Partnership pushes Shropshire's biggest response to climate emergency
A united group of businesses, councils, community groups and residents has formed to deliver Shropshire's biggest effort in fighting the climate emergency to date.
A team of more than 100 volunteers known as the Shropshire Climate Action Partnership (SCAP) has responded to the increasing environmental pressures by producing an action plan for the county.
The plan calls for an immediate response to the climate and ecological emergency by identifying recommended actions suitable for everyone to take.
Across the county, both Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire councils have declared climate emergencies and have set a 2030 target for becoming carbon neutral.
The partnership's Zero Carbon Shropshire initiative intends to help the county contribute to national and international climate action by becoming net-zero within the decade.
Allan Wilson, chairman of SCAP, said: “We know the scale of the challenge, but also that we have the ability to meet it, working together."
In its report, the group said Shropshire's carbon footprint of close to six million tonnes of CO2 per year will have dire consequences if not reduced to zero.
Immediate actions
While the plan identifies about 70 per cent of the changes needed to be successful, work will continue in 2021 to create a more comprehensive outline of what needs to be done.
Mr Wilson said: “Immediate actions are recommended from January 2021 that will achieve significant reductions if acted upon by households, businesses and councils across Shropshire. Time is pressing, and the biggest risk is failure to mobilise on the necessary scale for immediate implementation."
He added: “The zero-carbon journey for Shropshire represents the biggest commercial opportunity of our time, and offers an excellent opportunity for employment and sustainable economic growth.
“Shropshire has tremendous renewable energy resources which can be developed. There is great potential for improving our energy efficiency, delivering a network of electric vehicle charging points and other positive investments in our future.
“We welcome people’s comments to our first plan, while working with us to develop it further. We need everyone in Shropshire to be involved in this now.
“We are asking people to initially measure their own and their family’s carbon footprint, and then adopt the simple achievable steps in our plan to work towards a zero carbon future.”
To get involved visit zerocarbonshropshire.org
