VV feb march 20 24th dec

Hampshire’s Climate Action Plan
My first New Year’s visit to Hampshire County
Council was to attend a Cabinet meeting where
progress on the council’s Climate Change
Strategy and Action Plan was reported. The
strategy is based on “stretching but achievable”
targets to 2050, in line with the national target,
with an eye to bringing that target forward, if
assessed as realistically and effectively
attainable.
Only 1% of emissions from Hampshire come
from the activities of the county council itself,
so it will require close partnering with bordering
counties, district, town and parish councils,
community groups, businesses and residents to
achieve carbon neutrality for the Hampshire
area by 2050.
The county council will be looking to early
action by the government to guide on larger
scale projects, such as a new recycling system.
HCC’s Local Transport Plan will be reviewed,
plus new, robust and sustainable planning
policies developed, in liaison with districts, to
encourage less car dependency. The council has
also taken advice from Forestry England, The
Woodland Trust and Plantlife and will invest
significantly in tree and wildflower planting on
Highways verges and amenity land to support
insects and wildlife, funded by the sale of
surplus Highways land.
Community resilience and preparing the county
for expected changes in climate will also be a
vital part of the council’s strategy. Autumn 2019
was the wettest autumn for more than 100
years, creating exceptionally high ground water
levels. HCC will be prioritising an early review of
its Flood Risk Management Strategy, given the
county’s considerable coastline and river
networks.
However, council actions will have limited
impact unless local businesses and households
make changes. I prefer to think of these
changes simply as: helping wildlife; reducing
waste; reducing pollution. So, when I visit a
garden centre, I choose plants that support
insects - and I’m going to feed the birds in my
garden more regularly. Rather than buy new
shampoo, I refill a bottle at The Naked Pantry
plastic-free shop in New Milton - and I am going
to write to my local supermarkets to ask if they
can reduce the plastic-wrapped food they sell.
And though I haven’t yet got an electric car, I
take the train more often - and I’m going to
dust off my bike from the shed... I’m not perfect
yet, but I’m having a go! There are many lists of
simple changes you can make, if you google.
I’ve recently set up the ‘New Forest
Environment Alliance’ on Twitter and Facebook,
to encourage more residents to join in local
environmental projects this year. Please follow.
Or join or donate to one of the hard-working
existing conservation groups who quietly get on
with improving our local environment (and have
done for many years!) such as Milford
Conservation Volunteers and Friends of Ballard
Water Meadow. Let’s all make an Action Plan in
2020! Happy New Year.
(Read Hampshire County Council’s interim
Climate Change report here: http://
democracy.hants.gov.uk/documents/g5496/
Public%20reports%20pack%2006th-Jan-2020%
2014.00%20Cabinet.pdf?T=10 and watch the
full Cabinet discussion here at 24 mins: https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUs7y0KPdgg You
may also find other agenda items of interest.
Subscribe to HCC’s YouTube channel to be
notified of future live meeting broadcasts.)
Cllr Fran Carpenter
Hampshire County Councillor
New Milton North, Milford &
Hordle
01425 614665 / 07867 502624
fran.carpenter@hants.gov.uk
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