Making the Plan Reality
12.1 Engagement and Ownership
This Plan is the result of extensive collaboration between the Devon Climate Emergency partners, the Net-Zero Task Force, individuals and communities. The ambition is everyone in Devon knows about this Plan and plays an active role in its implementation. Every individual, organisation and community, including the Devon Climate Emergency partners, are encouraged to look at the actions and select those that they will help deliver.
The partners are sharing their stories on the website and would love to hear about yours. Your activity can be shared with the partnership and showcased on the website, the monthly newsletter via environmentalpolicy@devon.gov.uk, or find the Devon Climate Emergency on social media.
Devon-based organisations are encouraged to join the partners in endorsing the Devon Climate Declaration and reduce their direct emissions to net-zero by 2030.
12.2 Funding and Investment
Achieving net-zero by 2050 at the latest will require a major nationwide investment programme, led by national government, but largely funded and delivered by private companies and individuals.
Costs for meeting net-zero in Devon have not been prepared, but may be in a future update to this Plan. The Climate Change Committee (CCC)1 says there needs to be a sustained national investment of £50 billion annually by 2030.
This cost does not take account of reduced running costs. Many – though not all – of the technologies required for net-zero have considerably lower running costs than the alternatives they replace. As a result, the annualised net-cost of meeting net-zero in the UK is less than 1% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) through to 2050. This will not necessarily reduce GDP by an equivalent amount. The CCC suggest that GDP will be around 2% higher than it would have otherwise been by 2035 as resources are redirected from fossil fuel imports to UK investment.
There will of course be opportunities for philanthropic grant funding and the public sector to facilitate innovation and de-risk investments to bring new products and services to market. This Plan highlights the opportunities for public sector investment which the partners would like to work with national government to develop.
12.3 Overseeing Progress
12.3.1 New Oversight Structure
The implementation of the programme of projects in this Plan and the emerging Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Climate Adaptation Plan will need governance arrangements to provide strategic oversight of their progress. Figure 12.1 shows the governance arrangements which will come into place in 2022 to oversee the delivery of the Plan.
The day-to-day implementation of each project will be managed by the organisation leading it.
The Theme Boards, will be made up of community representatives, including youth representation, volunteer specialists and specialist staff from the partner organisations. Each quarter they will receive a report highlighting progress and any issues arising. The Theme Boards will act to resolve issues where they are able. Issues outside their control will be raised with the Response Group.
The Devon Climate Emergency Response Group meet quarterly. It will continue to provide an opportunity for senior leaders from the partners to discuss progress. It will be attended by the chairs of the Theme Boards to ensure that the cross-cutting actions in the Plan are being monitored.
Partners’ democratic scrutiny processes will continue to provide robust challenge to the Plan’s implementation. An independent Devon Climate Change Forum will provide impartial oversight, challenge and advice on behalf of the people of Devon to all tiers of the governance structure, meeting once or twice each year. It will include community representation. Part of its role will be to scrutinise progress on an annual basis and make recommendations for the year ahead.
12.3.2 Recruitment to the Theme Boards and Climate Change Forum
A list of the experience, knowledge and qualities needed on each of the Theme Boards and in the Climate Change Forum is being drawn up by the partnership. Devon’s citizens and organisations will be invited to express their interest in participating.
12.4 Monitoring
Figure 12.2 describes indicators that will be used to monitor the achievement of the Plan’s objectives. These indicators will be reviewed by the Response Group and published online.
| Objective | Indicators | Latest Data |
|---|---|---|
| Net-zero emissions by 2050 at the latest and a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030 from 2010 levels | 1. Devon’s net production greenhouse gas emissions | 20198 7,574 ktCO2e |
| 2. Devon’s consumption greenhouse gas emissions | 20172 12.5 MtCO2e | |
| 3. Percentage reduction in Devon’s production greenhouse gas emissions since 2010 | 20193 -22% | |
| 4. Percentage reduction in Devon’s consumption greenhouse gas emissions since 2010 | 20192 -18% | |
 Engaged communities acting for resilience and a net-zero carbon Devon | 5. Total followers on the Devon Climate Emergency social media platforms | Aug 2022 5,751 |
| 6. Total subscribers to the Devon Climate Emergency newsletter | Aug 2022 2,909 | |
| 7. Number of entities endorsing the Devon Climate Declaration | Nov 2020 63 | |
| 8. Percentage of the community feeling well-informed and supported to reduce their own carbon emissions | Data collection process to be established | |
| 9. Number of community organisations (e.g. Transition and Community Action Groups) known to be acting locally for net-zero | To be informed by consultation | |
 Fossil fuels phased out as an energy source | 10. Proportion of Devon’s energy consumption met by renewable energy generated within Devon | 20174 6.7% |
11. Total consumption of fossil fuel energy in Devon
| 20195
| |
| 12. Proportion of cars and light goods vehicles registered in Devon that are ultra-low emission (< 75gCO2/km) | 20226 1.2% | |
 Minimised energy consumption | 13. Number of Devon’s homes with an Energy Performance Certificate of D – G | Mar 20227 306,427 |
| 14. Number of Devon’s commercial premises with an Energy Performance Certificate of D – G | Mar 20227 14,165 | |
15. Devon’s energy consumption
| 20195
| |
