How the Peak District 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?
- Upland management expertise for moorland carbon management/storage and water management/storage.
- Management of the adaptation of internationally important biodiversity and habitats to climate change.
- Environmental and emission impacts from key rural industries – e.g. upland agriculture, sustainable tourism and the extraction industry.
- Promoting sustainability to millions of visitors covering travel, local purchasing/consumption, environmental standards in businesses and green infrastructure.
What are the 3 main things your NPA is doing on climate change?
1. Reducing our own emissions and working towards becoming a carbon neutral organisation as a demonstration of building energy management, estate management, procurement, and fleet and travel management, etc.
2. Promoting low carbon action in the National Park through the development of innovative Land-Use Planning policies and guidance and through direct SDF support for innovative community and business schemes.
3. Leading research and partnership action on landscape-wide moorland carbon management through the Moors for the Future Project.
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. Extend upland landscape-wide research and partnership management for:
- carbon management (moorland and other habitats, e.g. woodland)
- water storage and upper catchment management to alleviate downstream flood risks (such as South Yorkshire 2007)
- international biodivsersity adaptation management.
2 .Innovate renewable energy solutions for communities, farming and rural businesses making the best use of environmental assets in a National Park setting such as hydro-schemes, biomass, groundheat etc. towards examples of sustainable (carbon neutral) rural communities/farms/estates etc.
3. Engage National Park visitors and especially young people more proactively in the issues of climate change impacts on them (droughts, flooding and health etc.) and on the environment (weather, water, biodiversity etc.) and on actions and targets (transport, consumption etc.) using NPA partnerships in transport, environmental education, visitor information etc.
What are the main obstacles that you currently face to do more?
- Not seen as having a leading role in facilitating climate change solutions such as carbon land management, water/flood management, leisure transport and raising-awareness by Government Departments, Agencies or Local Government.
- Not targeted with support for key research and innovation for landscape-wide solutions, rural community issues, and key sectors such as upland agriculture, sustainable tourism and extraction industries.
- Not able to access normal channels of Government support (data, research advice, etc.).
