Professor Jules Pretty gives us a quick overview of a recently published review by the Essex Climate Action Commission of its work since 2020, which looks at a huge range of local climate action projects. Jules is currently Chair of the Commission and has been a long-term partner to the Rapid Transition Alliance’s Art of Rapid Transition’s on its Hope Tales project. He is a great believer in the positive hopeful power of story – and there are some great examples in this report.
The Essex Climate Action Commission (ECAC) is one of 26 novel intermediate level independent city and county commissions from across the UK working with local communities, businesses, charities and the public sector to speed up progress on the climate and nature crises. We have just reported on 64 major impacts achieved since its 2021 report committing to achieving Net Zero. We are working with partners across the county to show that climate action is both about becoming carbon neutral, and about addressing inequality and social justice, and creating visions for new ways of living.
The ECAC is guided by three key principles:
- Universality: ensuring policies and innovations are relevant to all the people of Essex;
- Many paths and options being offered for moving towards low-carbon living and working, so that individuals and businesses are able to select those that suit them best;
- Ensuring new ideas and practices are multipurpose and can be shown clearly to improve lives, thus increasing public engagement.
There have been many wonderful highlights: a new developers’ charter to commit to net zero homes, supported by the Planning Officers Association; a new heat pump training centre on the coast; a local nature recovery strategy (aiming for 50% of farmland being sustainable by 2030; an increase in green infrastructure from 14% of area to 25% by 2030; and 1 in 4 people of Essex taking action for wildlife). A novel landscape-scale project called a Climate Focused Area (CFA) covers 120,000 hectares, and many communities across the county have formed their own village level climate action groups. Other actions have been on energy, waste, buildings, water, transport, and transition to a just and greener economy.
Download the full report here.
