Campaigning for a step-change in local action to tackle climate change GET SERIOUS ABOUT CO2
40% by 2020 Councils from all political parties have signed up to emissions cuts in their area of at least and have agreed to draw up a Climate Change Action Plan Birmingham Brighton and Hove Bristol Durham County Haringay Harrogate Harrow Islington Leeds Manchester Plymouth Suffolk York
Local carbon budgets Local carbon budgets will drive ambitious emissions cuts by helping local authorities to lead effective carbon reduction strategies across their local areas.
Councils’ ‘offer’ to Government “I want to ask you to put forward an ‘offer’, outlining how local and central government can work together to meet our national climate change targets.”
Local carbon budgets legislation in ‘the last Parliament’
Council income: 2008/2009
Council spending: 2008/2009
“There’s no money” So how can councils pay for carbon reduction?
Context 1 Cuts “Worse than Thatcher” 25%... 40%... More? “extremely challenging” IFS
Context 2 “Localism, localism, localism” “A radical devolution of power… and a review of local government finance”
Implications More freedom + Less cash = Difficult choices Get creative about how to pay for things Seek new ways to bring money in Make every £ work harder National Government has to help
Area based approaches: Meeting national carbon targets will need local coordination and leadership – so Government can’t hang councils out to dry
1.Save money Insulation Improve processes Training (eco-driving?) “Wasting energy means that money that could be spent on local services is also being wasted” - Chris Huhne
1.Save money Council’s own premises Haringey: £5m investment to save £38m Residents and businesses Islington’s fuel poverty work Kirklees Warm Zone programme Councils delivering Green Deal – ie Stroud pilot
1.Save money Where to get the £ ? Allocate existing budgets Zero-interest loans Borrowing “prudential” – private Government / EU funds Package up programmes of work
2.New income streams Feed-in tariffs (FITs) Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Birmingham Energy Savers Guaranteed income to support borrowing or use for other council activities
2.New income streams Nottingham – Workplace Parking Levy Congestion charging / road pricing (London) Electric car points? Richmond – vary parking charges
Better transport : tackle obesity, social exclusion, air quality Investment in renewables : generate local jobs, regenerate local economies Insulation : fuel poverty, save people money Better transport : tackle obesity, social exclusion, air quality Investment in renewables : generate local jobs, regenerate local economies Insulation : fuel poverty, save people money 3.Join things up Embed carbon into all activities
4. National Govt help Access to central funds: don’t slash grants (too much!) access to borrowing ensure national programmes are locally focused Green Deal CERT? Green Investment Bank
4. National Govt help More freedom to raise money locally – for example More power over tax and rates to incentivise green investment More flexibility over using revenue money as capital Guaranteed support for climate staffing
4. National Govt help Back up local carbon budgets by ensuring councils can access the money they need