New CO2 reduction targets announced
Thursday 14 August 2008
Haringey Council has today announced new short-term targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions in the borough as it steps up its efforts to tackle climate change.
By 2011 the council aims to have cut CO2 emissions in the borough by 11 per cent - or 0.55 tonnes - per head of population in comparison to the government's latest C02 figures for 2005.
These showed that 5.0 tonnes of carbon dioxide - the main greenhouse gas which contributes to climate change - were being generated per capita in Haringey.
The council's targets for 2008-09 and 2009-10 are for a 3.6 per cent reduction (0.18 tonnes) and a 7.4 per cent reduction (0.37 tonnes) respectively per head of population compared to the 2005 figures.
The targets have been announced just weeks after Haringey approved a new Greenest Borough Strategy, setting out how the borough will take the lead in London on environmental issues over the next 10 years.
In the long-term, the council is currently working towards the UK government targets of a 32 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2020 and a 60 per reduction by 2050.
However, Haringey is now carrying out detailed research to assess the feasibility of a more ambitious long-term CO2 reduction target for the borough.
Cabinet Member for Environment and Conservation, Cllr Brian Haley, said:
"Reducing carbon emissions is the fundamental issue of our time. We must all take action to cut CO2 if we are to genuinely tackle climate change and preserve our environment for future generations.
"This is the primary focus of our new Greenest Borough Strategy. To succeed we will need to encourage improved energy efficiency in homes and businesses, make alternative transport to the car more attractive to our residents, and reduce carbon emissions from the council's own buildings and operations.
"We believe the 11 per cent CO2 reduction target by 2011 is achievable, and we hope we will continue to receive the support of residents, businesses and community groups over the next three years.
"In the meantime, we will continue to review long-term CO2 targets for the borough and, if practicable, we will look to move beyond the 60 per cent target. But this is an incredibly detailed piece of work, and we are not going to be in the business of plucking figures from the air without first conducting thorough research."
The Greenest Borough Strategy seeks to build on a range of existing Haringey Council initiatives developed through its £20million Better Haringey environmental improvement programme, launched in 2003.
These include switching all street lights and council buildings to green electricity, introducing solar powered parking meters, implementing new residential parking charges based on vehicles' CO2 emissions, and two Green Fairs to encourage environmentally friendly behaviour among residents and community groups.
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