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Subject: |
2030 Carbon Neutral Programme |
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Date of Meeting: |
16 March 2021 ETS Committee 18 March 2021 P&R Committee |
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Report of: |
Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture |
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Contact Officer: |
Name: |
Kirsten Firth Rachel Williams |
Tel: |
01273 291098 |
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Email: |
kirsten.firth@brighton-hove.gov.uk rachel.williams@brighton-hove.gov.uk
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Ward(s) affected: |
All |
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FOR GENERAL RELEASE
1. PURPOSE OF REPORT AND POLICY CONTEXT
1.1 The purpose of this report is to introduce the 2030 Carbon Neutral Programme which is a coordinated programme of projects that aims to help the city to address the climate crisis and transition to carbon neutrality by 2030. The report also sets out proposed changes to the governance of the 2030 Carbon Neutral Programme relating to the oversight of the Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Investment Fund and the Climate Assembly Action Capital Investment Fund.
2. RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee:
2.1 Recommends the 2030 Carbon Neutral Programme to Policy & Resources Committee for approval
2.2 Recommends to Policy & Resources Committee that the oversight of the Sustainability & Carbon Reduction Investment Fund (SCRIF) is transferred from the cross-party SCRIF Member Oversight Group (MOG) to the cross-party 2030 Carbon Neutral Member Working Group, and the SCRIF MOG is stood down
That the Policy & Resources Committee
2.3 Approves the 2030 Carbon Neutral Programme which is attached in Appendix 1
2.4 Approves the transfer of oversight of the Sustainability & Carbon Reduction Investment Fund from the cross-party SCRIF Member Oversight Group (MOG) to the cross-party 2030 Carbon Neutral Member Working Group and the ending of the SCRIF MOG
2.5 Agrees to delegate the decision to finance projects through the SCRIF and the new Climate Assembly Action Capital Investment Fund to the Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture in consultation with the cross-party 2030 Carbon Neutral Member Working Group (as set out in paragraphs 3.8 and 3.9)
2.6 Approves the updated draft Terms of Reference for the 2030 Carbon Neutral Member Working Group, which is attached in Appendix 2, and the ending of the SCRIF MOG
2.7 Notes the overall unallocated SCRIF resources to support the 2030 Carbon Neutral Programme is £7.118m, of which £3.9m will be allocated alongside the Local Transport Plan investment programme and £3.218m will be allocated through the SCRIF
2.8 Notes the establishment of the Climate Assembly Action Capital Investment Fund of £1.404m to support the 2030 Carbon Neutral Programme.
3. CONTEXT/ BACKGROUND INFORMATION
3.2 The 2030 Carbon Neutral Programme is a coordinated programme of priority projects that aims to continue and accelerate the city’s transition to carbon neutrality by 2030. The programme contains projects under five thematic areas for climate action: travel & transport; energy & water; waste; built environment; nature & environment (food, land-use and agriculture). In addition, there are six cross-cutting themes: community engagement; jobs, education & skills; circular economy; adaptation; carbon offset; and procurement.
3.3 This Programme focuses on the period to 2023, with less detail on the remaining period to 2030. Some projects are indicated for further development over the next few years and a programme review and update is planned for 2023. It is important to note that the Programme is not designed to identify every action and project that will transition the city to carbon neutral by 2030. It does however indicate the initial programme of projects, and those projects that the council will take a role in delivering.
3.4 The Programme could help cut nearly a third of the city’s carbon emissions by 2030. In addition, national actions (particularly decarbonisation of the electricity grid) could save another third at least. A Key Performance Indicator on Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions will be monitored annually from 2020-21 onwards. Measuring reduction of carbon emissions can be fairly accurate for some types of work, such as building energy performance; but other projects, for example behaviour change, are more difficult to measure and require many assumptions to be made. So the Programme will include further work to refine this estimate and help us track progress.
3.5 The city council is carrying out many projects on council buildings, social housing and operational energy use, which will help cut the council’s corporate carbon emissions. However, the carbon neutral 2030 target is a city-wide one and as such needs the engagement and participation of residents, schools, businesses and institutions across the city. The council is also engaging with many regional partners including Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership, Greater Brighton and The Living Coast Biosphere, to create partnerships that will help to accelerate progress on climate action. It is particularly important that climate action is fair and inclusive and ensures that all residents have an opportunity to participate.