| 16. Amount of funding spent through dedicated public grants on domestic retrofitting in Devon | Data collection process to be established | |
| 17. Amount of funding spent through dedicated public grants on commercial retrofitting in Devon | Data collection process to be established | |
 Minimise fugitive greenhouse gas emissions | 18. Emissions from Product Use (HFCs, PFCs and SF6) in Devon | 20198 656 ktCO2e |
| 19. Emissions from landfill and biological treatment of waste and wastewater in Devon | 20187 673 ktCO2e | |
 Maximise carbon storage in marine and terrestrial environments | 20. Net-emissions from livestock and land use in Devon | 20198 1,256 ktCO2e |
| 21. Devon’s soil organic matter percentage | Data collection process to be established | |
22. Carbon sequestered by improved habitat in Devon from 2020
| Data collection process to be established | |
| 23. Net carbon dioxide sequestered by land use, land use change and forestry in Devon | 2019 -347 ktCO2 | |
 Resilient local economies with access to green finance | 24. Investment in community-owned energy schemes in Devon | 20189 £14.1 m |
| 25. Proportion of households in fuel poverty | 202010 12.3% | |
| 26. Proportion of spending by the Response Group organisations with entities registered with EX, PL or TQ postcodes | Data collection process to be established | |
| 27. Number of non-profit organisations registered with EX, PL or TQ postcodes, providing goods and services to or for Response Group organisations | ||
 A circular use of resources | 28. Number of Repair Cafes operating in Devon | 2411 12 |
| 29. Number of Library of Things operating in Devon | 413 | |
| 30. Total household waste collected in Devon | 2020/2114 530.2 kt | |
31. Household waste collected per person
| 2020/2115
| |
32. Percentage of household waste that is sent for reuse, recycling or composting
| 2020/2115
| |
33. Commercial and industrial waste in the Devon County and Torbay council areas
| 2018/1916
| |
34. Construction, demolition and excavation waste in the Devon County Council area
| 201017
| |
 Carbon captured from the burning of fuels | 35. Proportion of carbon produced from the burning of fossil fuels in Devon that is captured by carbon capture and storage technology | 2022 0% |
12.5 Closing Remark
Now is the right time to set a target to achieve net-zero emissions and put in place a Plan to reach it. The broad involvement of businesses, the public sector, voluntary organisations and communities working together will help to create a resilient, net-zero carbon Devon where people and nature thrive.
12.6 References
1 Climate Change Committee (2020) The Sixth Carbon Budget: The UK’s Path to Net-Zero. Available at: https://www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The-Sixth-Carbon-Budget-The-UKs-path-to-Net-Zero.pdf
2 Based on apportioning the UK imported consumption emissions in 2019 of 369 Mt CO2e by Devon’s GVA share. UK total GVA of £1819.8 billion in 2017 and Devon’s GVA of £24.2 billion in 2018. UK imported consumption emissions data is at: DEFRA (2022) Carbon footprint of the UK and England to 2019. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uks-carbon-footprint/carbon-footprint-for-the-uk-and-england-to-2019
3 2010 emissions from Lash, D. et al. (2020) Net Zero Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, Centre for Energy and Environment, University of Exeter. Available at: https://www.devonclimateemergency.org.uk/studies-and-data/net-zero-devon-plymouth-and-torbay-reports/. 2019 emissions from Mitchell A. et al. (2020) Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report – Devon, Plymouth, Torbay 2019. Centre for Energy and Environment, University of Exeter. Available at: https://devonclimateemergency.org.uk/studies-and-data/devons-carbon-footprint/
4 Calculated by the Net Zero Task Force from multiple sources.
5 BEIS (2021), Estimates of total final energy consumption from 2005 to 2019 at a country, regional and local authority level. Available at: Total final energy consumption at regional and local authority level: 2005 to 2019 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
6 Calculated from DfT (2022) Statistical data set Vehicle licensing statistics data tables [online] URL: Vehicle licensing statistics data tables – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
7 LUHC (2022) Energy Performance of Buildings Data England and Wales. Available at: https://epc.opendatacommunities.org
8 Mitchell A. et al. (2020) Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report – Devon, Plymouth, Torbay 2019. Centre for Energy and Environment, University of Exeter. Available at: https://devonclimateemergency.org.uk/studies-and-data/devons-carbon-footprint/
9 Regen (2018) Devon Community Energy Impact Report, Regen. Available at: https://www.regen.co.uk/publications/devon-community-energy-impact-report-2018/
10 BEIS (2022), Sub-Regional Fuel Poverty data 2022. Available at: Sub-regional fuel poverty data 2022 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
11 Recycle Devon (2022) Repair Café , Available at: https://www.recycledevon.org/reuse/repair-cafe
12 Restart (2022) Repair Café Plymouth, Available at: https://therestartproject.org/groups/repair-cafe-plymouth/
13 Recycle Devon (2022), Borrow and Share, Available at: https://www.recycledevon.org/borrow-and-share
14 Defra (2022), Local authority collected waste generation from April 2000 to March 2021 (England and regions) and local authority data April 2020 to March 2021. Table 1: Local Authority Collected and Household Waste Statistics 2014-15 to 2020-21, England. URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/env18-local-authority-collected-waste-annual-results-tables
15 Defra (2022), Local authority collected waste generation from April 2000 to March 2021 (England and regions) and local authority data April 2020 to March 2021. Table 3 – Selected Waste Indicators. URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/env18-local-authority-collected-waste-annual-results-tables
16 Devon County Council and Torbay Council (2020) Draft Resource and Waste Management Strategy for Devon and Torbay, 2020-2030.
17 Devon County Council (2014) Devon Waste Plan. Available at: https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/minerals-and-waste-policy/devon-waste-plan
