The Council wants to know how you will help us tackle the climate emergency and reach our ambitious target of net zero carbon emissions by 2030. We are currently consulting on the draft carbon neutral plan, that sets out what changes we’ll make and what actions are necessary, before it is formally adopted by the Council in spring 2021. Alongside the consultation sustainability specialists Anthesis are facilitating an online event for residents to have their say too.The event will include... <li>An introduction to the draft action plan, including an overview of the background of the work</li> <li>A discussion of the practical actions that can be taken by residents</li> <li>An opportunity for you to share your views on the plan, including how we can better support local residents and community groups in taking action</li> <a href="https://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/carbonneutralgreenwichevent">Register for the event.</a>

Residents' Consultation Event  - 2 March 2021 - 7pm

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Do you care about the environment and climate change and want to do your bit?The Royal Borough of Greenwich is looking for 20 to 30 residents to join a grass roots group that will have the power to give grants to local projects that tackle climate change. The community-based Carbon Neutral Greenwich Planning Group will be entrusted with a pot of money from the Council’s budget as part of our commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions 20 years ahead of the national target and the publication of our draft carbon neutral plan, that we are currently consulting on until 7 March 2021. Other members of the local community who have solutions to climate change and helping the Council reach its ambitious carbon neutral goals will be able to bid for a portion of the money. The final decision as to who is awarded money will be made by the community planning group at an open and transparent decision-making day. Cllr Sizwe James, Cabinet Member for Environment, Sustainability and Transport, said: “This is an opportunity for passionate residents to get hands on to help the Council to reach its carbon neutral targets and prevent climate change from worsening. We can’t solve the climate emergency alone, the choices we all make as individuals play a big part. However, its worst effects will be felt by our most vulnerable residents who have the least choices. “The creation of the Carbon Neutral Greenwich Planning Group is one way our communities can take ownership of this is equality and social justice issue and build a local movement of people committed to a positive future for Royal Greenwich. We need you to be part of the process and enable the community to decide on where our public budget will be awarded – so please sign up.” The Council has commissioned Mutual Gain, a third-party organisation that facilitates participatory budget making with communities, to help establish and work with the Carbon Neutral Greenwich Planning Group. Members of the group will be given training and take part in seven supported delivery sessions to shape the programme, invite bidders to apply for funding, judge if applications fit the set criteria, and plan the decision day where the wider community will be invited to vote. <a href="https://www.mutualgain.org/carbon-neutral-greenwich-planning-group-invitation/">Volunteer for the Carbon Neutral Greenwich Planning Group.</a> Mutual Gain will be holding an information session in the week beginning 1 March 2021. If you would like to attend this planning session please register and click the “I would like to attend the information session” box. <a href="https://carbonneutralgreenwich.commonplace.is/">Have your say on the draft carbon neutral plan now. You have until 7 March to give us your feedback.</a>

You decide where public money should be spent to avert climate change

Have your say on Royal Greenwich’s draft carbon neutral plan

Carbon Neutral Greenwich

Carbon  Neutral Greenwich

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New development and infrastructure that supports it must have low emissions and support carbon neutral ambitions.  

New Development

New buildings will be a big part of Royal Greenwich. New development and infrastructure that supports it must have low emissions and support carbon neutral ambitions. Our ambitions <li>New builds since 2021 operate with minimal emissions. </li> <li>Zero-carbon heat networks serve 13,000 homes, 10% of the borough’s heat demand. </li>What are zero carbon homes? When new homes are built, developers have to reduce the operational carbon emissions on site. The starting point is an imaginary building that complies with current <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/conservation-of-fuel-and-power-approved-document-l">Building Regulations (Part L)</a> , and in Royal Greenwich, new homes should deliver a 100% reduction in emissions from that baseline. They can offset their emissions if they don’t achieve 100% – currently they have to pay £95 per tonne of CO2.What is a zero-carbon heat network? A heat network – sometimes called district heating – is a distribution system of insulated pipes that takes heat from a central source and delivers it to a number of domestic or non-domestic buildings. They are one of the most cost-effective ways of reducing carbon emissions from heating and cut heating bills for customers. This is the start of an on-going engagementThe Council can’t do this alone. It is essential that residents, businesses and organisations take shared ownership of this plan to jointly make the changes that will be required over the next ten years.We need you to help shape this Plan. By having your say you can help to build a coalition of individuals and organisations, to work together to set us on the path to becoming carbon neutral.If you&#39;re not already on <a href="https://carbonneutralgreenwich.commonplace.is/news">our mailing list</a> , but would like to be kept informed, please opt in to receive future updates.

