Agenda item

To receive a report from Paul Esrich and to discuss key themes, recommendations and priority actions.

Most local Councils with land designated as AONB had declared a climate emergency and aimed to become carbon neutral by 2050 or before. The paper asks what the AONB Partnership could do to help to help achieve this aim. There were three main areas:

1.     Nature Recovery – many people believe there is a strong link between climate change and the loss of biodiversity. It is expected that AONBs  would produce Nature Recovery Strategies.

2.     Agriculture – This sector accounts for 10% of greenhouse gases and the NFU have ambitions to become carbon neutral.

3.     Development, tourism, energy etc – Renewable energy needed to be considered but also the effect projects such as windfarms may have on landscapes. Some years ago the AONB Partnership tried to encourage companies to sign up to green tourism but very few were interested. Natural Capital is central to the 25-year Environment Plan and could be better utilised in planning and development.

The Committee discussed whether action was already happening in this area and what could be done:

·       Malvern Hills District Council had declared a climate emergency and a paper had been presented to their Management Board. Their Environment Policy Panel were considering a budget proposal of £250,000 towards meeting key targets. Nature recovery was being considered within this work.

·       It was reported that Chris Stark from the Committee on Climate Change had highlighted the difficulties involved in even bringing forward targets to become carbon neutral by just 5 years (to 2045).

·       It was suggested that things were changing and needed to be reviewed constantly. Action rather than fixating on specific targets was most important.

·       It was suggested that Councils should look to their own estates first and then encourage communities to go with them.

·       Any actions by District Councils needed to be taken in partnership and support would be required from the wider AONB Partnership and Parish Councils etc.

·       Worcestershire County Council has supported entrepreneurs who used technology to improve their businesses in an environmentally friendly way.

·       An alternative view was that the public were being misled by people who claimed there was a climate emergency. It’s important to note that much had been done to remove many people from poverty in recent years.

·       One committee member felt that the zero-carbon report was disappointing as it was a political report and should not be accepted.

·       A biodiversity recovery programme had achieved some positive outcomes but had not achieved its ambitious aims as more resources were required.

·       A planning idea was mentioned which used redundant building –

https://www.lionandlambcohousing.co.uk/

It was suggested that if Committee Members had further suggestions about possible Partnership working linked to addressing declared environment and climate change emergencies, they should contact the AONB Unit. Paul Esrich stressed the need for the Partnership to work effectively through, for example, Committee Members helping to make connections between members of staff and projects happening in their own organisations and staff working in the AONB Unit.

RESOLVED that the Committee:

a)     Commented on and discussed the three central themes identified;

b)    Participated in a discussion to identify good practice, recommendations to partner bodies and priority actions; and

c)     Agreed that any further ideas for Partnership working should be sent to Paul Esrich.