🌍NCC Climate Change November newsletter

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Subject: 🌍NCC Climate Change November newsletter - COP26 roundup!

NCC Climate Change Newsletter - November 2021

Welcome to our special COP26 edition of the Northumberland Climate Change newsletter!

Over the last two weeks of COP26, we’ve been giving daily highlights the commitments and actions we are taking against Climate Change.

Here’s our roundup of the fortnight together with upcoming events and ways to get involved across the various areas the conference covered.

Day 1: From 31 October to 12 November, Glasgow hosted the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). The first day saw the procedural opening of negotiations. Representatives from countries across the world were called upon to update their emission reduction targets in line with projections to hold temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celcius.

Day 2: World Leader’s Summit

Over the course of two days, world leaders gave their national statements for their commitments to curbing Climate Change. NCC has committed to reducing Council-owned emission by 50% by 2025 (compared to 2010) as well as working with national government to achieve net-zero carbon emissions across the county by 2030.

Day 3: World Leader’s Summit

Leaders attended events on action on forest and land use, which demonstrated how sequestration can keep the 1.5°C goal in sight.

Here in Northumberland, we know how important forests, soils, peatlands and a healthy ecosystem is for absorbing carbon dioxide from our atmosphere.

Currently, Northumberland's forests and green spaces significantly reduce our overall carbon emissions through carbon capture. We want to go further. With projects like the Great Northumberland Forest, the free tree giveaway and the Peatland Partnership, we aim to make Northumberland one of the greenest counties in the UK.

Day 4: Finance

COP leaders what it will cost to become carbon neutral, whilst also supporting emerging markets and developing economies.

For Northumberland to reach net-zero by 2030, it will cost around £1.6bn. We're drawing up a net-zero investment strategy to explore how emerging public and private finance opportunities can better align council action with the net-zero commitment.

Day 5: Energy

The switch to renewable energy use and generation will significantly reduce our carbon emissions. We've been installing renewable energy and heat sources into our buildings for the past 10 years. In the past year, 2.2% of our energy needs have been met by our own generation of electricity from solar panels. This will increase with the completion of the innovative solar car port at County Hall next summer.

We’re also exploring exciting opportunities for alternative renewables, such as the potential for an in-river Hydropower Scheme on the River Tyne. This would generate long-term green electricity for Hexham helping to reduce its carbon emissions and raising awareness for issues of climate change.

Day 6: Youth and public empowerment

We're working with Bothal Primary School exploring the possibility of incorporating issues and solutions for climate change into a schools’ package. We recognise the great potential for children and young people in leading for climate change and future opportunities for employment.

Community engagement and public empowerment is also key in Northumberland’s path to Net Zero. We are delighted to welcome 15 new Community Climate Champions this October to join the original 10 pilot groups.

If you are part of a climate change community group, then you might be eligible for the National Lottery Community Fund. There's between £1,000 and £10,000 available for projects that matter to your community.

Find out more and apply here.

Day 7: Ocean Action Day

Northumberland’s coastline is loved by all. There are loads of fantastic volunteer work going on up and down the county. Volunteers of the Coast Care Initiative keep our beaches and sand dunes healthy and resilient.

If you are interested in getting involved in this volunteer work click here.

Day 8: Nature

Northumberland is lucky to have significant green assets in the form of our National Park, countryside and forestry. Together, this draws down 1,102 ktCO2 from the atmosphere, significantly reducing our overall emissions. We are committed to planting more trees and planting the right tree in the right place to enhance carbon capture potential and biodiversity across Northumberland.

Free Tree Giveaway

The Free Tree giveaway is still going! We only have around 1,000 tree saplings left to giveaway to residents, schools, community groups and town and parish councils.

Apply for a free tree before we run out!

Queen’s Green Canopy

Plant a tree for the Jubilee this winter! We visited Spring RAF Boulmer nursery this week to help them plant 30 native harvest saplings on their grounds. Nursery staff have taken this opportunity to teach the children more about nature and the environment.

Grab a spade: National Trust Tree Planting

Friday 3 and Saturday 4 December 11am –2pm

The National Trust Wallington is inviting everyone to help plant trees on their grounds. This is part of their Green Recovery Challenge Fund which will see 75,000 trees planted at Wallington this winter. Head down to the visitor centre to get started.

Day 9: Adaptation, Loss and Damage

One of the many benefits of making Northumberland the greenest county in the UK is to reduce the risks of flooding. This is becoming a larger risk with increased frequency of intense rainfall due to climate change. Making Northumberland greener not only mitigates climate change by sequestering carbon emissions but it will also help us adapt to a changing climate.

Day 10: Science and Innovation

NCC are exploring all opportunities and technologies that might reduce climate change. This includes the scoping out the potential for an innovative ground-source heat pump in Blyth, which can utilise the existing hot water from the now disused Bates Colliery Mine.

Day 11: Transport

The Council is scaling up and scaling out its electric vehicle charge points. In order to meet the expected demand in EVs, we will be installing 151 EV charging points per year for the next three years in on-street and public locations.

We are mapping where additional on-street EV chargers are needed. If you’ve been thinking about investing in an electric vehicle but have nowhere to charge it at home, please suggest a location near your home by completing this form.

Day 12: Cities, Regions and Built environment

Changing the way we heat our buildings and town has real potential to curb emissions. District heat networks will be a significant way to heat larger towns in less carbon intensive ways. We are currently investigating the potential for heat networks in Alnwick, Ashington, Berwick, Hexham, Morpeth, Cramlington and Blyth.

Green Homes Grant: Local Authority Delivery

Individual buildings can also reduce their own carbon emissions through installation of insulation. Funding is available for eligible homeowners in Northumberland through the scheme with E.ON. Do you:

own your property
have a household income of less than £30,000
hold an EPC rating of D or below

Apply today by contacting E.ON:

Email: GreenHomesGrant@eonenergy.com

Call Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm: 0333 202 4820

Historic Homes Survey

Some buildings are more leaky than others and more difficult to insulate. To help understand housing across Northumberland, we’re working with Newcastle University to survey historic homes. This will help us identify the carbon footprint from heating older buildings. If you live in a property in Northumberland that is over 100 years old, we would appreciate your input into this work. Please complete a quick and easy survey.

The deadline for responses is 18 November 2021. It would help the reliability of the research findings if you were able to find out approximately how much electricity and heating fuel you have used over the last 12 months.

Days 13 and 14: Closure of Negotiations

COP26 ended with a new climate pact focused on further reducing global emissions. At Northumberland County Council, we will be studying the commitments and outcomes to see how we as a council and county can take forward the momentum from this event to reach our net-zero targets of 2030.

Our next public Q&A event in January 2022 will provide a space to discuss your ideas with the NCC Climate Team. Keep an eye out in next month’s newsletter to register for this event.

In the meantime, check out our Climate Action Plan for 2021-23 to find out more about our projects and visit our website.

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Subject: 🌍NCC Climate Change November newsletter - COP26 roundup!