Additional materials

New Development - actions

Carbon Neutral Plan 2021-2030

Existing buildings, homes and businesses, are the single biggest source of emissions in Royal Greenwich. 

Buildings 

Existing buildings, homes and businesses, are the single biggest source of emissions in Royal Greenwich. We need to constantly improve the energy efficiency and resilience of buildings. Developing the skills and jobs needed to do this will also help to strengthen our local economy. Our ambitions <li>The energy used to heat and power our council homes has been de-fossilized and they are more energy efficient. </li> <li>Minimum energy efficiency standards are enforced, and private sector landlords are supported to improve home energy efficiency. </li> <li>All non-domestic buildings owned by the Council are zero-carbon. </li>What is retrofitting? Making an existing building more energy efficient. This could include insulating walls, roofs and floors; upgrading windows and doors and heating systems; and swapping to low carbon heating sources. What is an energy performance certificate (EPC)? EPCs tell you how energy efficient a building is and give it a rating from A (very efficient) to G (inefficient). EPCs let the person who will use the building know how costly it will be to heat and light, and what its carbon dioxide emissions are likely to be. An EPC also highlights the energy efficiency improvements you could make, how much they will cost, and how much you could save. This can be useful when looking to improve your home.Advice and grants for homeowners Visit <a href="https://www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk">Simple Energy Advice</a> for advice on grant schemes available in your area such as the Government’s Green Homes Grant. <a href="https://ecofurb.com/?UTM_source=Greenwem&amp;utm_campaign=Councilassets">Ecofurb</a> provide an advice service for energy efficiency renovations. First use their Plan Builder tool to see what you could do at home. An Ecofurb Coordinator can then give tailored advice, help plan the works and get quotations from local contractors. Help with energy bills <a href="https://cact.org.uk/swtw">The South London Healthy Homes</a> scheme maybe able to help if you’re struggling to keep your home warm, or to afford your energy bills, if you meet certain criteria. Call 0808 169 1779 or visit <a href="http://www.cact.org.uk/swtw">www.cact.org.uk/swtw</a> .This is the start of an on-going engagementThe Council can’t do this alone. It is essential that residents, businesses and organisations take shared ownership of this plan to jointly make the changes that will be required over the next ten years.We need you to help shape this Plan. By having your say you can help to build a coalition of individuals and organisations, to work together to set us on the path to becoming carbon neutral.If you&#39;re not already on <a href="https://carbonneutralgreenwich.commonplace.is/news">our mailing list</a> , but would like to be kept informed, please opt in to receive future updates.

Buildings - actions

The draft plans sets out what we need to do, over the next three years, to become carbon neutral under seven key themes.

Overview

The threat to our climate is real and it is now indisputable that the changes to our environment are rapid, accelerating and a threat to how we live. The Royal Borough of Greenwich declared a climate emergency in 2019 and agreed to set an ambitious target to reach net zero carbon emissions 20 years ahead of the national target. To help us get there we published a draft carbon neutral plan. It’s based on what you think our priorities should be, and the evidence base report. It sets out what we need to do over the next three years to become carbon neutral under seven key themes: <li>Buildings </li> <li>New Development </li> <li>Transport </li> <li>Energy </li> <li>Circular Economy </li> <li>Natural Environment </li> <li>Empowering Wider Change</li>This is the start of an on-going engagement. The Council can’t do this alone. It is essential that residents, businesses and organisations take shared ownership of this plan to jointly make the changes that will be required over the next ten years. The choices we each make will decide if we succeed in averting dangerous climate change. How we travel, how we use energy at home, what we buy and the waste we create all play a big part. The Council will work to make changing what we do more attractive, by improving infrastructure and helping people understand the options. However, individuals need to take part too if we are going to avoid a global Climate Change catastrophe. We need you to help shape this Plan. By having your say you can help to build a coalition of individuals and organisations, to work together to set us on the path to becoming carbon neutral. This consultation is your opportunity to comment on and shape our draft plan before it’s considered for formal adoption by the Council in Spring 2021. If you&#39;re not already on <a href="https://carbonneutralgreenwich.commonplace.is/news">our mailing list</a> , but would like to be kept informed, please opt in to receive future updates.

The Evidence Base

Greener Greenwich Strategy 2016

Businesses, schools, charities and other types of organisations tell us what is important to you.

