Further supplementary memorandum submitted
by the Community Carbon Reduction Programme (Cred) (Cit 41b)
FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS
CRed is the Community Carbon Reduction Programme
at the University of East Anglia, funded in part by the East of
England Development Agency. CRed is a network of partnerships
with individuals, businesses, schools, and communities, as well
as local authorities, working to show how a 60% reduction in carbon
emissions can be achieved by 2025.
BACKGROUND
In August 2006 the Carbon Reduction (CRed) Programme
submitted evidence to the Environment and Food and Rural Affairs
Select Committee (EFRA) enquiry into carbon reduction under the
title of "Climate Change—the Citizens' Agenda".
The submission led to CRed being asked to host a day session of
the enquiry at the University of East Anglia.
On 31 January 2007 12 members of the public
who have pledged to CRed and four members of the CRed HQ Team
gave evidence in support of further action from government on
the issue of citizen involvement in carbon reduction.
This final written submission is designed to
distil, into bullet point form, the points which CRed believes
EFRA should be recommending to the UK Government.
THE CITIZEN'S
AGENDA
Specific recommendations to the Department for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the UK Government:
— That the Government seek to internationalise
and rationalise the plethora of carbon reduction pledge activities
going on in the UK by creating a carbon reduction data brokerage,
which would share carbon reduction data with other nations, enabling
governments across the world to hold information on global carbon
reduction. That this collective carbon reduction data be fed back
to the various groups and on to the public, thus inducing a belief
that by doing their bit people are contributing to a much bigger
global effort. That the data base uses the CRed System as a model
for engaging the public and capturing carbon savings over the
longer term, and the initiative be managed by an independent organisation
which is arms-length from government but answerable to the public
through government. From CRed's experience of securing carbon
reduction pledges from the public we are aware that many people
feel that they are a small cog in a very big wheel and their actions
will make little difference. This is exacerbated by the perceived
lack of action from the United States and China, which is often
cited by members of the public we speak to as reasons for inaction.
— The development of a national strategy
recognising the value of community-based carbon reduction activity
for enhancing the myriad carbon reduction and energy saving initiatives,
to ensure the sharing of best practice and the avoidance of inefficiency,
territoriality and replication.
— The sale of non energy efficient
appliances (other than category A) should be phased out, and only
goods which meet the highest standards of energy efficiency should
be developed for the domestic and commercial markets. Action on
this recommendation should start at the earliest possible date.
— Phase out the sale of inefficient
high energy use lighting and ensure that by January 2008 only
low energy lighting is available to domestic and business consumer.
This measure is already being proposed for California and Australia.
— In order to inform the choices citizens
make when buying goods clear labelling of the country of origin
should appear on foods and other products. Also a carbon rating
scheme (similar to the traffic light scheme proposed by the Food
Standards Agency for salt content) on foods should be considered.
Targets to reduce carbon emissions become key
targets for government in its own behaviour—documenting
achievement and leadership at all levels, national, regional,
local will gain respect and set an example. In order to signpost
the way for the broader community reductions should exceed the
Government's climate change targets and should map the Carbon
Reduction Programme (CRed) ambition for a 60% cut by 2025 within
the communities that sign up.
Demand the installation of clear and visible
metering in all new buildings which will enable users to know
easily and in real-time energy use and cost; CRed has found
that a principal barrier to reducing waste—in business as
well as in the home—is lack of knowledge of energy use stemming
from inadequate metering.
Make community ownership (or financial return
to local communities) a condition of renewable energy developments
such as on-shore wind energy or anaerobic digestion plants; except
in a very few situations local communities gain no benefit from
turbines in their locality; if this changed NIMBY would change
to PIIMBY (Put It In My Back Yard); by 2010 on-shore wind is already
predicted to be 6GW installed capacity but this figure should
greatly increase.
Ensure that building regulations are properly
enforced such that the present energy efficiency and insulation
requirements are actually being delivered. Tighten the local authority
planning and building control system to deliver this.
Aim to ensure every house and building has local
energy generation installed by 2050. Presently the figure is
way under 1% and already cost effective technologies such as solar
hot water are often sold in aggressive ways at inflated prices.
There is a virtuous circle created as consumers gain from reducing
waste and enhanced resource efficiency; there is natural transition
to wanting to generate power locally. An initial target could
be one million homes by 2010; technologies should include heat
pumps as well as solar PV, solar thermal and micro wind.
Universities should be encouraged by Government
to become leaders in low carbon achievement and education. As
such universities should become beacons of renewable energy on
a community scale. Such an initiative would bring the science
of energy generation and carbon reduction closer to surrounding
communities, adding to public understanding of the issues surrounding
climate change and the link to energy production and use. For
example, as result of CRed activity, the University of East Anglia
is joining with financial services company HSBC in an ambition
to work towards carbon neutrality.
Make schools a focus for a government campaign
on carbon reduction; CRed has helped enthusiastic schools make
very large cuts in energy use; climate change and resource efficiency
should be a central plank not just in the curriculum but a central
plank of how schools go about their business. Schools are the
nexus of their communities; the message would spread not only
among young people who will suffer if we do not tackle climate
change, but out to parents and the rest of the community.
The Community Carbon Reduction Programme (CRed)
University of East Anglia
February 2007
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