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Climate Change & Environment

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Climate Change & Environment

We propose the following draft objective for the Spatial Development Strategy to achieve and deliver.

Strategic Objective 1 - Tackling Climate Change and creating a greener City Region

This will be achieved by:

  • Driving up standards and securing opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, helping to meet the City Region’s target of net zero carbon by 2040.
  • Increasing resilience to the effects of Climate Change, ensuring its impacts do not lead to social and economic inequalities.
  • Ensuring the most effective use of land, maximising the potential to utilise brownfield land, reducing the need to travel and securing environmental improvements from new development.
  • Protecting and improving our valued green spaces (including within urban areas) and natural environment for the long-term benefit of all.
  • Facilitating a transition to greener transport and promoting active travel and public transport.
  • Managing and utilising resources in a sustainable and responsible way as part of a circular economy.
  • Facilitating clean and renewable energy generation and greater energy efficiency in buildings.
    • What you told us

    The issue of the Environment and Climate Change received the highest number of responses as part of our initial engagement. Your feedback, in summary, told us:

  • We need to take action now to tackle the climate and nature emergencies.
  • The main challenge is to align economic development with improvement in the environment.
  • Green / blue infrastructure is essential to tackle Climate Change and alleviate flooding.
  • More renewable low carbon energy should be generated in the LCR.
  • We need to plan to reduce car dependency and provide realistic alternatives for greener, healthier travel such as cycle lanes.
  • Regenerating brownfield land must be the first priority for development to alleviate pressure on the Green Belt.
  • We need to protect our green spaces as they are invaluable to health and our wellbeing.
  • We need to protect and improve our wildlife habitats to stop the further decline in species and secure nature’s recovery.
  • Plant more trees to help absorb carbon and slow Climate Change.
  • We must manage our waste and resources prudently.
    • Key reasons behind this objective

    The Metro Mayor and Combined Authority have set the ambition for the LCR to be the cleanest, greenest city region in the country, promoting a balanced and sustainable land use strategy. The LCRCA has declared a Climate Emergency and is committed to making the City Region net zero carbon by 2040.

    COVID-19 and the measures to control its spread have had a huge impact on our lives and economy. The LCRCA is fully committed to Building Back Better , taking opportunities to progress a greener recovery built on a sustainable and low carbon economy.

    The draft LCR Local Industrial Strategy sets the ambition for the City Region to be a pioneer of the zero carbon economy, committing to investment and support in delivering long-term renewable energy and clean transport with associated jobs.

    The LCRCA is committed to delivering greener, active travel and the creation of a strategic cycle route network to help reduce the City Region’s carbon footprint.

    The Spatial Development Strategy must address Climate Change and its consequences as part of its legal framework. The need to plan for the challenges of Climate Change, the natural environment, the effective use of land and prudent use of natural resources is set out in national planning policy .

    The impacts of Climate Change, such as flooding, poses a threat to homes and livelihoods in the LCR. Planning plays a key role in reducing risks and building resilience across all our communities.

    The LCR comprises 80% blue / green space, providing a unique and valuable asset estimated to be worth £100bn . This ‘Green Infrastructure’ provides multiple benefits for our health and wellbeing, ecology, economy and in tackling Climate Change.

    It is important to get the most use and value out of material resources, improve resource efficiency and minimise the amount of waste generated; working towards a circular economy.

    The Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan sets out the need to halt and reverse the decline in natural species, use resources sustainably and prevent waste. The Environment Bill introduces new legal requirements for development to improve the natural environment.

    How we will use this objective

    This objective will serve as a guiding principle to shape the SDS as it is developed. A number of suggested policy approaches have also been put forward as part of this engagement that would directly or indirectly help us achieve this objective.

    Tell us what you think

    Please provide your views on this draft objective by answering the questions below.

    This engagement phase has finished

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