Businesses, schools, charities and other organisations

This section is for you to respond on behalf of an organisation that is based in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. What can you do as an organisation? There are many ways that your organisation can reduce its environmental footprint. For example, switching to renewable energy sources, making premises more energy efficient, reducing emissions from road and air travel, changing staff behaviour and reducing waste, reusing and recycling. Start with finding out your organisation’s carbon footprint. This will help you to implement a carbon reduction strategy - save costs and reduce waste.Sustainable food practicesThe impact of food on our environment is huge - greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, soil erosion, and waste. It also plays a huge part in our economy, accounting for 1 in 10 jobs in London, and is at the heart of our communities and thriving high streets. <a href="https://www.goodfoodingreenwich.org">Good Food in Greenwich</a> is a network of businesses, community organisations, council and families who want to make Greenwich a borough for Good Food. That means food that is good for our people, our planet, our local communities and economies. If you&#39;re not already on <a href="https://carbonneutralgreenwich.commonplace.is/news">our mailing list</a> , but would like to be kept informed, please opt in to receive future updates.

Eighty-five per cent of all the Borough’s emissions are not within the control of the Council. We need to enable others to play their part too.

Empowering Wider Change

We need to make reaching carbon neutral part of everything we do. This includes encouraging and enabling others to play their part as 85 per cent of all the Borough’s emissions are not within the control of the Council. Our ambitions <li>Investments such a pension funds are used to make a positive climate impact </li> <li>The highest sustainability standards are achieved in procurement </li> <li>We continue to inspire, educate and learn from young people </li> <li>A ‘green recovery’ has maximised the climate impact of jobs and boosted growth</li>This is the start of an on-going engagementThe Council can’t do this alone. It is essential that residents, businesses and organisations take shared ownership of this plan to jointly make the changes that will be required over the next ten years.We need you to help shape this Plan. By having your say you can help to build a coalition of individuals and organisations, to work together to set us on the path to becoming carbon neutral.If you&#39;re not already on <a href="https://carbonneutralgreenwich.commonplace.is/news">our mailing list</a> , but would like to be kept informed, please opt in to receive future updates.

Empowering Wider Change - actions

Our green spaces need to be protected and enhanced to make Royal Greenwich more resilient to climate change and support carbon neutral living.

Natural Environment

Our green spaces need to be protected and enhanced to make Royal Greenwich more resilient to climate change and support carbon neutral living. Trees play a vital role in helping keep the air clean as well as storing carbon. The Council owns and manages approximately 554 hectares of parks and green spaces that makes up most of green spaces within the borough. We plan to make changes which will increase the climate change resilience within our local green infrastructure and reduce emissions of our maintenance operations.Our ambitions <li>Increased climate change resilience through improvements in local green infrastructure and other adaptive measures. </li>Re-wildingBy spring 2021, 11 of the Borough’s housing estates will be surrounded by sea of yellow, as 9,000 new daffodil bulbs will be in bloom. Over the past few weeks, the bulbs have been planted as part of a program which aims to give the areas a new lease of life. Not only will these new flowers brighten up these areas for residents, but they will also enhance the habitat and encourage native species to return. Alongside the 9,000 daffodil bulbs, wildflowers were planted and a total of 20 bat boxes have been installed. Purposefully letting the grass grow long in some areas encourages flowers, insects and wildlife to thrive.This is the start of an on-going engagementThe Council can’t do this alone. It is essential that residents, businesses and organisations take shared ownership of this plan to jointly make the changes that will be required over the next ten years.We need you to help shape this Plan. By having your say you can help to build a coalition of individuals and organisations, to work together to set us on the path to becoming carbon neutral.If you&#39;re not already on <a href="https://carbonneutralgreenwich.commonplace.is/news">our mailing list</a> , but would like to be kept informed, please opt in to receive future updates.

The Natural Environment - actions

We need to buy less, throw less away, reuse more and recycle more to reduce the amount of carbon caused by our waste.

