Including 6 closely related terms such as carbon budget, carbon emission, and carbon footprint.
… is laid out for our own estate and operations which are responsible for the majority of our emissions. Key activities which move the borough towards the 2041 target are also included. Reaching net zero by 2030 is not just about having low emissions at that point, but about being on a falling trajectory en route to 2030. The same is the true of the 2041 target. To stay within our carbon budget…
… is resilient to the impacts of climate change (adaptation). We know that the impacts of climate change are greater on the poorest and most vulnerable members of society and so in Sandwell, we will need to go further than other areas to protect and support our residents. Current Situation In order for Sandwell to be net zero by 2041, we need to stay within a defined carbon budget of 9.1million tonnes…
…. The modelling defines the budget period as being up to 2100. Based on the latest data available, Sandwell produced 1.4million tonnes of carbon in 2018, which without any change in activities, sets us on a course for producing 115million tonnes by 2100, rather than 9.1. We will have used up our carbon budget in the next 6 to 7 years, unless we begin to make significant reductions in the borough’s…
… emissions. Despite the massive shock to the economy caused by the pandemic, emissions only reduced by 5% - 7% - to reach 2041, our emissions need to decrease by 13% every year. We will not get to absolute zero carbon emissions and so it is vital that we find ways to absorb some of the borough’s emissions, whilst remembering that emission reductions must be our top priority, rather than seeing…
… for a high carbon footprint, a climate change metric will be used when awarding contracts. For smaller value contracts, we will utilise the existing Social Value metric, which will enable us to also include criteria relating to climate change. Finally, we can produce an ‘ask’ of all of our contractors and suppliers which sets out our expectations of them, in terms of how they should consider…