A Climate Change Strategy for Surrey

19 March 2009

A Climate Change Strategy for Surrey 

 

Background 

 

Workstream 1 of the SIP Climate Change Project seeks to produce a Surrey-wide climate change strategy using a ‘core strategy’ that states agreed objectives and actions for Surrey local authorities. This would be a new and innovative agreement for Surrey seeking sign-off by Chief Executives/Senior Management and Members from each local authority. The Strategy will link to requirements for addressing National Indicators 185, 186, 187 and 188.

 

Jacobs consultants have been appointed by the Surrey Climate Change Partnership (SCCP) to deliver the county-wide Strategy.

 

Brief for a Climate Change Strategy for Surrey

Strategy

It is intended for SCCP to establish a core strategy outlining common objectives and targets, particularly around carbon reduction and to offer guidance to assist all Surrey authorities in addressing the climate change national indicators and regional carbon reduction targets.

The strategy needs to have an overarching policy for addressing climate change in Surrey and then to identify work streams which, ensure that all Surrey local authorities deliver collectively against the climate change targets. However, the work streams need to be flexible to allow each authority to identify a work stream against which it considers it has the capacity and ability to deliver whilst leading to the overall goal of achieving targets and building capacity on climate change delivery. By working together in Surrey it is intended that the strategy will assist in developing capacity and improved efficiency in local authority resources for tackling climate change. The benefits experienced by Surrey authorities will be disseminated across the region in order to widen good practice learning.

The strategy should also set out a clear direction of travel in terms of carbon reductions in Surrey in line with NI186. The objectives should support a clear mechanism for reporting on NI186, which enables the partner organisations to collectively articulate their progress and achievements.

Process

The Surrey Climate Change Partnership is therefore looking for assistance in developing this strategy.

The strategy needs to include/cover:-

  • Summary of the current situation in Surrey and the activities undertaken by all 12 local authorities in relation to National Indicator set.

  • An overview of carbon emissions in Surrey and identification of major emission sources to underpin prioritisation.

  • Identify and record areas of best practice and record these

  • Clarify baselines as to where each local authority is in terms of monitoring and reviewing national indicators

  • Use the Woking, Guildford and Surrey climate change strategies and other examples of best practice climate change strategies as a basis from which to develop a Surrey wide strategy.

  • The strategy needs to have a timeline longer than the Local Area Agreement perhaps up to 2020, but needs to provide review points in order to "fine tune" the strategy to meet changes in policy.

  • Develop core objectives

  • Develop work streams/actions to "hang off" the strategy and to be used as a pick list for delivery and reporting by Surrey authorities against the climate change indicators. Ensure robustness for long term monitoring and review.

  • Prioritisation of the work streams in the short, medium and long term in line with the Surrey bid on climate change and the overall work programme of this bid.

  • Strengthen partnership working and suggestions for where we need to build capacity

  • Identify opportunities for collectively accessing funds

  • Identify opportunities to engage with other sectors (public and private).

  • Cover delivery on key National Indicators and identify non-climate change indicator requirements that may impact positively and negatively on the climate change indicators.

  • Provide a South-East exemplar,

  • Build a relationship between the strategy and the emerging communications and marketing work being undertaken by the Surrey authorities.

Overall structure

In terms of overall structure it is expected the strategy will have the following basic format:-

Context

Policy

Core objectives e.g. - reduction of CO2 emissions, adaptation to climate change, promotion of climate change in the context of sustainable development

Work streams/actions

Prioritisation criteria for work streams

Monitoring and review.

It is also suggested that the document should be no more than 20 pages and preferably less. Simplicity will ensure sign up by all Surrey authorities.

Timelines:-

  • Early Feb - inception meeting with successful bidder
  • Meet with chair of SCCP
  • Meet with IESE Project Sponsor and Project Manager
  • Meet with SCCP task group.
  • Attendance at SCCP meeting to update and present findings
  • Initial draft by late March 2009.
  • Finalisation early April 2009