Climate and Ecological Emergency Commission

Information about Hammersmith & Fulham Council's resident-led Climate and Ecological Emergency Commission (CEEC).

The Climate and Ecological Emergency Commission (CEEC) presented our recommendations in February 2021.

The findings are now being considered by the Council through the Climate and Ecological Emergency Unit. This cross-departmental team was set up to develop and implement a Strategy and Action Plan for reaching net zero by 2030.

For more information, please contact climate-emergency@lhf.gov.uk

Our final report

LBHF Climate and Ecological Emergency Commission Summary of Findings (2.1MB pdf)

LBHF Climate and Ecological Emergency Commission Summary of Findings accessible version (564KB pdf)

Background

The CEEC was set up after H&F Council declared a climate and ecological emergency in July 2019. The council set a target of reaching net zero carbon emissions for the borough by 2030.

Our role was to advise the council on how to reduce carbon emissions and make space for nature across the borough.

The CEEC was made up of local residents who are passionate about making Hammersmith and Fulham a green and safe place for future generations to live in.

Our recommendations

H&F Council needs to define a positive vision and embed a culture of change to helps us reach net zero by 2030, through strong and persistent leadership on Climate and Nature.

Our recommendations for how the council can help map the road to Net Zero are shown below.

Communication and engagement

The council’s first priority must be to communicate and engage with the public with a positive vision for what 2030 would be like if the ambition to reduce carbon emissions to net zero was achieved.

It should help us to Imagine 2030 by articulating the amazing quality of life that could be achieved in a well-balanced community that would result from a zero-carbon, ecologically rich society.

Build collective knowledge

Secondly, the council must develop much greater knowledge and better understanding about carbon emissions, the effects of global warming, and how we must adapt to the changes that are now inevitable.

This knowledge must be built at a local level and shared with the public to help and encourage us to change our behaviour.

Show leadership

Thirdly the council needs to show leadership and prepare a Road Map to Net Zero that demonstrates it has a way of measuring and reducing carbon emissions with a clear timeline for each area of activity across the whole borough.

The council must provide a vision and build a new governance framework against which H&F Council can determine if future policies will support our communities transition to a zero-carbon and ecologically rich society.

Demonstrator projects

CEEC also recommends that the council launch a series of “Demonstrator Projects” in key areas as examples of positive changes that can deliver zero-carbon ways of living.

These demonstrator projects could range from:

Zero carbon living

Look at a council owned estate and provide systems and services that enable the residents to live a zero-carbon lifestyle.

For example; retrofit existing housing stock, identify local energy source, establish district heating system, enhanced biodiversity, provide free public transport, provide easy access to social support, good food supplies, support for health services all within 15 minutes of their front door.

Zero carbon working

Identify a commercial environment and demonstrate how it could be built or re-furbished to provide zero-carbon working environment.

For example, the Civic Campus offices could be used as an example that measures the embodied carbon in all new build elements, provides support and systems for 15min walk or cycle to work, zero-carbon energy source, super-fast broadband connection to home working environments etc.

Zero carbon commerce

Provide a space for the community to build a library of things or a place where stuff can be shared or repaired to demonstrate how our desire for shopping can be accommodated by providing a place where we can re-use and repair, rather than buy new things that soon get thrown away.

Community map

Build a map of the local communities’ environmental success stories. Set up an on-line community map that allows everyone to contribute with their own examples of all the good things that are already going on and links to ideas and solutions that help everyone to change their behaviour.

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