Destination Zero report

Short

1-2 years

Medium

5 years

Long

By 2030

Ongoing

Work will continue throughout the life of the plan

Actions

Carbon impact (co2t)

Funding implications

Timeline

Priority 1: Make Malvern Hills District Council’s operations carbon neutral by 2030

Replace car park lights with more efficient LED lighting

1.6 tonnes

£11,800 – planned expenditure

Short

Move our waste collection fleet to non-internal combustion engine vehicles by 2030 and make all the council’s non-waste fleet electric or low emission by the same date

805 tones

Funding is planned for fleet replacement on the basis of petrol/diesel vehicles. Additional expenditure may be required to move to non-Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles.

Long

Switch the council to a green energy supplier for gas and electric when current contracts end in 2021

97 tonnes approx.

Will depend on tariffs available at the time but when combined with other energy efficiency measures is likely to be cost neutral

Short

Install further heat and energy efficiency measures within our buildings, but particularly the Splash

210 tonnes approx. (based on 50% reduction on current emissions)

Energy efficiency package planned for the Splash including LED lights, more efficient glazing, renewable technology and more efficient heating. Requires separate Council approval

Medium

Use our procurement rules to ensure the local authority supply chain is minimising carbon emissions

1,400 tonnes approx. (as these emissions are generated higher up in the supply chain we won’t be able to directly count them towards our target)

Some contracts may end up costing more but it is easier to eliminate emissions in the supply chain than having to offset them later so overall the council will benefit

Short

Eliminate single-use disposable products within the Council House and depot and move the council towards becoming a low waste authority

TBC

Potential for small savings from eliminating purchase of single-use items

Short/medium

Run staff communications campaigns on waste reduction and energy efficiency (turn off lights, monitors, print less etc)

6 tonnes approx.

Minimal and can be met within existing budgets

Short

Investigate reducing the number of council meetings and look to use technology (video conferencing etc) for informal meetings to eliminate the need for staff and councillors to travel long distances

TBC

Additional investment required in technology. Currently being explored by ICT.

Short

Employ a carbon reduction resource

Will not be possible to deliver on the plan without additional resource

Additional investment required between £30k and £40k. Approved by Exec Committee Nov 2019.

Short

Priority 2: Encourage low carbon development and design measures to improve resilience and adaptation to climate change

Increase the requirement in the SWDP for 20% of new homes on each development to be dependent on renewable energy (subject to viability and outcome of Building Regulations consultation)

TBC

None

Short

Require infrastructure for electric vehicle charging points  to be installed for every new home

Will support the growth in EV market which is estimated to save 61,167 tonnes by 2030

None

Short

Carry out a call for sites to identify land suitable for renewable technology developments

TBC

??

Medium

Lobby the government to require all new homes to be carbon neutral as soon as possible and to urgently update national planning policy to minimise carbon emissions

TBC (Approx. 34,000 tonnes)

None

Short

Introduce a policy in the SWDP to require developers to show how new developments are designed to adapt to climate change including use of green and brown roofs, solar shading, thermal mass, heating and ventilation of the building, tree planting to provide shading and help to connect habitat

Important to meet our role in ensuring we are building resilience and adapting to climate change as per the county climate change strategy

None

Short

Require all development to minimise surface water runoff and where possible incorporate mitigation and resilience measures for increases in river flooding that may be caused due to climate change

Important to meet our role in ensuring we are building resilience and adapting to climate change as per the county climate change strategy

None

Short

Encourage development near to the rail network rather than the road network to encourage a shift away from car use to public transport

Support efforts to achieve a 25% reduction in non-ICE vehicle journeys, with a potential overall saving of 17,168 tonnes

None

Priority 3: Improve the energy efficiency of homes and increase renewable energy generation across the district to 27.6MW by 2030

Work with partners to increase take up of funding for existing energy efficiency schemes

TBC

Potential requirement for promotional budget

Short/Ongoing

Offer targeted energy efficiency audits to homes, particularly older properties

TBC

Additional investment required to carry out the audits

Medium

Strongly encourage our housing providers to carry out their own investment in existing housing stock

TBC

Minimal could be met from existing budgets

Medium

Facilitate a community domestic solar PV bulk buying scheme

TBC

Minimal, could be met from existing budgets

Medium

Develop support for homes not connected to the gas grid including a bio fuel bulk buying club and secure low interest loans for the installation of renewable technology measures

30,000 tonnes

Additional money may be needed for promotion and subsidy depending on how the scheme operates

Short/medium

Lobby power distributors to upgrade distribution networks/increase capacity for renewable and consider underwriting connections or upgrades to the grid to unlock renewable energy projects

Will limit the increase in carbon emissions from homes and businesses

Some additional investment required depending on circumstances

Ongoing

Invest in our own renewable energy/electricity generation projects

Support the need to increase renewable energy generation across the target and reduce reliance on fossil fuels for domestic energy consumption

Additional investment will be required but potential for income generation

Medium

Priority 4:  Encourage low carbon travel

Install additional EV charging points, of all types on our own land, and encourage/incentivise others to install them

61,167 tonnes

External funding is available for installation of EV chargers.

Short and ongoing

Monitor the development of, and demand for, hydrogen filling stations

Support the growth of non-ICE vehicles across the district

None

Ongoing

Invest in increasing the number of walking and cycling networks across the district

Support efforts to achieve a 25% reduction in non-ICE vehicle journeys. Potential saving of 17,168 tonnes

Can be met from existing sources

Ongoing

Lobby the county council to introduce marked out kerbside parking bays as part of an enhanced car share club scheme

Support efforts to achieve a 25% reduction in non-ICE vehicle journeys. Potential saving of 17,168 tonnes

None

Short

Work with Transition Malvern Hills to expand the electric bike loan scheme

Support efforts to achieve a 25% reduction in non-ICE vehicle journeys. Potential saving of 17,168 tonnes

Additional investment for purchase of bikes and promotion. Potential external funding available

Short

Engage with taxi drivers to encourage a shift towards electric or low emission vehicles with a view to only licensing non-internal combustion energy taxis from a date to be determined. Apply increased permit costs for the most polluting vehicles operating as taxis.

