announcement can be found on Defra’s website at: www.defra.gov.uk/news/2009/090818a.htm. The Environment Agency estimates that around two-thirds of the flooding (affecting 57,000 properties) in summer 2007 was due to surface water. Surface water flooding is also extremely difficult to predict as it is often a result of sudden localised rainfall events, and very small variations in the built environment can have significant effects on the way water flows. Climate change projections indicate that intense rainfall events are likely to increase resulting in an increased risk of surface water flooding.
August 2009

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Radical rethink of food production required
The UK will need to change the way food is produced and processed so that we continue to enjoy healthy affordable food in the decades ahead, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Hilary Benn said on 10th August as he published the country’s first food security assessment. The assessment shows that the UK is doing well in many areas which make up a secure and sustainable food system, such as a diverse food supply, which includes UK production, and a strong distribution system.
    The challenges will be to ensure the sustainability of the UK’s food supply. In particular we will need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to a changing climate here and overseas that will affect what food can be grown and where and how it can be grown. The assessment also highlights the availability and effective use of water to produce food – the need to get more crop per drop – and the depletion of fish stocks.
    The assessment shows that globally, the availability of food has moved in a favourable direction, but there are very significant distributional problems, so that many households around the world are food insecure; 1 billion people remain poorly nourished yet 1.6 billion are overweight and the number is rising fast.
    Given the potential impacts of climate change, and the challenges facing developing countries in continuing to increase production, Defra's assessment of the global availability of food per person suggests a more cautious view over the next five to ten years. With the global population estimated to increase from 6bn to 9bn by 2050, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that global food production will have to increase by 70% compared to 2005-7 levels.
    The assessment concludes that the only way to meet the challenges facing food security in future was through co-operation between all parts of our food supply chain, individuals and organisations with an interest in our food and how it is produced and brought to market, and the Government. Taking this work forward, actions being taken by Government include:-
  • continue to take forward a range of activities to advise the agri-food sector and, in particular, SMEs, on what they can do to improve resource efficiency, adapt to climate change, and promote biodiversity;
  • pay particular attention to the need to fill knowledge gaps through research on the effects of climate change, in particular, the identification of alternative crops, smarter inventories, mitigation methods, and the efficient use of water in the food chain;
  • looking at the need to sponsor further research into water use in the food industry, in particular on improving water tolerance, diffuse pollution, and new technologies; and
  • Defra is co-operating with the Department for Transport and other Government departments on the production of a comprehensive research and development strategy for the development of more advanced bio-fuels which could potentially improve environmental performance, and reduce competition with food production.
    To see the food security assessment on Defra's website click here: www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/food/security/index.htm.
August 2009

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UK Low Carbon Transition Plan launched
- includes key announcements for SW region
A comprehensive plan to move the UK onto a permanent low carbon footing and to maximise economic opportunities, growth and jobs was published by the Government on 15 July 2009. The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan plots out how the UK will meet the cut in emissions set out in the budget of 34% on 1990 levels by 2020. A 21% reduction has already been delivered – equivalent to cutting emissions entirely from four cities the size of London.
    The UK is the first country in the world to set itself legally binding 'carbon budgets'. Under the Climate Change Act 2008 emissions of greenhouse gases are constrained in each successive five year period. The Transition Plan sets out how the UK will cut emissions by 34% on 1990 levels by 2020 from the main emitting sectors – power, homes, workplaces, transport and agriculture – on the way to achieving a reduction of at least 80% by 2050. Every government department has (on 15 July) been allocated its own carbon budget, as the Government pilots a new system to run alongside financial budgets. Departments will have to live within these when taking major policy decisions and also for managing their own buildings.
    Transforming the country into a cleaner, greener and more prosperous place to live is at the heart of the Government's economic plans for Building Britain’s Future and ensuring the UK is ready to take advantage of the opportunities ahead. The Government stated that by 2020:
  • More than 1.2 million people will be in green jobs;
  • 7 million homes will enjoy pay-as-you-save home energy makeovers, and more than 1.5 million households will be supported to produce their own clean energy;
  • 40% of electricity will be from low carbon sources, from renewables, nuclear and clean coal;
  • We will be importing 20-30% less gas than we otherwise would;
  • The average new car will emit 40% less carbon than now.
    The Transition Plan seeks a cost effective route to reducing carbon and therefore aims to keep the overall impact on the consumer to a minimum. The intention is for no immediate impact on bills as most new policies kick in beyond 2015. By 2020, the impact of ALL climate change policies, both existing and new, will be to add, on average, an additional 8% to today’s household bills. The Plan includes greater powers for the regulator Ofgem to protect the consumer and new resources for discounts off the bills of the poorest households.
    To see the Low Carbon Transition Plan on the DECC website including other related announcements click here: LCTP - DECC.

