Mendip District Council has committed to reducing the organisation's impact on climate change and helping the district move towards carbon neutrality.

As a major provider of services for communities, and a significant local employer, the council recognises the role it plays in tackling emissions and influencing low carbon actions.

At the August meeting of Cabinet, the council adopted a Carbon Management Plan, and pledged to make meaningful reductions in a responsible way as it works towards decarbonisation.

The Carbon Management Plan consolidates all the work conducted by the council to date, and identifies the most tangible, strategic approach going forward.

The document includes the Report on Baseline Evidence for Mendip, the approved district-wide Future Emissions Pathway, analysis of the council's Civic Site Carbon Footprint and an approved trajectory for its organisational emissions.

Priority projects for the council include exploring electric vehicle options, creating a network of local walking and cycle routes, working to enhance the air quality status in the district, and addressing and encouraging behaviour change.

A number of behaviour change initiatives are already underway, including a Climate Action Pledge Card which suggests lifestyle swaps.

Every pledge residents sign-up to will make a difference to their carbon footprint, and to Mendip's overall emissions.

Mendip is one of 300 councils nationwide to have declared a climate emergency. In February 2019 it pledged "to make best endeavours to enable the district to become carbon neutral by 2030".

However recent modelling of emissions showed the best that the district can achieve under present Government policies is a 30 per cent reduction in emissions - way off its carbon neutral target.

Mendip's portfolio holder for strategic policy and climate change, Cllr Tom Ronan, said: "This plan presents as a significant way forward to increase Mendip's resilience to the threat of climate change, through the reduction of emissions from district-wide and corporate activities.

"But to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 we need an 80 per cent reduction in district-wide emissions. We must be honest about the challenge ahead.

"We urgently need community and business buy-in, to make the massive behaviour changes needed.

"As was made clear from the recent IPCC report, time is running out for us all to make the changes necessary. Please get in touch if you want to help us towards our carbon neutral target."

Leader of Mendip District Council, Cllr Ros Wyke, said: "I recognise tackling climate change must be embedded in everything we do, and welcome the Carbon Management Plan for Mendip.

"I've spent 30 years supporting our local wildlife trusts and I've sat on the board of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

"I have personally witnessed changes to our flora, fauna, and our weather, down the decades. So I totally get climate change, and care about it very deeply.

"But as leader of this council, I must ensure this is achieved in a financially responsible way, and that we deliver the difficult message with an element of hope.

"Without hope, people will switch off. And we urgently need to bring people with us on this journey."

You can find the Carbon Management Plan here: https://www.mendip.gov.uk/article/9857/Cabinet-Monday-9-August-2021