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Thank you for subscribing to this newsletter. This is a place for us to update you on what we are doing at South Hams District Council and what things are going on around the district.
It will tell you what's going on nationally and things you, our residents and businesses can be doing to reduce your carbon footprint and manage your land to improve the environment and its biodiversity.
If you have anything you would like to include in this newsletter, contact our Climate Change Specialist by email here.
Draft Corporate Strategy Consultation Now Open
Our consultation on our draft Corporate Strategy is open! Have your say here.
We have developed a number of aims and ambitions for the South Hams. Tackling climate change remains one of our main aims. We now want your thoughts. Are we focused on the right things?
Have we missed anything that is important to you and your community?
There are a number of ways to have your say.
- Through our online survey
- By taking part in our polls on our social media channels.
Find out more about our Draft Corporate Strategy by clicking here.
Consultation closes on 30 November 2023.
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(Click the image above to watch our video on the improvements at the arboretum).
A long-term project to make lasting improvements to Follaton Arboretum in Totnes is close to completion.
Planting and pruning have been a key part of the works carried out at the site, which is a treasured outdoor space on the edge of the town, neighbouring South Hams District Council's offices at Follaton House.
40 varied large standard trees have been planted to complement existing trees, while several hundred whips (young trees) have also been planted to create new wildlife copses.
Extensive pruning has been carried out to open up the entrance, re-establish views and improve the health of trees at the arboretum.
Meadows have also been enhanced, with scything and raking of the lower slopes, creating spaces for wildflowers to grow and restoring habitats for wildlife.
As well as making the space more suitable for flora and fauna, the main path from the site entrance to the top of the arboretum has been resurfaced, making the site more accessible than ever.
The previous surface was laid in the mid-1990s and was in poor condition, making it difficult to navigate for wheelchair users, those with prams and buggies, and mobility scooter users.
With the work on the path completed, attention will turn to replacing the pagoda at the top of the arboretum, a new 'tree trail' and possible surfaced path extension, some of which will require external grant applications.
Cllr John McKay, South Hams Executive Member for Climate Change and Biodiversity, said: "Improving biodiversity across the South Hams is a key priority for the Council, so where better to start that work than on our own doorstep?
"Visitors to the arboretum should see a noticeable improvement and biodiversity is bound to improve following the hard work of our Grounds Maintenance team in partnership with ParkLife SW and volunteers.
"Southern marsh orchids seem to be benefitting well, with over 200 counted on the lower slopes this summer.
"Enjoying the outdoors is a hugely important part of our wellbeing, so I'm also delighted to see that the path has been improved too, opening up the arboretum to even more visitors. It's a great space for walking and I hope as many people as possible take the opportunity to visit and explore the arboretum."
The works have been carried out by the District Council's Grounds Maintenance team and Parklife South West, a local environment community interest company.
Keith Rennells, a Director of ParkLife South West, said: "It is great to have made good progress over the last couple of years with enhancing the arboretum for people and wildlife. It is an important space for the community, with local groups focusing their activities at the arboretum, and people visiting for enjoyment and exercise in a natural space.
"ParkLife was set up to support community environmental volunteering, and the arboretum offers plenty of opportunity for local involvement going forward, including further enhancing the trees and wildflower meadow areas. It is also a positive way of directly contributing to the effects of our changing climate."
A number of local groups are involved with managing parts of the arboretum. The funding for the works came from the District Council's Land and Development Reserve and Section 106 funds.
Transition Town Totnes Eco Open Homes
Saturday 14 October and Sunday 15 October
Eco-builders and renovators of Totnes and Dartington area are opening up their homes over the weekend of 14 and 15 October.
The Open Eco Homes weekend will give you an insight into what our eco homeowners have done to reduce energy and water use, generate renewable energy, reduce the impacts of materials used, and have a positive effect on nature and biodiversity.
This is your chance to explore real-life examples that showcase the best in sustainable living and eco-friendly homes, right here in Totnes.
Discover remarkable new-build eco-homes: Step inside unique homes that embody sustainability. From natural building techniques to hi-tech airtightness and heat pumps, you’ll find tons of ideas to inspire your new-build.