    Also announced by the Government on 15 July:
  • the UK Low Carbon Industrial Strategy which sets out a series of active government interventions to support industries critical to tackling climate change by targeting key industries and regions where the UK has competitive or commercial advantage, including offshore wind, marine power and carbon capture and storage. This includes making the South West the first low carbon economic area*;
  • the Renewable Energy Strategy which maps out how we will deliver the UK’s target of getting 15% of all energy (electricity, heat and transport) from renewables by 2020;
  • the Government’s Low Carbon Transport Plan which sets out how to reduce carbon emissions from domestic transport by up to 14% over the next decade.

    *The South West will become a world centre for wave energy under new plans announced by the Government on 15 July 2009. The Low Carbon Industrial Strategy will include £85m of public investment to make the South West the UK’s first Low Carbon Economic Area, building on regional business opportunities and skills. £9.5m of low carbon strategic investment funding will secure the go-ahead for the Wave Hub sub-sea socket off Cornwall and a further £10m to support other strategic marine energy projects. There is also £6m of funding to explore the potential of geothermal energy in the UK and the South West is a strong contender for the funds, hosting several possible suitable hot rock sites.

    The Government also published a response to the Severn tidal power consultation held earlier this year – confirming more work on the impact of three barrages and two lagoons and cash to bring forward the development of three embryonic Severn proposals, including two types of tidal fence and a low-head barrage using a new turbine design. Once further information on the environmental, social and regional impacts of the shortlist of schemes is available, there will be a second public consultation (likely in 2010) on whether the UK should look to build a Severn tidal power scheme. For further details click here: Severn Tidal Power (DECC website).
July 2009

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New UK climate projections (UKCP09) launched
Cutting-edge scientific projections developed by a consortium of organisations using Met Office climate modelling were launched on 18 June 2009 by Environment Secretary Hilary Benn. These provide the most detailed picture to date of the threats facing Britain from climate change. The UK Climate Projections 09 (UKCP09) illustrate the major changes the UK would most likely face in the absence of global action to cut emissions – warmer and wetter winters, hotter and drier summers, increased risk of coastal erosion and more severe weather events. While we can never be absolutely certain what the future holds, these projections – for the first time – show how likely the different scenarios are and the maps and findings are publicly available online. Across the UK, the projections show a range of climate changes, based on Met Office science, up until the end of the century based on three possible greenhouse gas emissions pathways – high, medium and low.
    The UK Climate Projections 09 are available as a web-based tool. For the main technical information about UKCP09, and the full range of information and support (including training), go to: http://ukclimateprojections.defra.gov.uk. UKCP09 will be used as part of risk-based planning for local government, utilities and other organisations. Businesses and other organisations now have the tools to help them make risk-based decisions to adapt to the challenges of the changing climate.
    The 2009 projections are presented for each UK region at a 25km resolution to take into account local topography for more detailed simulations across the country. The probabilistic approach allows users to adopt a risk-based approach to planning – for example users may choose to use the worst case scenario (eg high emissions scenario, projected maximum temperature increase) for planning decisions where the risk of not being resilient is potentially high such as the future of flood defences like the Thames Barrier. The projections build on the data published in 2002 (UKCIP02) which provided one best estimate for climate changes rather than a probabilistic range.
    For Defra’s announcement of UKCP09 click here: UKCP09 - Defra announcement. For information on adapting to climate change in the South West visit the website of the SW Climate Change Impacts Partnership.
    Defra also launched on 18 June a consultation on the use of its new Adaptation Reporting Power under the Climate Change Act 2008, which requires over 100 organisations providing a public service to report on the risks climate change poses to their operations and the plans they have in place to response. For the first time Government departments will have to publish their plans to adapt by spring 2010. Further details can be found on Defra's website, click here: Consultation on the Adaptation Reporting Power.
June 2009

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Consultation on Coastal Change Policy
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a consultation document on Coastal Change Policy that sets out its ideas for how coastal communities can successfully adapt to the impacts of coastal change, and Government’s role in supporting this. It reflects the commitment, made in the Government’s Making Space for Water Strategy, to effective management of flood and erosion risk in a sustainable manner which is climate change proofed. Details can be found at: www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/coastal-change/. The deadline for responses is 25 September 2009.
June 2009

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Adapting to Climate Change Week 2009
Following the success of last year's Adaptation Week, the SW Climate Change Impacts Partnership (SWCCIP) has announced details of its Adaptation Week, 1st - 5th June 2009. This year SWCCIP are supporting a number of events, including a "Changing Climate - Changing Business" DVD launch and "Ask the Expert" event for businesses and a 'BACLIAT' Train the Trainer session for local authorities. The week will also mark the launch of a some new Adaptation Case Studies and a 'Biodiversity Glossary' - tools to help and promote climate change adaptation within the South West. The full Programme of Events is available from SWCCIP's Events web page.
May 2009

