Hounslow Council Invites Residents To Help Develop Climate Strategy
Following the declaration of a Climate Emergency
Hounslow Council is working with international environmental consultancy Eunomia Research & Consulting (‘Eunomia’) to develop its response to the climate emergency declared in June.
The council and Eunomia will be holding a public workshop event called: Addressing the Climate Emergency on Tuesday 8 October, from 12noon to 4.30pm at the Holiday Inn, Brentford Lock, Commerce Road, TW8.
Residents are invited to get involved in the discussion around the borough’s climate emergency, the issues facing Hounslow and to help shape the strategy with their knowledge, insights and suggestions.
In the past eight months, 205 of the UK’s 408 principal authorities (including county, unitary, metropolitan, London boroughs and district councils) have made climate emergency declarations.
Eunomia, which is already supporting a number of authorities across the globe with similar projects, will be working with Hounslow to develop an actionable strategy which addresses the climate emergency.
The strategy will see the council, suppliers, service users and the community work together to create a framework for a greener borough. This blueprint will respond to the climate emergency and minimise its impact with positive steps which benefit and protect the environment.
Eunomia will provide the council with an evidence base upon which it can make informed decisions about what actions to take to best mitigate the climate impacts of the borough, as well as how to best maximise the impacts of those actions. It will also identify the best opportunities for Hounslow to reduce emissions associated with council estate properties (where it is looking to achieve net zero carbon as soon as possible) as well as elsewhere across the borough.
The strategy will include measures on climate change adaptation, drawn from Eunomia’s involvement in developing much of the best practice found across Europe and the rest of the world. The actions will support the council’s Greener Borough Strategy, which focuses on priority issues such as parks and open spaces, nature conservation, ambient noise, and air quality, as well as climate change.
Councillor Katherine Dunne, Cabinet Member for Communities and Workforce said: "The impacts of climate breakdown are already causing serious damage around the world. We need to tackle the impact of climate change as a global community, and that means everyone should have a part to play to reduce carbon emissions and help create a greener borough.
“As a council, we will be looking at how to reduce our emissions and carbon footprint, but this isn’t something we can tackle on our own. The climate emergency affects everyone so we have to work with residents, businesses and our partner organisations to make an impact which will protect our environment for future generations. The ultimate goal is for the council and the borough to emit zero carbon. This is a tough challenge but I am confident that by working together we can make big strides towards turning this dream into a reality.”
Places for the Addressing the Climate Emergency workshop are limited, and booking is essential. To book your place, visit www.eventbrite.co.uk and search by date and location or click this link.
September 10, 2019