Find out how to improve your home: It's not just new-builds! Half of the projects are renovated existing houses, so you can see practical examples of how you could install insulation, a heat pump, PV and battery system, and much more in your own house.
Meet the eco-pioneers: Engage with the passionate homeowners who have integrated eco-friendly solutions into their daily lives. They'll share their experiences, challenges, and successes offering valuable insights for your own eco-journey.
Talks and Q&As: As well as dropping in to have a look round, there will also be scheduled talks and Q&A sessions to hear more details on the build process and the rationale behind materials used and features installed.
If you'd like to find out more or get involved, please get in touch by emailing robin@transitiontowntotnes.org or by clicking here.
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Responsible science and the polycrisis: A new hope versus false solutions
Free online conference, 18 October, 4 p.m to 6 p.m
From the war in Ukraine to the climate emergency, from economic crises to disruptive technologies, the world is confronted by what many are calling the 'polycrisis'.
Four leading commentators will offer their analyses of false solutions and where we should look for hope.
Main speakers:
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Prof. Lorraine Whitmarsh MBE, University of Bath - Why behaviour change is a better bet for climate action than offsetting and speculative technology
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Prof. Paul Rogers, Bradford University - Security, economy, environment - the unavoidable connection
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Dr. Beth Stratford, ecological/political economist - Degrowth and green growth - what’s the difference for rapid climate action?
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Dr. Stuart Parkinson, SGR - From corporate science to responsible science - what’s the role of R&D in tackling the polycrisis?
Click here to find out more and register.
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Funding
Connected Warmth
Funding has been provided by the National Grid to improve the energy efficiency of homes, with a focus on insulation.
This funding is independent to the Council and more information can be found here.
Eligibility
Branching Out Fund - Deadline: 3 December
The Tree Council grants programme, Branching Out, is now open for applications from organisations seeking to establish trees, hedgerows and orchards in the 2023/24 planting season.
You can apply for grants between £250 and £2,500. Projects with strong community involvement will be looked on more favourably.
Projects over £500 will be expected to be include different types of planting, and take broader environmental considerations into account.
Schools, colleges, community groups, care homes, parish and town councils, Tree Warden Networks, Community Interest Companies and small registered charities are all eligible to apply for funding.
Groups must have a bank account registered in the name of the applicant organisation, into which the grant can be paid.
Early applications are encouraged, both to increase the chances of a grant being awarded and to ensure that planting can take place as early as possible in the tree planting season so that the trees have the best chance of establishing.
Click here to apply and find out more.
Grants for Good - Deadline every 15th of the month
Every three months, the Matthew Good Founding will share £15,000 between five shortlisted projects that have a positive impact on communities, people or the environment and has an average income of less than £50,000 in the last 12 months.
Charities and projects are welcome to apply all year round, and applications will be considered in the next funding round. Funding is awarded every three months, in April, July, October and January, with an application deadline of the 15th of the month before. For example, for the April round, applications will close on 15 March, for the October round, applications will close on 15 September.
Click here to apply and find out more
*New* AllotMe - Find or host an Allotment - This helpful resource lets you list your space to rent out your garden to a local "green finger" or find an allotment plot near you to grow your own food. Think of it as Airbnb for gardens!
Click here for more information.
Energy Saving Devon - This initiative supports the upgrading of Devon’s homes. Energy Saving Devon is delivered by Cosy Devon, a partnership between all of Devon's local authorities, their strategic partners and local community energy organisations.
It is administered by Devon County Council. Energy Saving Devon is your one stop shop for all things retrofit in Devon.
You can access help, resources and create your own refurbishment plan with its plan builder tool.
Click here for more information.
Decarbonise Devon - Decarbonise Devon supports organisations to undertake the entire process of developing and delivering a project that saves energy, reducing costs and carbon emissions.
Decarbonise Devon carries out the whole process for you: planning, project management, financing, finding trustworthy contractors, even verifying your impact.
Click here to find out more and get in touch.
Workplace Charging Scheme - The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is a voucher-based scheme that provides eligible applicants with support towards the upfront costs of the purchase and installation of electric vehicle (EV) charge points.
