APSE Energy’s 12 points to stimulate thought on taking the climate emergency agenda forward locally

1. Leadership – the local authority has a duty of leadership as the only democratically elected local body. This leadership involves the example it sets, the actions it takes and what it says – all of which should benefit local citizens, communities and economies. Councils will take different approaches to leadership based on local circumstances and political makeup. A lack of leadership in terms of sustainability and activity to address climate change is not acceptable for any local authority. The aims the organisation is trying to achieve should be well thought out, consulted on, publicised and acted upon.
2. Strategy – a strategy to address a climate emergency, to promote carbon emissions reduction or improve sustainability, is the guidance document which shows the way forward and how success will be realised over time. However, it does not stand alone. It should link to other over-arching strategies within the local authority such as corporate plans, local development plans and long term investment plans, as well as specific annual service plans and individual project plans. The strategy needs to be woven in to other strategies and plans, making it a difficult document to prepare.
3. Capacity – significant change will not happen in any organisation without adequate capacity. That can take many forms – enough political will to perpetuate an approach; the human resource to spend time carrying out the necessary work; the skills and knowledge to imagine and manage projects; the financial resource to invest when necessary; the understanding to realise the benefits of long term commitment and planning.
4. Action Plan and Projects – strategies and targets can only be achieved through projects and that all requires planning. Action plans need projects so drawing one up should help generate ideas within services and departments. A plan should be split into short (the first 100 days), medium and long term. Some projects may not be technically possible yet but may be achievable over a long timescale. A timescale for projects helps to clarify priorities and the resources to be allocated. Input to plans and the responsibility to carry them out needs to come from all in the organisation. Monitoring, reporting and reviewing them may be the job of an individual but objectives, such as climate emergency targets, will not be met without the support of all officers and councillors.
5. Targets and Data – having an informed strategy and action plan is an obvious comment to make but finding the data to make them informed I much more difficult. Looking at climate emergency declarations, setting a target date for carbon neutrality and then asking officers to draw up a plan to meet that date, is one approach. Another is to analyse the relevant data and establish when carbon neutrality can be achieved. Both methods have benefits. The points is, data is a vital ingredient when setting and monitoring targets.
6. Finance and Risk – in times of austerity it is even more important to justify how spending decisions are made. Many councils are making climate emergency declarations and it seems natural that any emergency deserves money being spent on it. However, others would argue that local authorities have many emergencies so the skill is in the prioritisation. This will come down to how seriously a council considers its responsibilities in the realm of sustainability. The risk of allocating financial resources to one emergency or priority over another requires skill, time and a tried and trusted method.
7. Partners – the local authority’s activities make a contribution to their locality’s carbon emissions, but it may only 2 or 3% of all the emissions within the area. Other businesses, employers, academic institutions, public services and citizens make up the rest and the local authority should engage with them to make sure they understand, accept and work towards reducing their emissions. The local authority has a responsibility to support others to improve their actions but it cannot be held responsible for them. This split needs to be made clear. It must also work closely alongside partners such as private companies, trade unions, public sector organisation and community groups
8. Suppliers – those who supply local authorities have a duty to supply sustainably and local authorities have a duty to inform them about their sustainability requirements. There is a need to work closely together and to identify clearly what is and is not acceptable. A local authority cannot have a climate-related target whilst ignoring the activities of its suppliers.
9. Education and Culture Change – we all need to be brought up to speed with the sustainability agenda and about how our actions as individuals and organisations impact on the natural environment and how it will impact on us. That means making a definite effort to put in place materials and resources that will educate us so that we are informed enough to make the changes we need to, in order to change our behaviour.
10. Innovation – some of the technologies associated with reducing carbon emissions, and with renewable energy generation and energy efficiency specifically, are developing at a rapid rate. This can mean that local authorities may have to invest in technology that they have never used before, deliver services and collaborate in ways they haven’t done before and work with suppliers in new ways. Without innovation, we would not move forward so the is a responsibility on us all to accept our share of innovation and make sure we manage it successfully.
11. Review and Inform – the dynamic nature of this agenda means that reviewing strategies and action plans is vital. New technologies and models are emerging continually and can make a significant contribution to meeting targets, so regularly revisiting your approach is good practice. Equally, keeping those within the local authority, trade unions, partners, suppliers and others informed of progress and opportunities is a role for the council.
12. Behaviour Change – this is the most difficult to achieve and will take the longest. Of course, different people will have different views about what behaviour change means but it involves supporting people to change their eating habits, travelling habits, buying habits and some of the most fundamental routines. It will take generations and governmental intervention to fully see these types of changes. However, making smaller changes to the suppliers the Council uses, how staff, councillors and citizens are engaged in the sustainability agenda and simply ensuring this agenda remains at the forefront of people’s minds, are changes which will impact on behaviour and can be made over shorter timescales.

How can APSE Energy help?

We are working with a number of authorities to support them with strategies, action plans and projects as well as other related matters. All of the points mentioned above are significant and our consultancy offer can help you achieve results at the same time as building capacity within your organisation.

This debate is not going away and many understand the value in looking for support early whilst growing their internal capacity. APES Energy can help with that.

Becoming a member of APSE Energy provides access to a range of support materials as well as the combined knowledge and expertise which exists within the collaboration.

For more details read ‘ Local authority climate emergency declarations’. It looks at the strategic and practical considerations for declarations, targets and action plans. It is available here free for APSE Energy members. Non -members can order it from the website.