Winchester District – The Climate Crisis: update on our local greenhouse gas (CHG) emissions and determined action!
Evidence of climate breakdown is all around us and the UN Secretary-General recently said we are in an era of ‘climate boiling’. So, are we doing enough?
You might think the June 2019 Climate Emergency declaration by Winchester City Council (WCC) and the subsequent creation of Winchester District’s ‘Carbon Neutrality Action Plan (CNAP)’ would have produced rapid progress with determined actions and projects. Frankly the jury must declare itself out on this question.
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At the end of last year, WCC received an updated Climate Crisis evidence base called the CNAP Roadmap which signposted a choice of improved actions. It is now 8 months on and the much-needed refresh of the CNAP to go faster with more coherent actions for key priority activities has still not been produced. Meanwhile, the latest Government data on greenhouse gas emission for our District has just been released UK local authority and regional greenhouse gas emissions national statistics, 2005 to 2021 – GOV.UK
The data highlights the growing size of the challenge: emissions per person in Winchester are the highest in Hampshire (see graphic) and sixth highest out of the 64 South East of England local authorities.
Winchester Green Party Councillor Lee said: “There is no time to waste. We have the Carbon Neutrality
Action Plan Roadmap which is an evidence base for improved actions plus the 2021 government update on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the District. We know what we need to do. We should now work
together to get the best outcomes for our residents, communities, and our environment. The clock is ticking and faster progress by Winchester District to achieve net zero can provide many local benefits and
contributions to the bigger National and Global climate challenges”.
