Attendees
Meg Booth Devon County Council (Chair)
Doug Eltham Devon County Council (Environment Group)
Emily Reed Devon Climate Emergency
Jason Ball Mid Devon District Council
John Amosford Public Health Devon
Ben Carwardine Wales and West Utilities
Eileen Russell Wales and West Utilities
David Edmondson Torbay Council
Donna Sibley Torridge District Council and North Devon District Council
Joe Parish Environment Agency
Ian Hutchcroft Energiesprong/ Devon Climate Task Force
Ashish Ghadiali Radical Ecology/ Devon Climate Task Force
Claire Gibson University of Plymouth
Jo Chamberlain University of Exeter
1. Minutes of the previous meeting and matters arising
The minutes were accepted to be a true record. No further questions asked.
2. Recommendations from the Climate Task Force
Ian and Ashish provided a comprehensive overview of the progress and challenges faced by the Devon Climate Emergency partnership. Ian highlighted that despite significant efforts since 2019, Devon’s emissions are not decreasing at the required pace to meet the 2050 net-zero target. He emphasized the need for a “laser-like focus” on actions that have the most significant impact on carbon reduction, such as electrifying heating and transport, generating renewable electricity, reducing emissions from agriculture and optimising carbon sinks. Ian also suggested leveraging the collective purchasing power of the partnership to drive market conditions that make zero-carbon alternatives more affordable and accessible.
Ashish echoed Ian’s points and added that the partnership has successfully engaged many actors since 2019. He stressed the importance of strategic cohesion and preparing for future challenges, suggesting that the group consider what additional elements are needed to achieve the necessary acceleration in climate action. Ashish also emphasised the need for clear strategic communication to align individual efforts with the broader goals of the partnership.
Emily mentioned that there is an opportunity for the Carbon Trust to support the Devon Climate Emergency partnership. The Carbon Trust can assist the group in focusing and strategically collaborating to review their progress and plan for the next five years. Emily suggested that the Carbon Trust could help the partnership take a step back, assess their current position, and determine the best ways to work together to achieve their 2030 target of a 50% reduction in emissions from the 2010 baseline.
The subsequent conversation focused on the potential benefits and concerns regarding the Carbon Trust’s involvement. Meg and David expressed support for the idea, noting that an external facilitation could help refocus the group’s priorities and avoid getting bogged down in processes. Claire raised concerns about the potential for prolonged discussions without actionable outcomes, suggesting that the group already knows what needs to be done. Meg responded that the engagement with the Carbon Trust should be short and sharp, aiming for a quick turnaround with clear priorities.
Donna highlighted the importance of considering a just and fair transition, noting the economic disparities within the county and the challenges faced by poorer areas in implementing solutions. She also mentioned the difficulties in decarbonising certain sectors, such as waste and recycling fleets, due to technological limitations.
John suggested that the group should also focus on influencing policy areas that can have a significant impact on carbon reduction, such as the Devon land use framework.
Emily assured that the Carbon Trust’s support would aim to facilitate decision-making rather than create more complexity.
Ashish reiterated the need for strategic communication and clear priorities to energise the partnership’s efforts. David shared a positive experience with a similar exercise in Torbay.
The group AGREED to engage with the Carbon Trust for support. The engagement should be a short, sharp project aimed at quickly identifying and prioritising actions to achieve the group’s carbon reduction goals. Emily will work on the details and present a proposal at the next meeting, with the aim of scheduling the session early in the new year. The session is expected to be in-person to facilitate effective collaboration.
3. Progress Reports
3.1 General Progress Report
The group considered the Progress Report appended to these minutes.
Emily highlighted that:
- Betty Tsang has stepped down from the role of Climate Emergency Support Officer, and the post is being readvertised.
- The Climate Impacts Group is planning to hold an in-person meeting to prioritise its activities.
Joanna suggested looking at the common issues identified in the report. These should form part of the conversation with the Carbon Trust.
3.2 Food, Land and Sea Devon Carbon Plan Progress Report
Emily highlighted that:
- The Devon Food Partnership is very active currently. It’s run a number of events for food and drink businesses, including specifically on decarbonisation. More are being planned.
- Torbay has become a member of the Sustainable Food Places Network.
- There could be an opportunity with the new government to look at some of the actions that are still red.
- There could be opportunities for public institutions to improve the sustainability of food procurement through a forthcoming national food procurement framework.