TBC

Income could be affected depending on details of incentive scheme

Medium

Lobby Worcestershire County Council and bus operators to move to an all electric fleet as soon as possible

1,050 tonnes approx. based on replacing 15 buses

None

Medium

Priority 5: Support businesses to become more energy efficient

Introduce Free energy audits, advice and grant support targeted at our 100 top energy using SMEs

420 tonnes a year approx.  (Based on 20 organisations a year accessing funds and each saving 21 tonnes of CO2 per annum).

External funding already available through BEEP programme

Short

Amend our business grant criteria to favour environmentally sustainable projects and proposals

420 tonnes a year approx.  (Based on 20 organisations a year accessing funds and each saving 21 tonnes of CO2 per annum).

None

Short

Develop our Green Tourism offer

TBC. Will have numerous impacts in areas including transport emissions and waste generation

Met from existing budgets

Medium

Introduce an incentive scheme to encourage businesses to install EV charges at their workplace, subject to funding.

TBC. Support the growth of EV vehicles across the district, reduce emissions from transport

Some additional investment or loss of income depending on how incentive scheme operates

Short/medium

Seek to minimise the carbon impact of the science park extension

TBC

TBC

By 2030

Convene energy reduction workshops to support businesses, particularly smaller SMEs

420 tonnes a year approx. (based on 20 organisations a year accessing funds and each saving 21 tonnes of CO2 per annum).

Met from existing budgets

Short

Double the low carbon sector across the district

TBC

TBC

Priority 6: Reduce the amount of waste going for landfill or incineration from the district’s households and businesses

Install and trial a new system of on the go recycling bins aimed at capturing cans and plastic bottles

TBC

Up to £10k

Short

Work with town and parish councils to identify new opportunities/sites for developing allotments in areas of high demand

TBC

TBC

Medium

Launch and promote a local water refill scheme to reduce use of single-use plastic bottles

TBC

Scheme already launched, Needs further promotion but can be met from existing budgets

Short

Support Malvern Hills Repair Café to develop a weekly service with potential for a mobile service offered at rural areas

TBC

Additional investment depending on size of grant offered

Short

Create a community fridge in each part of the district

TBC. Reduce emissions caused by food waste. Community Fridge already launched in Upton and projecting saving of 8,000 kg of food in first year

Up to £1,200 for purchase of fridges. Potential for external funding.

Short

Run a promotional campaign to encourage businesses to sign up to our commercial recycling service

TBC

£5k additional investment per year

Short/Ongoing

Support and expand the 30 Days of Zero Waste campaign

TBC

£1k additional promotional budget per year

Short/Ongoing

Organise more targeted contamination/waste reduction campaigns in areas of high waste generation and of contaminated coming led recyclables

Increase quality and volume of material sent for recycling. Reduce emissions from disposing of waste

£5k additional investment per year to support promotion of campaign

Short

Support the county council in running a targeted food waste reduction project

TBC. Reduce emissions caused by food waste

Additional investment will be required to support contribution from county council

Short

Support more behavioural change campaigns (clothes swaps, buy local, smarter shopping etc)

TBC. Reduce emissions from disposal of textiles and other items

Minimal could be met from existing budgets

Short/Ongoing

Priority 7: Use tree planting, pollinator sites, wetlands, wildflower meadows and other natural measures to capture and store carbon

Identify council owned land and purchase additional land suitable for tree planting and other forms of carbon capture

500 tonnes to offset emissions from our own operations (based on planting 7,500 trees)

Purchase of land. Grant funding available for purchase of trees. Funding to support future management may be required.

Short/Medium

Work with parish councils and other landowners to develop pollinator sites

TBC. Will help offset district emissions it is difficult or not currently possible to eliminate

Up to £20k to deliver a match funding scheme with town and parish councils

Short/Medium

Work with partners and landowners to encourage tree planting and other forms of carbon capture on land they own

Offset 20,000 tonnes (based on planting 246,000 trees)

Minimal but if partner help is not forthcoming the cost to the council to purchase the land to meet the target is currently between £2.5 and £5.6million over a 10 or 30 year period.

Ongoing

Reduce the cutting of verges (not at the cost of highway safety) and open spaces to protect wildflowers

TBC

Minimal

Short

Explore more sustainable options for disposing of green waste from our own activities/land

TBC

TBC

By 2030

Work together with Worcestershire communities to restore, recreate and reconnect pollinator habitats across town and country (natural recovery network)

TBC

Will depend on successful external funding bid

By 2030

Work with partners to develop natural flood management techniques to reduce the potential impact of flooding on vulnerable communities

Important to meet our role in ensuring we are building resilience and adapting to climate change as per the county climate change strategy

TBC

By 2030

Priority 8: Engage with our communities to support them to reduce their carbon footprint

Run a communications and engagement programme across the district to help residents, schools and community groups to find ways to reduce their impact on the planet including downloadable toolkits

Engaging with schools alone could save approx. 937 tonnes and will help reduce per capita emissions from current level of 4.9 tonnes

Could largely be met from existing budgets but may require some additional funding for high profile behaviour change campaigns

Short/Ongoing

Create a partner/stakeholder group to help co-ordinate district-wide action and provide external scrutiny

Will contribute to achieving the overall vision of the plan

None

Short/Ongoing