James Cunningham

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Combating Climate Change in the Local Community

Jim Cunningham MP (Coventry South) questioned Government as its actions to help local communities combat climate change. Last week in the House of Commons Jim Cunningham asked the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA);

“What steps the Government have taken to encourage participation in combating climate change at local community level?”

Joan Ruddock MP, from DEFRA said, “The Government have taken a range of initiatives to assist communities in combating climate change”.

Ms Ruddock went on to highlight two funds set up to help the local community combat climate change, namely The Climate Challenge Fund and the Environmental Action fund, both intended to assist local government and the third sector with combating climate change initiatives.

Mr Cunningham went on to ask the Government about what more could be done by local authorities and households to fight against climate change.

Ms Ruddock assured Mr Cunningham that the Government is planning to do more to combat climate change and work closer with local authorities.

She said, “We [the Government] have introduced new Government performance framework indicators on climate change, which will enable local authorities to reduce their own operations’ emissions and per capita emissions from their community. We are rolling out the green homes service with the Act on CO2 advice line, which will enable householders to tackle their emissions through greater energy savings. We are tackling waste and water usage, and towards the end of the year we will roll out the green neighbourhood’s scheme, looking for 100 selected neighbourhoods to help to reduce their carbon footprint by 60 per cent. We are looking for 3000 households and focusing on the most hard to treat housing stock”.

Mr Cunningham said, “I fully support all efforts made by the Government and the local community to address climate change.

“It is more critical than ever for the Government to work closely with local authorities and individuals to reduce the carbon footprint of society and fight climate change.

“I hope that the City Council and local community groups make the most of the available help on offer by Government, to reduce Coventry’s carbon footprint.”