Action plan to tackle climate change and make Haringey net zero carbon by 2041

Haringey is taking a number of steps to tackle climate change, enhance energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality over the next two decades as set out in the Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) which was approved at a cabinet meeting.

The CCAP, which has been refined and improved by Haringey residents after a concerted community engagement programme, sets out the actions and ambitions required for the borough to become net zero carbon by 2041, with the council’s core operational buildings and fleet doing likewise six years from now (2027).

Almost four out of five respondents to the council’s community engagement said they were ‘very concerned’ about climate change, and that action should be taken as a major priority to combat this global issue.

Haringey Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Equalities and Leisure, Cllr Kirsten Hearn, said:

“The significant community engagement and interest on this Action Plan has shown that there is a high level of support from the community on tackling Climate Change.

“The Haringey Climate Change Action Plan can deliver a win for the many. It sets out how we – as a community – will work together to address the Climate Emergency. 

“For Haringey to become net zero carbon, the council, local businesses, residents, stakeholders, visitors and central Government need to work together to deliver the Action Plan’s ambition. Combating climate change is a collective endeavour, and we will continue to work with colleagues across the sector so we can keep Haringey’s target date of 2041.”

More than 1,000 points were raised by approximately 700 individuals and 10 community groups during the community engagement process between October 2020 and January 2021.

Two-thirds of respondents overall said Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) and segregated cycle lanes should be prioritised by the council and Transport for London (TfL) to reduce traffic emissions and the council has already approved a draft Walking & Cycling Action Plan to achieve this.

An equally high proportion of people (70%+) wanted to see the installation of solar panels on local buildings. This can, in part, be achieved by Haringey residents making the most of partnership initiatives such as the Solar Together group buying scheme (external link).

Investment in transport infrastructure for walking and cycling (85%), retrofitting council-owned homes (74%) and reducing carbon emissions in new-build developments (72%) were also identified as high priority areas by the Haringey community from the responses collated via our Carbon Priority Simulator tool.

This feedback has led to many alterations and changes to the CCAP, with the main ones being that the council will now place a greater focus on embedding carbon reduction and sustainability across all its operations and increasing local renewable energy production in Haringey.

Read the Climate Change Action Plan and the Engagement Report.