3.6 In July 2019 Policy & Resources Committee approved the establishment of the Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Investment Fund (SCRIF) and the initial 2019/20 SCRIF allocation of £0.5m to invest in citywide projects. The Committee also approved the creation of the cross-party SCRIF Member Oversight Group (MOG), a ‘task and finish’ group. In 2019/20, via an internal bidding process overseen by the SCRIF MOG, £0.382m was awarded to a range of sustainability and carbon reduction projects. These include electric vehicle fast chargers, exhaust converters for older buses, Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) projects and community composting.
Sustainability & Carbon Reduction Investment Fund remaining to be allocated to projects (at 2/3/21)
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2019/20 SCRIF unallocated* |
£0.118m |
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2020/21 SCRIF unallocated |
£0.500m |
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2020/21 SCRIF-Transport unallocated |
£3.900m |
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2021/22 SCRIF ** |
£2.600m |
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Total SCRIF |
£7.118m |
*Funding approved at Policy & Resources Committee, July 2019
** Agreed at Budget Council on 25/2/21
3.8 The SCRIF and the SCRIF MOG were created prior to the initiation of the 2030 Carbon Neutral Programme in December 2019. The SCRIF forms a key source city council capital funding to support delivery of carbon reduction and climate adaptation projects, along with funding in service budgets. It is therefore recommended that in future the SCRIF is overseen by the cross-party 2030 Carbon Neutral MWG, which has oversight of the programme of carbon reduction and climate adaptation projects. An amended draft Terms of Reference for the 2030 Carbon Neutral MWG is attached in Appendix 2. In line with this recommendation it is proposed that the SCRIF MOG is ended.
3.9 On 25 February 2021 Budget Council committed £1.404m capital funding for the creation of a Climate Assembly Action Capital Investment Fund. It is proposed that this fund is also overseen by the 2030 Carbon Neutral Member Working Group and the draft Terms of Reference in Appendix 2 has been amended accordingly.
4. ANALYSIS & CONSIDERATION OF ANY ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
4.1
The council has a clear corporate priority to take all action
required to make our city carbon neutral by 2030.
4.2 Directorates across the council are already pursuing projects that will help to reduce carbon emissions. The 2030 Carbon Neutral Programme builds on existing work as well as establishing where more can be done. It gives the council a platform and rationale for engaging with the community to enhance and broaden participation in climate action.
4.3 Climate change brings with it many risks to communities and the city, including overheating, drought, flooding, coastal erosion and loss of biodiversity. Some of these risks would be extremely costly and difficult to tackle, if action is not taken both to reduce carbon emissions and to adapt to the climate changes which are happening already.
5. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & CONSULTATION
5.1 Recruitment is underway to recruit a Climate Emergency Communication & Engagement Officer to lead this work across the programme, including city climate campaign work. Individual projects within the 2030 Carbon Neutral Programme will undertake individual consultations.
5.2 The council commissioned Ipsos MORI to design and deliver the Brighton & Hove Climate Assembly in September - November 2020, focusing on reducing carbon emissions from transport and travel. A randomly selected but representative group of 50 residents from across the city were selected to take part. A range of selection criteria were applied: gender, age, ethnicity, long-term illness or disability, occupation, car ownership and area of the city. Invitations were sent to 10,000 local households, 700 residents applied for one of the 50 places; a very strong response compared to Citizens’ Assemblies elsewhere. The Recommendations from the Climate Assembly have informed the development of the 2030 Carbon Neutral Programme and are being used to help develop the fifth Local Transport Plan and the Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan.
5.3 Local young people designed and delivered a Youth Assembly in October – November 2020 on the same topic.
5.4 In September 2020 the city council launched the on-line space ‘Let’s talk climate change’: https://climateconversationsbrighton.uk.engagementhq.com/. This platform has links to all the Climate Assembly materials and involves the wider city in conversation, polls and submitting ideas about local action on climate change. To date, the focus has been on transport and travel and engagement on the City Downland Estate Plan. The on-line space will cover a range of other themes / initiatives over the coming months and seek residents’ input to help the city to transition to carbon neutrality.
6. CONCLUSION
6.1
The 2030 Carbon Neutral Programme brings together a strong
programme for climate action across all council directorates,
working with a range of partners. It suggests where further
development is needed in the next 2 years. This helps to set the
direction for the council to fulfil its ambition to become a carbon
neutral city by 2030.