Circular Economy

We need to buy less, throw less away, reuse more and recycle more to reduce the amount of carbon caused by our waste. Our ambitions <li>Seventy per cent of municipal waste is recycled and the total mass of municipal waste is reduced by 35%. </li> <li>Reduction in food waste and sustainable consumption are encouraged. </li>What is the circular economy? A circular economy is one that produces no waste and pollution, by design or intention. It offers a sustainable alternative to our current linear economy. This is one in which we make, use and then dispose of products, parts and materials. A circular economy also uses fewer new resources and energy. That means there is less cost to the environment. Rubbish and recycling collectionsWe collect recycling and rubbish from all households in the Borough once a week. Depending on where you live, we may also collect food and garden waste. We provide a free kitchen caddy to all residents that have a food waste collection.<li>If you live in a house, the blue lid bin is for recycling, the green lid bin is for food and garden waste and the black lid bin is for everything else. </li> <li>If you live in a flat, we will provide large bins for communal use.</li> <li>If you live in a property that does not have space for bins, we will provide you with free sacks for recycling. </li>Bulky collectionsWe also offer a collection service for bulky items such as furniture and white goods like fridges. There is a small fee for this service. For council tenants, this is paid out of your service charge.This is the start of an on-going engagementThe Council can’t do this alone. It is essential that residents, businesses and organisations take shared ownership of this plan to jointly make the changes that will be required over the next ten years.We need you to help shape this Plan. By having your say you can help to build a coalition of individuals and organisations, to work together to set us on the path to becoming carbon neutral.If you&#39;re not already on <a href="https://carbonneutralgreenwich.commonplace.is/news">our mailing list</a> , but would like to be kept informed, please opt in to receive future updates.

Circular Economy - actions

Recycling leaflet 2020

We need to use more energy from clean renewable sources and help build businesses that create local renewable energy.  

Energy Supply

We need to think about how our energy is generated, distributed, and used. We need to use more energy from clean renewable sources and help build businesses that create local renewable energy.Our ambitions <li>Investments in renewables reach 30 megawatts of capacity using solar electricity panels, also known as photovoltaics (PV), in the Borough by 2030.</li> <li>The deployment of battery storage and promotion of demand-side response is explored to provide flexibility to the electricity grid. </li>Where does our energy come from? The National Grid manages Great Britain’s electricity and gas supply that powers all our homes and businesses. What is renewable energy? The National Grid is becoming greener with the help of large-scale solar panels and wind turbines. The Grid balances how much energy we need with how much can be supplied at any time. For example, demand is higher at the start of the evening. To tackle the climate crisis, we should be reducing how much energy we use and using energy from renewable sources. Heating traditionally relies on the combustion of natural gas. But, we can generate renewable energy from resources around us: <li>The sun, with solar panels to generate electricity or hot water </li> <li>The ground, with ground source heat pumps </li> <li>The air, with air source heat pumps </li> <li>Wind, with wind turbines on land or in the sea </li> <li>Water, with water source heat pumps or hydroelectricity schemes </li>What are the benefits of renewable energy? Renewable energy sources can heat your home while reducing your energy bills and your reliance on fossil fuels used to generate electricity. As well as helping the environment, making the switch to renewable energy can save you money. What are District Heat Networks? Most electricity is generated nationally, but locally generated energy is growing. In Royal Greenwich, we are building local networks that will supply homes with heat, these are called District Heat Networks (DHNs). We want to connect these heat networks to low-carbon heat sources, like the heat that is wasted from industrial facilities, or heat from the air or ground. This is the start of an on-going engagementThe Council can’t do this alone. It is essential that residents, businesses and organisations take shared ownership of this plan to jointly make the changes that will be required over the next ten years.We need you to help shape this Plan. By having your say you can help to build a coalition of individuals and organisations, to work together to set us on the path to becoming carbon neutral.If you&#39;re not already on <a href="https://carbonneutralgreenwich.commonplace.is/news">our mailing list</a> , but would like to be kept informed, please opt in to receive future updates.

Energy Supply - actions

The second biggest source of emissions after buildings. Almost all these transport emissions come from vehicles such as cars, vans and trucks.

Transport

This is the second biggest source of emissions in the Borough after buildings. Almost all these transport emissions (95%) come from vehicles on our roads such as cars, vans and trucks. We need to make walking, cycling and public transport the first choice and support the roll-out of ultra-low emission vehicles.Our ambitions <li>A 45% reduction in car use due to modal shift to public transport and active travel </li> <li>A 10% decrease in van and truck use relative to current projections </li> <li>An acceleration in the uptake of zero emissions vehicles to put Greenwich 10 years ahead of Greater London’s target. </li> <li>The Council’s fleet is 100% zero emissions vehicles. </li>This is the start of an on-going engagementThe Council can’t do this alone. It is essential that residents, businesses and organisations take shared ownership of this plan to jointly make the changes that will be required over the next ten years.We need you to help shape this Plan. By having your say you can help to build a coalition of individuals and organisations, to work together to set us on the path to becoming carbon neutral.If you&#39;re not already on <a href="https://carbonneutralgreenwich.commonplace.is/news">our mailing list</a> , but would like to be kept informed, please opt in to receive future updates.