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Cotswold BlogThe Cotswold Blog is a collection of diary entries, news, gossip and other Cotswold related information.
Cotswold DC Pledges To Tackle Climate ChangeCotswold District Councillors have pledged to take action on climate change after a motion to Council received unanimous support.A meeting of full Council agreed to sign up to the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change, a nationwide initiative by the Energy Saving Trust to cut carbon emissions. The motion, proposed by Cllr Sandra Carter and seconded by Cllr David Penman, acknowledges the increasing impact that climate change will have on the community during the 21st Century and beyond. It also calls on the Council's Overview & Scrutiny Working Group, which is currently reviewing the issue, to see how best the authority can tackle the causes and effects of a changing climate on the District. Cllr Carter said after the meeting: �I am extremely pleased that the motion received cross-party support. This is an exceptionally important issue and we must all take action if we are to minimise the effect of climate change on future generations. �The Cotswolds has particular characteristics that result in high carbon emissions from our homes. Many of our buildings are impossible, or difficult and expensive to treat with cavity or loft insulation because they have solid walls or sloping ceilings. �Around one-third of homes in the District do not have access to mains gas, so rely on electricity, solid fuel and oil for heating, which are 'higher carbon' fuels thereby adding to the problem. "Transport also plays a part. The emissions for road transport in the District are 387,000 tonnes which makes us the local authority with the 228th highest out of 354 in England. We all need to consider whether we really need to go by car for every journey we make." �The Working Group will be looking at how we as a Council can respond positively to the key challenges of the Nottingham Declaration. �As well as looking at our own buildings, Cotswold District Council must play a community leadership role and encourage everybody to help conserve energy and cut emissions.� The average Cotswold household emits 6,736 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide from the provision of its space and water heating and electricity supply. Sustainable Energy Officer Gary Packer said: �An incredible 673,600 party balloons would be needed to hold the annual CO2 emissions of an average Cotswold dwelling. Put another way, this would be enough gas to fill nearly four hot air balloons or the equivalent emissions of an average car travelling 18,711 miles! �However, there are steps that people can take to lower CO2 emissions from the oldest of properties, even if there is no mains gas available. Residents can get more information by visiting www.energysavingtrust.org.uk or calling the Gloucestershire Energy Advice Centre's free helpline on 0800 512 012.� Cotswold District Council gave the green light to only the second wind turbine in the District at a meeting of its Planning committee this week. The 6kW structure, which will be located next to Nash Barn in Sevenhampton, near Cheltenham, will be nine metres high and offer the nearby farm 13,000 kW of energy per year. The turbine, which will be painted to fit in with the rural landscape, was given the go-ahead after Council Members reached agreement over landscape and renewable energy issues. A 15m-tall turbine near Shipton Moyne had previously been approved by the Council in 2006. Posted : 05/02/2008 13:03:01 PLEASE NOTE: This story has been archived and the information contained within it may no longer be correct.
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