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Young artists invited to design EU's new organic logo
Young artists are being offered the chance for their work to appear in every supermarket and greengrocer’s in the European Union. The EU is asking all students registered at an art or design college to come up with a new EU-wide organic logo. The winner will receive a cash prize of 6,000 Euros and the winning logo will appear on the label of all pre-packaged organic food throughout the EU from July 2010.
    The closing date for entries is 25 June 2009. Details can be found at: www.ec.europa.eu/organic-logo.
May 2009

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Budget 2009 and building a low-carbon recovery
To strengthen the long-term policy framework and give UK industry the confidence to invest in low carbon technologies, Budget 2009 announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 22 April set the world’s first carbon budgets, as required by the Climate Change Act 2008. These set a legally binding 34% reduction in emissions by 2020, a new level of ambition for UK climate policy. The Government intends to set carbon budgets now for the period 2008-12, 2013-17 and 2018-22 that are based on 'Interim' budgets (i.e. to apply before a global deal is reached) in line with advice from the Committee on Climate Change, requiring greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced by at least 34% in 2020, relative to 1990 levels. Click here for link to DECC's web page on: Carbon Budgets.
    Budget 2009 announced an additional £375 million to support energy and resource efficiency in businesses, public buildings and households over the next two years, and £70 million for decentralised small-scale and community low-carbon energy. Together, those measures will support employment, and save 380,000 tCO2 and around £60M in energy bills each year.
    To protect investment and jobs in low-carbon energy, and to strengthen the long-term framework for a low-carbon energy future, Budget 2009 also announced:
  • £405M to support low-carbon industries and advanced green manufacturing, to help make the UK a worldwide leader;
  • that UK renewable and energy projects stand to benefit from up to £4B of new capital from the European Investment Bank, removing blockages in project financing;
  • an uplift in support for offshore wind investments that reach financial close between now and 2011 through the Renewables Obligation. This is expected to support £9B of investment and power up to 2.8 million homes;
  • extending support for combined heat and power through climate change levy exemptions, helping bring forward £2.5B of investment and 3 GW of capacity by 2015, and supporting employment; and
  • a new funding mechanism to support up to four carbon capture and storage demonstration projects, and £90 million to fund detailed preparatory studies.
    To support the public finances, while also driving the move to a low-carbon and resource-efficient economy, Budget 2009 announced:
  • an increase in fuel duty of 2 pence per litre on 1 September 2009, and of 1 penny per litre in real terms each year from 2010 to 2013. This will contribute to medium term fiscal consolidation, and save 2 MtCO2 per year by 2013-14; and
  • a continued increase in the standard rate of landfill tax by £8 per tonne on 1 April each year from 2011 to 2013, to reduce landfill in a sustainable way by encouraging further investment into alternative waste management options.
    The Chancellor also announced additional funding of £10M for anaerobic digestion and waste infrastructure. With the rise in the standard rate of landfill tax up to 2013 these measures will encourage investment in sustainable waste management and will enable over 850,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent savings to be made each year, which will help towards achieving the Government’s carbon budget.
    To view the Budget documents on the HM Treasury website (see Chapter 7 for the low carbon recovery) click here: Budget 2009.
April 2009

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Prosperity Without Growth? - The transition to a sustainable economy
The Sustainable Development Commission's latest report argues that the pursuit of economic growth is one of the root causes of the current financial crisis, as well contributing to a growing environmental crisis and undermining well-being in developed countries. The report calls on world leaders to adopt a 12-step plan to make the transition to a fair, sustainable, low-carbon economy.
    Recommendations include:
  • Creating the conditions for people to flourish. Includes tackling systemic inequality and removing incentives for unproductive status competition; sharing available work and improving work-life balance, and reversing the culture of consumerism.
  • Building a sustainable macro-economy which is no longer structurally reliant on increasing consumption. An economy which can succeed without growth must be based on financial and fiscal prudence and improved macro-economic accounting, and prioritise investment in public assets and infrastructures over private affluence.
  • Putting an awareness of ecological limits at the heart of economic decision-making. Treasury thinking must be governed by clearly defined resource and emissions caps; policy should promote technology transfer to developing countries and international ecosystem protection.
    To download the report from the SDC website, clikc here: SDC - Prosperity Without Growth.
April 2009

