In December 2020, Members adopted a Climate Change and Biodiversity Strategy and updated Action Plan, which recognised the need to take decisive action now to ensure the District becomes Net Zero by 2050.

On-going monitoring, with a report every six-months, reassures Councillors and local residents that progress is continuing. The latest progress was discussed at the Council’s Executive meeting on Thursday 3 June 2021. 

Key areas of progress highlighted in the report to Council include:

• An additional £600,000 in Green Homes Grants has been secured, which will help improve energy efficiency in 90 more homes across the District.
• Eight new EV charging bays will be installed in Kingsbridge and Totnes.
• Up to £3,000 per Member will be available to support local climate change and biodiversity projects. This is due to be available from June 2021 and is in addition to the existing Members’ Locality Fund.
• The South Hams Climate Action and Biodiversity Fund will be launched on Crowdfunder in June. This provides match-funding for local projects and is backed by £200,000 funding.
• A feasibility study has now been commissioned into EV charging, solar and battery storage on Council-owned car parks, exploring the potential for direct energy feed to nearby assets.
• In response to feedback from the Climate Change and Biodiversity Forum, a survey into local need for shared electric vehicles and bikes is planned.
• A proposal and application has been submitted for funding from the Government’s Natural Environment Investment Readiness Grant in partnership with the South Devon AONB unit (as lead bidder) and Ambios (Sharpham Estate).

The success of the Council’s approach to climate change and the Community Forum has been highlighted in a case study by the Local Government Association www.local.gov.uk/case-studies/developing-community-forum-help-tackle-climate-change-and-increase-biodiversity 

The report also notes the Council’s ’agile’ approach to working has resulted in significant carbon savings since January 2021 of an estimated 300,000 miles of travel, leading to an estimated saving of over 100tCO₂e (Tonnes of Carbon Dioxide equivalent).

Cllr Judy Pearce, Leader of South Hams District Council, said: “We are determined to tackle the issues of climate change and biodiversity quickly and efficiently. We’re taking direct action to cut our own emissions as an organisation and instigate a District-wide approach to change as well as using our position to apply for any funding that can be fed into community groups who are doing an excellent job with projects on a very local level.

“It’s great to see the positive steps we have already taken to achieve our goals set out last year. Whilst switching to green energy is important, we know that reducing energy consumption is also key to achieving Net Zero goals. Insulating homes can make a big difference to emissions, as well as bills, so it’s great news that we have the funding to improve insulation for many more local homes. We also know that access to more EV charging points is increasingly important as more car owners switch to electric. With more EV charging points across the District, and more in the pipeline, both local residents and our visitors will find it easier to drive green.

“We know there is still much more to be done to achieve Net Zero but residents can be reassured that our nationally recognised Community Forum is doing a fantastic job of identifying funding, projects and opportunities. I look forward to the next report in six-months, when I hope again to be able to share details of many more projects that take positive action to tackle climate change and improve biodiversity.” 

We are pleased to announce the launch of our Climate and Biodiversity Action Fund in partnership with Crowdfunder.

Up to £5,000 of match funding is available, although we may consider pledging up to £10,000 for exceptional projects that have a larger impacts across the District.

South Hams District Council will consider pledging towards crowdfunding targets as follows:

• Up to 50% for constituted community groups and Town and Parish Councils
• Up to 30% for registered not-for-profit organisations
• Up to 20% for incorporated locally based for-profit organisations

How it works:

• You must first demonstrate strong local support by getting to 25% of your crowdfunding target from a minimum of 25 unique supporters before being considered.
• If you receive a pledge from the South Hams Climate Action and Biodiversity Fund, but the amount does not take you to your crowdfund target, you must continue crowdfunding until you’ve reached your target.

Your project will need to support our Climate Change and Biodiversity Strategy through one of the following:

1. Reducing carbon emissions from households, businesses or organisations, including community and voluntary groups (links to Objective 1 – Energy)
2. Creating new opportunities for renewable energy. Higher levels of match funding will be considered for projects providing innovative solutions for heat decarbonisation such as district energy networks. (links to Objective 1 – Energy)
3. Supporting behaviour change and sustainable living (links to Objectives 2 – Sustainability and 4 – Capability and Engagement)
4. Projects which will result in removal of carbon from the atmosphere through nature-based solutions or supporting improvements in biodiversity (Links to Objective 3 – Land use and Biodiversity)
5. Providing education and awareness of the Climate and Ecological emergency through direct engagement with hard-to-reach groups and individuals (links to Objective 4 – Capability and Engagement
6. Projects which aim to help communities and species adapt to the effects of Climate Change (Links to all Objectives)

Only for constituted community groups, Town and Parish Councils, and incorporated not for profit organisations:

1. Projects to help reduce organisational carbon footprints, this could include feasibility studies, action plans and emissions studies (Links to all Objectives)

For more information click here to find our Crowdfunder page and more detail on eligibility requirements and terms.

In addition, Crowdfunder offer coaching through their coaching hub which can be found by clicking here.

Benefits of Community Energy - Report Launch

This free webinar is part of Community Energy Fortnight and is on the 18 June from 10:00 to 11:30.

The webinar will go over a report commissioned by Devon County Council and the South West Energy Partnership which looks into the benefits of community-owned energy schemes.

This webinar is part of the AgroRES project which is funded by Interreg Europe and aims to develop measures that encourage the production and use of renewable energy in the agricultural and rural sector.

Further information and registration can be found by clicking here.

30 Days Wild

Hot on the heels of No Mow May, comes 30 Days Wild, which is the Wildlife Trusts' annual nature challenge where we ask the nation to do one 'wild' thing a day every day throughout June.

More than half a million people took part in 2020, and over the past five years, the University of Derby has been analysing data from 30 Days Wild to measure the impact of the challenge on participants which found that talking part increased peoples nature connectedness and health and mental wellbeing.

That review can be found here.

If you're ready for the 30 Days Wild Challenge, you can find more, including an activity passport by clicking here. 

Free Trees for Communities and Schools

The Woodland Trust are now taking applications for a variety of tree packs for delivery in March 2021.

To find out how to apply and what you need to do then click here.

Become a UK Business Climate Leader

Are you a business looking to start your journey to reaching net-zero? The the UK Business Climate Hub may be able to help.

With the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) on the horizon, this time hosted by the United Kingdom, the UK Business Climate Hub are calling on businesses of any size to commit to cutting carbon emissions in half by 2030 and to reach ‘net zero’ by 2050. By making the commitment, resources and help will be available.

To find out more, click here. 

We would like to dedicate this section of the newsletter for local stories and achievements from the Community regarding anything Climate Change and Biodiversity.

If you have anything you would like us to promote then please email us at climatechange@swdevon.gov.uk

Over at Carbon Brief there's an interesting guest post by Alexandra Poncia, (energy and climate change consultant at Arup)
Paul Drummond, (senior research fellow at the Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London) and 
Prof Michael Grubb, (professor of energy and climate change at the Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, University College London)  discussing their recent open access research paper titled 'Induced innovation in energy technologies and systems: a review of evidence and potential implications for CO₂ mitigation'.

The article can be found by clicking here and the research paper can be found by clicking here.

A recent research paper published on 25 May 2021 has found that the thickness of the atmospheric layer has contracted by 400 metres since the 1980s and will thin by about another kilometre by 2080 without major cuts in emissions.

The changes have the potential to affect satellite operations, the GPS navigation system and radio communications.

This research paper is available through open access and can be found here.