How the North York Moors National Park Authority is tackling climate change
What are the things that your NPA considers it is strong on in relation to climate change mitigation and/ or adaptation?
‘Internal Greening’
Energy efficiency of buildings improved leading to a 15% reduction in energy use; 74% of office waste recycled and the impact of transport reduced:
- petrol/electric hybrid cars purchased and essential car user allowance abolished
- staff mileage reduction targets and quarterly green travel competition
- Air miles offset
- MOORSBUS recreational bus service saved 492 Tonnes CO2 in 2007
Community Renewable Energy Project
- Working with local communities to reduce their carbon footprint aiming to deliver a 34% reduction in their CO2 emissions by 2009/10
- 4 Community Energy Audits undertaken
- £1.3m project (RDA 0.5m) 2008-2010 working with three communities to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy plans
- Sustainable Development Fund grant to a number of renewable energy projects including the first in a series of hydro electric generation plants on the River Esk owned by Community Action Group
Practical adaptation to Climate Change
- Advanced habitat mapping to identify network enhancement opportunities
- Re-wetting of drying blanket bog, grip blocking and re-vegetation of eroding peat
- Approximately 40 bridges improved to accommodate enlarged channels following 2005 floods
- Re-vegetation of 250 acres burnt moorland at Fylingdales
What are the 3 main things your NPA is doing on climate change?
1. Changing the way we work and setting an example as an organization
2. Helping local communities change the way they live and promoting renewable energy generation
3. Preventing peat loss and improving habitat networks
What are the 3 things your NPA aspire to do on climate change over the course of the CSR period (2008/09 – 2010/11)?
1. Work with communities to implement Energy Action plans (resulting in 34% reduction in their CO2 emissions by 2010) as a model template for the RDA and others to follow
2. Implement habitat networks and peatland project in Yorkshire and Humber
3. Develop a climate change action plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2012
What are the main obstacles that you currently face to do more?
- No agreed national method of calculating carbon neutrality including a realistic offsetting scheme
- Insufficient resources to adequately research where to apply effort to mitigate against climate change most effectively
- No clear well resourced mechanism to enable people to change the way they live and a lack of clarity amongst agencies as to who should be doing what and with whom.
