Hundreds of organisations have united over the past year to fight for a greener future in Bristol.
Bristol Green Capital Partnership has been committed to working toward Bristol becoming a sustainable city with a high quality of life for all since 2007. Their climate action programme has just surpassed 12 months since it was first launched to offer expert advice to help the city reach carbon neutrality by 2030.
Bristol City Council has incremented positive environmental policies in the city since the climate emergency was first announced in 2018, the first UK city to make this declaration. The Clean Air Zone will be introduced in Bristol this September and it continues to make positive steps toward its tree-planting targets.
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The onus of this ambitious mission - recently described as a 'daunting' prospect by the West of England Mayor - does not fall solely on the council as businesses and organisations must play their part to help the city hit net zero. Some have a long way to go to achieve this, however, as data from the partnership reveals further on.
The climate action programme was launched a year ago with support from the council and NatWest Group. The partnership invited organisations to unite on a mutual aim of reducing their carbon emissions - but what has it achieved?
What is the Climate Action Programme?
An increasing number of organisations have acknowledged how essential it is for their future and the future of the people and communities they serve. However, they have also said they are unequipped with the knowledge and expertise to catalyse these changes - and fast - with the looming 2030 deadline less than eight years away.
Bristol Green Capital Partnership cites more than 1,000 organisations that have already pledged to take action to help the city reach its net-zero climate target by 2030. Since the conception of the programme, they have hosted seven events with 232 organisations in attendance and have provided 3,128 downloads of resources.
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Jessica Ferrow and Nina Skubala, Co-Chairs of the Climate Leaders Group commented: “Collaboration is essential if we're going to reach our net zero targets, whether as a global society or as a city. The Bristol Climate Leaders group is a great example of how working together means we can do more than working alone."
A total of 28 leading organisations and businesses have joined forces in the Climate Leaders Group to unite on their ambitions to become carbon neutral by 2030 and create a plan for reducing their emissions.
Councillor Kye Dudd, Cabinet member for Climate, Ecology, Waste and Energy, Bristol City Council said: “Organisations are directly responsible for about half of the carbon emissions from Bristol, so them taking climate action is a vital part of the city reaching its 2030 targets. By offering free assistance to all Bristol organisations on their journey to Net Zero and helping them to overcome challenges collaboratively, the Climate Action Programme is directly supporting business action towards the One City Climate Strategy.”
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Which Bristol businesses are involved?
The report reveals the total emissions of 28 of the Climate Leaders Group members from 2020 and 2021 featuring notable organisations such as Bristol City Council, Avon Fire and Rescue, Bristol Old Vic, We The Curious, SS Great Britain and PwC. Ten of these companies increased their total emissions between 2020 and 2021, nine saw a decline, one company remained the same while eight were not able to provide complete data.
While it's difficult to compare members due to size and sector, the Climate Action Programme report highlights how the data is collected and shared for accountability and transparency rather than to provoke competition or criticism. Bristol Zoological Society, in fact, increased their emissions during this time year on year by 115.2 per cent as did Diocese of Bristol and North Bristol NHS Trust by 66.5 per cent and 39.6 per cent respectively, the latter increase was due in part to an increase in procurement spend and an increase in waste.
PwC saw a dramatic reduction in its total emissions by 90.5 per cent in just 12 months while the council saw a drop of 5 per cent during this time. The pandemic was the main reason stated for a reduction in emissions due to venues and offices being closed. Other factors included switching to renewable energy, energy efficiency measures and switching to electric vehicles.
The partnership continues to invite businesses, public sector bodies, charities and community groups to pledge their commitment to Bristol's carbon-neutral target by 2030. If you are interested in participating in a greener future, visit their website.
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