Westmorland and Furness Council has taken a significant step towards a more sustainable future with the agreement on Part One of its new Climate Action Plan.
An ambitious new climate action plan which outlines the direction and intention of the council to address climate change and create a greener, healthier, more resilient Westmorland and Furness was agreed by the council’s Cabinet today.
As part of plans to develop a climate change programme, the Climate Action Plan Part One lays the foundation of the council’s drive to respond to the climate emergency and aim to deliver net zero for Westmorland and Furness by 2037. It will ensure that the council maximises the co-benefits of acting on climate change, such as the health and wellbeing opportunities of low carbon towns, the jobs and skills created through the green sector, and helping communities be more resilient to environmental shocks such as flooding or rising fuel costs.
The council will focus its actions on six categories, identifying that a holistic approach is needed to tackle climate change and achieve net zero:
- The way we live
- The way we work
- The way we produce energy
- The way we protect nature
- The way we use things
- The way we travel
Under each category, the plan details actions underway and proposed,including steps to reduce the council’s carbon footprint, encourage active travel and invest in nature.
The plan also recognises the need to make sure the transition to a net zero society is a fair one by reducing inequalities and creating co-benefits such as improved air quality, better mental health, and biodiversity enhancement.
Work to develop a Climate Action Plan Part Two is now underway which will set out the council’s road map to net zero. This work will also link closely to the council’s future Biodiversity Strategy, recognising the biodiversity crisis alongside the climate emergency and linking into the Cumbria-wide Local Nature Recovery Strategy project where the council is taking a leading role to support, restore and enhance nature.
Councillor Giles Archibald, Cabinet Member for Climate and Biodiversity, said:
“Today's agreement on Part One of our Climate Action Plan is a milestone for our council and for Westmorland and Furness. As a council, we are making climate change a high priority and this plan signifies our dedication to combatting climate change and providing leadership in the drive to become carbon net zero.
“Climate change remains the challenge of our generation and we recognise that in order to address it, it will require collaboration and cooperation from all stakeholders, including residents, businesses, and partners.
“This Part One enables us to set out our direction and make a first step in engaging our residents and community, fostering conversations about how we can all work together to address climate change and aim to deliver net zero for Westmorland and Furness by 2037.
The plan will enhance the work we are already doing, and much hard work lies ahead, but I look forward to us engaging and working together with our stakeholders to see how these valuable discussions can help shape Part Two of our Climate Action Plan and enable Westmorland and Furness to be a great place to live, work and thrive.”