What we are doing

Climate Action Plan

We are committed to considering the climate and environmental impact in all decision-making. Our detailed Climate Action Plan identifies the specific actions we will take to reduce the council’s environmental impact and achieve our carbon net zero targets.

Delivery of the Climate Action Plan will be overseen by our cross-party Climate Steering Group reporting to our Executive Committee via the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and to Full Council via Executive Portfolio Holder reports. 

Emissions

Our emissions represent a very low proportion of all emissions in Copeland. Nevertheless, we must reduce our own footprint while encouraging others who live, work and visit in Copeland to do the same.

We have set a target to reduce our own operational emissions to net zero by 2031/32. This requires an annual reduction of 10%.  And we aim to achieve near net zero carbon emissions for all of Copeland by 2043.

Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies

Climate mitigation strategies are those that avoid and reduce emissions that contribute to climate change, and climate adaptation strategies aim to adjust to current or expected effects of climate change.

The Sustainability Strategy includes a table that identifies the key mitigation and adaptation interventions in Copeland over the next five years.

Local Government Reorganisation

With local government reorganisation coming in 2023, we are working closely with other local authorities in Cumbria to ensure that sustainability principles are fully embedded within the new unitary authority.

The actions identified in our climate action plan will continue to be delivered beyond the existence of Copeland Borough Council as a separate local authority.

Copeland People's Panel

We established the Copeland People’s Panel on Climate Change in the summer of 2021, a citizens’ jury made up of 30 residents, to explore the issues and provide guidance on what our priorities should be as we work towards our net zero emissions target.

The panel’s recommendations are summarised below.

Information about the work of the People’s Panel can be found here and their full report, including their recommendations in full, is available to view online.

As a result of the panel's reccommendations, CAfS have overseen youth engagement sessions in Copeland. 

A report detailing the findings of these sessions is available to view online.

Funders and supporters

The Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership brings together over 70 organisations in the public, private, and third sectors and is jointly chaired by Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS) and Cumbria County Council.Some of our activities are funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and are part of the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership’s ambitious emission reduction programme to make Cumbria carbon neutral by 2037. 

To achieve its goal, the partnership will be delivering a range of projects and activities, many of which have been inspired and developed by local communities. A number of these community-led projects and activities, including (the name of your project/organisation), have been made possible by a £2.5 million grant from the National Lottery Community Fund.