6.2 The SCRIF and CAACIF will help to accelerate city wide climate action projects led by the city council.
7. FINANCIAL & OTHER IMPLICATIONS:
Financial Implications:
7.1 The total unallocated capital resources to support the 2020 Carbon Neutral programme through the SCRIF is £7.118m as set out in the table at paragraph 3.7 and is fully funded and reflected in the capital investment programme. This incorporates funding approved at Budget Council on 25 February 2021. All allocations from these resources will need to meet the definition of capital investment and this will form part of the advice provided as allocations are agreed. Included within these resources is £3.9m funded through increased parking and bus lane enforcement revenue resources and is therefore required to be invested in transport related proposals alongside the Local Transport Plan investment programme. Budget Council on the 25 February 2021 also approved £1.404m for a Climate Assembly Action Capital Investment Fund; any allocations agreed will also need to meet the definition of capital investment.
Finance Officer Consulted: James Hengeveld Date: 17/02/2021
Legal Implications:
7.2 The committee has previously agreed that the £3.9m SCRIF sum will be allocated in accordance with Section 55 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The terms of reference of all permanent member groups must be approved by Policy & Resources Committee and included in the Constitution. The change to the Terms of Reference is therefore a decision to be taken by Policy & Resources. It is also the appropriate committee for decisions with corporate policy or budgetary implications such as the decision to approve the Carbon Neutral Programme.
Lawyer Consulted: Alice Rowland Date: 17/2/21
Equalities Implications:
7.3
The equalities impact of reducing carbon and greenhouse gas
emissions in Brighton & Hove includes: opportunities to avoid
fuel poverty; risks involved with introducing new technologies,
which may not be accessible to everyone on grounds of cost, housing
condition and individuals’ ability to operate new
technologies; protecting communities, especially vulnerable people,
from detrimental climate change impacts; improving access to
renewable or low-carbon energy.
7.4 Assessment of the impact on equalities is carried out through project processes, development of briefs, and consultation. Carbon reduction measures will be reviewed to ensure they meet the city’s fair and inclusive principles.
Sustainability Implications:
7.5 The 2030 Carbon Neutral Programme is the council’s main response to the climate crisis and there are sustainability implications throughout. These are highlighted in the body of the report.
Brexit Implications:
7.6 Brexit impacts significantly on the council’s ability to effectively collaborate with European partners on sustainability measures via EU funded projects. However, there are still some EU opportunities open to the UK and officers aim to maximise local benefit from these.
Risk and Opportunity Management Implications:
7.6 Strategic risk 36 – Not taking all actions required to address climate and ecological change and not making our city carbon neutral by 2030 – is managed at quarterly risk review sessions and is also discussed at Audit & Standards Committee at least annually.
Public Health Implications:
7.7 The programme has many co-benefits relating to public health. For example, increasing the energy efficiency of homes, reducing risk of overheating, and reducing residents’ energy bills, particularly in vulnerable groups, will contribute to the prevention of ill health and excess winter deaths, reduce health and social inequalities, and improve wellbeing and quality of life. Supporting and enabling residents to pay less for their energy can contribute to tackling fuel poverty and cold homes. Enhancing green spaces in the city has a beneficial impact on mental and physical health and wellbeing. Reducing emissions from transport will assist in improving air quality and therefore people’s health, as will greater promotion and use of active and sustainable travel options as alternatives to motorised travel.
Corporate / Citywide Implications:
7.8 The council has been successful in cutting its corporate greenhouse gas emissions with a 47% cut over the last 10 years. Current schemes with significant carbon cutting potential include improving the energy efficiency of social housing and installing renewable energy; a rolling programme to reduce energy use across the council property portfolio; and a Fleet Strategy to decarbonise the council’s fleet by 2030.The 2030 Carbon Neutral Programme sets out a wide range of other projects and policies being planned and carried out across the council, often in partnership with local organisations.
7.9 Citywide, in order to be successful, the Programme will require the participation and coordination of many stakeholders and partners, including universities, Greater Brighton, Coast to Capital LEP, businesses and employers. The council plays an important role in engaging communities, businesses, and organisations across the city in climate action and working with them to create responses. The wider positive outcomes from climate action will be felt across the city.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Appendices:
1. 2030 Carbon Neutral Programme
2. 2030 Carbon Neutral Member Working Group – updated Terms of Reference
Background Documents
1. July 2019: Policy, Resources & Growth Committee report – SCRIF-next steps
2. April 2020: Policy & Resources Committee – 2020/21 LTP Capital Programme