Click here to find out more and apply.
South Hams Town and Parish Guide to Net Zero - While parish and town councils may have more limited resources than the district or county authority, parish and town councils can still be a very important force for good in their local areas to address the climate and ecological emergency.
We have curated a guide to get you started and provide tips here.
Following recent climate announcements from Government, including the Prime Minister's speech, the Climate Change Committee has evaluated the impact on the UK to meet its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the UN process for a 68% reduction in emissions by 2030.
Their key messages are;
- There has been real and tangible policy progress since June, with the confirmation of the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate and the recent deal with Tata Steel for industrial electrification in Port Talbot.
The implementation of a cap for the ETS that is aligned with Net Zero is also an important step forward.
There was a welcome high-level commitment to a spatial energy infrastructure plan and to changing the process for electricity grid connections in the PM’s speech, although we await the detail of these.
- Other developments have made meeting future targets harder through both the direct impacts of reduced policy ambition and through the Government’s indication that it will loosen certain Net Zero policies.
- On decarbonising buildings, the announced changes will make it more difficult to meet the government’s sectoral pathway. While a 2035 phase-out date for fossil boilers is potentially compatible with Net Zero, the exemption of 20% of households from the phase-out will have an impact on emissions all the way out to 2050 – making Net Zero considerably harder to achieve. Most importantly, it creates widespread uncertainty for consumers and supply chains. Although the grant for heat pumps was increased from £5,000 to £7,500 it has not been accompanied by a larger budget and will, therefore, serve fewer homes.
- Delaying the fossil car phase-out date to 2035 is expected to have only a small direct impact on future emissions, due to the now-confirmed ZEV Mandate, which will ensure that 80% of new cars sold by 2030 will be zero-emission.
However, there may be other indirect consequences, through the uncertainty that has been introduced by changing near-term consumer targets. The risk is that the public and automotive companies perceive a weakening of government commitment to the electric vehicle transition, which could undermine consumer confidence and/or jeopardise some inward investment relating to EV manufacturing.
- The lack of any awarded contracts for offshore wind in AR5 was due to a failure to adjust the Administrative Strike Price to reflect substantial increases in supply chain costs beyond the level of general inflation.
It was noted these risks in our 2023 June Progress Report, prior to the AR5 announcement. In forthcoming auction rounds, it is imperative that policy is adjusted to deliver contract awards and the commissioning of offshore wind farms as soon as possible, given the essential contribution of offshore wind to Net Zero and the very high costs of gas-fired generation used in the meantime.
- There are likely to be broader implications from the Government’s new messaging around Net Zero and the framing of the PM’s announcements as a loosening of near-term ambition. This risks undermining consumer confidence and the development of UK supply chains, which are particularly important for delivery of buildings decarbonisation.
There is a partial quantification of this effect in our analysis below.
To read the assessment in full click here.
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A new report by Demos and McCain Foods looks into the role regenerative farming can play is supporting domestic food security as well as driving new green transformation in agriculture.
The report highlights barriers to the adoption of regenerative farming practices.
To overcome these barriers the report calls on the government to:
- Empower farmers, environmentalists, and other stakeholders to work together to deliver change
- Ensure financial security by increasing support for farmers
- bring farmers into the movement with a regenerative framework, and enable them to deliver it through knowledge sharing
Click here to read the report.
Click here to find out how we are supporting regenerative agriculture.
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The Climate Overshoot Commission is an independent group of global leaders who have been working on a strategy to reduce risks should global warming goals be exceeded.
The commission's members includes former heads of government, national ministers, directors of intergovernmental organisations, environmental group leaders, and academic experts, complemented by a Youth Engagement Group.
The commission's new report, on reducing the risks of climate overshoot, was published in September 2023 and covers the following approaches holistically:
- Cutting emissions remains the priority.
- Adaptation is necessary to cope with impacts.
- Carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere will be needed.
- Solar radiation modification should be researched, and its governance discussed.
- Climate finance must be increased to prevent or limit climate overshoot.
To read the report in full click here.
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