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Regional Sustainable Development Indicators published
Regional versions of the UK Government's indicators of sustainable development have been published by Defra to help provide a perspective of sustainable development in each region. To support the UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy, 'Securing the Future' (published in March 2005), there is a suite of 68 national sustainable development indicators. For 46 of these indicators, for which data are available, it has been possible to produce regional versions for the Government Office Regions.
    Key findings within the Regional Sustainable Development Indicators:
  • Every region has shown improvement in a number of areas during the last decade.
  • With a few exceptions, every region is moving in the same direction as the national trends.
  • There is no single region that is in the best or worst position for all of the indicators.
  • For every region there are areas where they are in a better position and areas where they are in a worse position, relative to other regions.
     For the South West, the region had amongst the highest proportions of rivers of good quality. Rates of burglary, vehicle theft and violent crime (as estimated by the British crime survey) are amongst the lowest of the regions and satisfaction with local area was highest of the regions. The proportion of 19 years old attaining level 2 qualifications was amongst the highest of the regions. Mortality rates from circulatory disease and cancer were the lowest of the regions and overall life expectancy was amongst the highest. The lowest percentage of journeys was made by public transport in the South West, and the region saw the second lowest reuse of previously developed land for new housing.
     For further information on Defra's website click here: Defra - Regional Indicators.
April 2009

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World faces perfect storm by 2030 unless we act
Professor Sir John Beddington, the UK government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, speaking at the SDUK09 conference earlier this month said food reserves were at a 50-year low but the world required 50 per cent more energy, food and water by 2030. He posed several questions: "Can nine billion people be fed? Can we cope with the demands in the future on water? Can we provide enough energy? Can we do it, all that, while mitigating and adapting to climate change? And can we do all that in 21 years time? That's when these things are going to start hitting in a really big way. We need to act now. We need investment in science and technology, and all the other ways of treating very seriously these major problems. 2030 is not very far away."
    Professor Beddington said there were, however, grounds for optimism. These were that we recognise we have a problem, we have enormous ingenuity, and the ability to generate solutions. He cited the scientific adviser appointments to President Barack Obama's team as a further reason for optimism including the appointment of John Holdren, an eminent climate change expert who has worked in the whole sphere of climate change, who was now a direct adviser to President Obama.
    The full text of Professor Beddington’s speech can be found on the GovNet website.
March 2009

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The Prince's May Day Summit in the South West
The Prince's May Day Summit is the UK's largest gathering of businesses committed to taking action on climate change each year on 1st May. The South West Summit this year, to be held in Bristol, will include Jonathan Porritt, a climate change marketplace and discussion groups offering open debate and support delegates and their organisation's low carbon journey. The South West C+ Carbon Positive Awards will be celebrated and there will also be a live link to HRH The Prince of Wales and Pen Hadow's Arctic Survey. For more information click here: The Prince's May Day Network.
March 2009

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A globally fair and safe carbon share for everyone
Fair Shares, Fair Choice is a campaign co-ordinated by charity Sustainability South West to demonstrate the growing support from a wide range of organisations and individuals for the principle of a globally fair and safe carbon share for everyone.
    Originally launched in the South West, Fair Shares, Fair Choice has been re-launched this month as a national campaign and will not only be aimed at those in the South West but everyone! A new website - www.fairsharesfairchoice.com – was launched on 15 March 2009, along with exclusive carbon cards showing your personal fair share of carbon for 2009 and a new promotional film about the campaign and how you can join in.
    Commenting on the launch SSW’s Director, Leslie Watson, said, "Now is the time to make a difference. MPs, residents, climate change experts, celebrities, public sector agencies, voluntary sector and business organisations are all supporting Fair Shares, Fair Choice and making climate positive choices for a more resilient future. Join in today and sign up to globally fair and safe carbon shares for everyone."
March 2009

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Low Carbon Industrial Strategy
The Government has launched a new interactive website for the Low Carbon Industrial Strategy. This provides an opportunity for businesses and other interested parties to discuss a national vision for the transition to a low carbon economy, at a time when our economic future is also under the spotlight. The website provides an opportunity for you to engage on how the Government can be a catalyst for low carbon growth and set business on the path to building the low carbon economy. A final low carbon industrial strategy resulting from the interactive consultation will be published in the summer. Click here to visit the website: http://interactive.berr.gov.uk/lowcarbon/.
    Speaking at the Low Carbon Industrial Summit on 6 March 2009, Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to said: "..our task is to recognise that transformation of our economy is going to be enormous - and I’ve got to be honest, I don’t think everyone has yet fully realised it. We can’t negotiate with the science - and the science says we need to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent to avoid the most catastrophic and irreversible effects of climate change. We’ll have 20 per cent of the emissions, with an economy that we want to be three times bigger. That's not just a change, it's a transformation."
March 2009

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