Still on the numbers: Government not up to 1010

Yesterday afternoon, despite much last minute emailing and phone lobbying, the UK government decided, by a majority of 79, not to support a LibDeb to mandate all public sector organisations to reduce their carbon emissions by 10% in 2010. This is their response, blogged by Cllr Alexis Rowell of Belsize ward in Camden in London:

"This House welcomes the 10:10 campaign as a motivator of public action to cut carbon emissions through individual and collective behaviour change, recognises the value of such campaigns to build public support for action by governments to agree an ambitious effective and fair deal at Copenhagen, recognises the significant effort made by individuals and organisations to cut their emissions through the 10:10 campaign, supports the world first Climate Change Act introduced by this government and the system of carbon budgets that enables Britain to set itself on a low carbon pathway, notes that carbon budgets ensure active policies by Whitehall departments and the public sector that deliver long term sustained emissions reductions not just in 2010 but through to 2022 and beyond, supports the efforts of local councils to move towards local carbon budgets by signing up to the 10:10 campaign, welcomes the allocation of up to £20m for central government departments to enable them to reduce further and faster carbon emissions from their operations, estate and transport and further welcomes the cross-cutting Public Value Programme review of the low carbon potential of the public sector, which will focus on how the sector can achieve transformational financial savings through value for money carbon reductions"

There comes a time when some behaviour, such as smoking in public places, selling cigarettes to children and excessive alcohol consumption, needs legislation for effect. Getting public sector organisations to reduce their CO2 rapidly is one that requires both carrot and stick.

Little Do: if your council and/or employer hasn't yet signed up to 1010, write a letter today asking them to commit.

Tick tock

Yesterday saw the first of three Welsh Assembly Government Community Climate Change events with a good starter in Llangollen's International Pavilion. Chaired by Steve Harris from Science Shops, with contributions from me on Million Minds, Doversity and biomimicry, Ken Peattie on his research into social change and digital communications and Rachel Nunn from Carbon Neutral Stirlingshire Project on the excellent progress that she and colleague made from a front-room project to a fully funded 20 year journey to 89% CO2 rediction.

The key to progress for us was the launch of the Do Connect - the project to map out the complex, connected actions that need to happen in the next three years to lay down the routemap for carbon reduction and sustainability. Emma Metcalf and Emma-Louise Hardman ran the workshop session which resulted in 100 action suggestions which will be built on at the next two events in 10 days' time.

Tick tock. 500 days to make the plan. 6 events in the next three weeks to get it populated. Join us.