There is a lot of activity happening, but in the context of the challenge from Ian and Ashish, it was clear that the real priorities for the group need to be identified. The Carbon Trust work will help this.
Claire said that a shortlist of lobbying priorities would also be helpful so that when opportunities arise, senior leaders know the topics to raise.
Appendix 1 – Project Progress Report
Project Progress Report.
Period: October to November 2024
1. Partnership Update
1.1 General Communications
Follower numbers grew for the newsletter, Instagram and Linked in during October, but at a lower rate than September. Facebook and Youtube saw no growth and X saw a decline in follower numbers. This reflects the reduced capacity of the team following the resignation of the Climate Emergency Support Officer. Recruitment is underway for a new Climate Emergency Support Officer. The newsletter had a unique open rate of 48% in October, which is slightly above average in comparison to sector benchmarks.
Figure 1- DCE Online Following
1.2 Partners’ Notable Activity
Activity is recorded centrally on the Taking Action pages of the Devon Climate Emergency website.
- North Devon Council progresses its fleet transition to greener vehicles with two transit vans in its Park Team going electric. It has also been testing an electric HGV lorry.
- Devon County Council are funding a 10-week training course for Devon employees to become sustainability leaders with Train4Tomorrow.
- The Environment Agency and Network Rail are undertaking significant work to protect the main rail line between Exeter and Dawlish, replacing the banks to protect against coastal erosion.
- Plymouth City Council launches trial of pavement channels for electricity cables and increase in on-street and car park chargers for residents without off street parking.
2. Oversight of the Devon Carbon Plan
The Progress Reports detailing known activity against each action are on the website. A summary of the number of actions categorised by each RAG status is provided below, split by theme.
Note that each theme of the carbon plan is reviewed every 6 months, which means the RAG status will not change significantly within the monthly periods of this progress report.
Blue = Completed
Green = Generally progressing well
Amber = Progressing but geography or scope is limited
Red = Not started or activity significantly limited
Grey = Not yet assessed
Built Environment
| Economy and Resources
|
Common Issues – Finance required to expand geography – Finance required for more people resource, particularly spatial planning – Uncertainty regarding the implications of a written ministerial statement on Local Plans. | Common Issues – Clearer guidance from government on aspects of waste management needed – Finance required for more people resource |
Energy Supply
| Food, Land and Sea |
Common Issues – Availability of capital finance | Common Issues – Complexity of agendas, e.g. Land Use Framework and Local Nature Recovery Strategy – Finance required to expand geography and scope |
Transport
| Cross-Cutting Themes
|
Common Issues – Public concern about EVs and reallocating highway space for sustainable modes – Grid capacity – Availability of capital finance | Common Issues – Finance required for more people resource, particularly spatial planning – Finance required to expand geography |
The first phase of monitoring indicators are online. The University of Exeter is helping to expand the indicator set, which will be added to the web page incrementally.
In July, the University delivered their report to the secretariat proposing indicators to monitor progress towards the 60 milestones in the Devon Carbon Plan. Work is commencing with the Tactical Group’s and Climate Task Force’s involvement to update the monitoring indicators to reflect their proposals.
3. Oversight of the Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Climate Adaptation Strategy
The Climate Impacts Group is continuing its programme to review all the risks and near-term actions each year. No change to the RAG ratings this month.
4. Feedback from the Climate Task Force
The Devon Climate Task Force held its latest quarterly meeting in September. The meeting discussed the importance of the Partnership focussing its efforts onto issues that are underperforming and over which local actors have influence. Ian Hutchcroft and Ashish Ghadiali volunteered to represent the Task Force’s views at the Response Group meeting scheduled for November 7th.
5. Devolution Update
It has now been confirmed that the Government intends to make the Regulations – Statutory Instrument – that will move the establishment of the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority (CCA) a step further. The Devon and Torbay CCA will be a separate organisation – Devon County Council and Torbay Council will continue to exist with the same responsibilities they have now.
Establishing the CCA is legally required to assume responsibility for new funds and powers transferred by Government from Whitehall to a Devon and Torbay CCA. The two Councils are now working with Government officials to finalise the draft Statutory Instrument and hope that this can be laid before Parliament later this year with a view to it being enacted, and the CCA coming into being, in early 2025.
Discussions about how to prioritise the £16m capital spend in 2024/25 are continuing, much of which will contribute to net-zero.
