The UN has warned that global warming will reach 2.7 degrees centigrade by the year 2100 which will result in a "climate catastrophe". The COP (Conference of the Parties) 26 has been meeting in Glasgow with the aim of slowing global warming by limiting it to 1.5 or at least 2 degrees centigrade over the next 80 years.
The UK plans to achieve a net-zero target by 2050, so what do cities like St Albans need to do to help eliminate greenhouse gas emissions? Of course, climate change is a global issue (the sceptics, surely, must now accept the scientific facts) that requires national governments to take the lead in reducing carbon emissions from fossil fuels. Therefore, in reality, a lot of the actions needed to reach the UK target such as the switch to renewable energy will be determined at a national rather than at local level. However there are some key areas where what we do in St Albans will be important: along with planting more trees and promoting wilding to absorb carbon, we should also be reducing domestic emissions and encouraging non-polluting transport.
St Albans is among the 300 plus UK local authorities that have now declared climate emergencies and it is in cities and towns where, because of their high density, there are the best opportunities to lower carbon emissions in homes and public transport.
When it comes to domestic buildings the first challenge will be to reduce carbon emissions from the existing housing stock by improving energy efficiency. It is estimated that over 11.2 million homes across the country need retrofitting both to move away from fossil fuels to sustainable energy and to instal appropriate insulation. Retrofitting poses particular problems for St Albans because of its conservation areas and heritage buildings. Planning policy, with a flexible approach, should be the main tool to encourage householders to move away from carbon-emitting energy and also to ensure that the new homes being built are carbon neutral.
The other major source of carbon emissions in cities is transport and private cars have been shown to be the largest emitter. Electric vehicles are important in moving away from fossil fuels, but public transport and active travel are also crucial and this is where cities again have an advantage, because of their density, generally only requiring short journeys to a range of facilities. Local authorities need to make it attractive to walk and cycle, and at the same time ensure it is easy to charge electric cars.
To help support measures that reduce carbon emissions in homes and on the roads of our cities and towns the government needs to devolve more powers to a local level so that councils can coordinate their housing and transport planning.
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