Borough sets out climate plan but scheme is dependant on Government investment

Doncaster will have to reduce Co2 emissions by 13 per cent a year to hit ambitious targets of becoming carbon neutral by 2040, a new report has shown.
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The ambitious plan outlined by the council and other key partners, sets out a range of measures in order to drive down emissions over the next 20 years, but concedes will depend heavily on massive investment by central government.

The plan includes a charter for the council, businesses and individuals with actions to help deliver the ambitious target.

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It includes detailed suggestions for the council and businesses to help improve their carbon footprint, and for individuals to make more ‘sustainable choices in their daily lives’.

The commission was chaired by Doncaster North MP Ed MilibandThe commission was chaired by Doncaster North MP Ed Miliband
The commission was chaired by Doncaster North MP Ed Miliband

Better public transport, increasing active travel, using smart meters in homes to be more efficient with energy, throwing away less and recycling more are all ‘quick wins’ that are encouraged as cheap and easy to do solutions.

The commission, chaired by Doncaster North MP Ed Miliband, also highlighted that the floods of 2007, 2019 and the Hatfield Moors fires were all linked to climate change.

The document also reveals Doncaster farmers have reported difficult weather conditions for growing, sometimes drought when crops need rain to grow, and at other times too much rain making harvesting of crops difficult or even impossible.

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The commission also recognised Doncaster Sheffield Airport with aviation emissions and said the ‘accelerating deployment of advanced technologies’ like hybrid electric planes and sustainable aviation fuels will help, but it ‘may be some years’ before these technologies have a significant impact on the reduction of flight emissions

Chair of the commission, Ed Miliband, MP for Doncaster North, said: “This is an ambitious vision to tackle climate change and make Doncaster more prosperous, with a better quality of life for residents, who’ve already felt the full effects of climate change right here on their doorstep.

“Retrofitting homes with more fuel-efficient heating systems will create jobs as well as lowering household bills. Planting trees and rewilding will help to tackle climate change, promote biodiversity and improve the quality of life in our communities.”

Doncaster mayor Ros Jones, said: “Doncaster has already experienced the effects of environmental changes, including recently the devastating impacts of flooding on our communities.

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“We must all play our part in order to combat climate change, this will be no easy task, but we must in order to protect our borough and the planet from the devastating consequences of climate change.”

The full report is available at www.teamdoncaster.org.uk/the-commission

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