Parish Carbon Footprints

Understand | Plan| Act

One planet, one chance to protect the rights of future generations to feed themselves and live safely where they choose to live. Climate Change, caused by our relentless burning of fossil fuels, is already increasing sea and air temperatures beyond our ability to a return to Normal.

Tiny numbers - Big Problem

Life on Earth is threatened by very small changes in temperatures & CO2 levels. Mukti Mitchell, founder of Carbon Savvy CIC, explains how a 2 deg C shift in average temperatures and why a few extra parts per million of atmospheric carbon dioxide is tipping us into catastrophic climate change. https://carbonsavvy.uk/latest-articles/how-climate-works/

Why does it matter where our energy comes from and how much we use? Mukti Mitchel explains the Energy Cycle. How, over the millennia, since life on Earth began, plants evolved to use the sun's energy to capture carbon dioxide from the air and turn it into a solid form (plant material); as the plants died and their bodies became fossilised the energy remained safely stored underground as 'fossilised fuels' (oil, gas, coal); humans discovered how to use this energy by burning fossil fuels to power engines. Humans unwittingly released the carbon dioxide from these fossil fuels into the atmosphere. This contributed to a gaseous blanket that is responsible for our continued warming and has caused the climate to change. https://carbonsavvy.uk/latest-articles/how-energy-works/

Met Office warns extreme weather has become increasingly commonplace in the UK as our climate has changed over the last few decades. Warming is causing more extreme storms, droughts, heat waves, melting ice, ocean acidification and rising sea levels. Relative sea level in the South West has risen by 25cm since 1916.

Respected people and organisations are calling for urgent action on climate change. Climate change has been described as “Humanity’s greatest threat“ by Sir David Attenborough; the “biggest threat to the global economy” by the World Economic Forum; as the “greatest threat to global security” by the UN Security Council; and the “greatest ever threat to human rights” by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Devon County Council have identified climate change as the biggest threat to their ability to deliver the DCC Strategic Plan. What's your plan?

Take Responsibility - Make a Plan

Parish, District and Devon County Council have Declared a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency. DCC and identifies Climate Change as the biggest threat to delivering its Strategic Plan. Devon Carbon Plan. https://devonclimateemergency.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Full-Carbon-Plan-22-11-2022.pdf All six of Devon's District Councils, including SHDC have Declared a Climate Emergency. https://www.southhams.gov.uk/climate-change Many Parishes in South Hams have Declared an Emergency. Carbon Savvy Footprint Calculator can help you measure your household carbon footprint and make a plan. https://calculator.carbonsavvy.uk/

Rolliers Wind Turbine

Please support to the Rolliers Wind Turbine planned by Octopus Energy in Bigbury. As Chair of Bigbury Net Zero I am promoting this unique opportunity for up to 900 local homes to benefit from access to cheaper, greener energy produced on our patch. In the public consultation last autumn, 81% of respondents supported the initiative. Those people now need to lend real support by considering a positive comment on the SHDC Planning Portal. Here is the link https://southhams.planning-register.co.uk/Planning/Display/1974/25/FUL Other benefts: A community benefit fund of £5,000 per year. Potential for partial community ownership. Electricity discounts of up to 50% through the Octopus Fan Club. Full info here: http://octopus.energy/Rolliers-Development-Project/

Click here for Octopus full info package

Click here to comment on Planning Application