In its latest Net Zero 2030 proposals, the Council has agreed that it will be “a ‘community leader’ and encourage low carbon measures across the district through education, best practice, incentives, policy and opportunities.” This team effort approach is two-fold – reducing carbon emissions and environmental conservation and improvement.
Regular audits of the Council’s energy use and greenhouse gas emissions has helped progress towards the decarbonisation of its assets. Installing solar powered smart compacting bins; insulating nearly fifty park homes and reducing waste as a Council have been some of the initial steps taken over the past few years. Promoting low carbon travel has also been a big initiative by improving the provision of EV charge points, introducing a staff electric car lease scheme and supporting greener forms of travel including walking, cycling and car sharing.
This can be seen more specifically through the recent project with Connected Kerb to bring 41 new EV charge points across council car parks and working with Sustrans to produce a ‘Local Walking and Cycling Infrastructure Plan’, as well as the recent launch of Kent’s first ‘Movement Strategy’ within the District and securing £1.2 million funding for a new east to west cycle and walking route in Sevenoaks town.
Adaptation measures which are currently being explored include creating new wildlife habitats; natural flood alleviation; sustainable water management; and improving the quality and resilience of green spaces. Given 93% of the Sevenoaks district is greenbelt land, it is vital that the natural spaces are protected.
At the centre of the proposals is the idea that whether you are an individual or an organisation of any size, pledging to support this Net Zero 2030 effort can make a real difference and Sevenoaks District is there to support. A key way this is being achieved is through community engagement and education, for example education videos and participating in national awareness initiatives such as Zero Waste Week.
As a Council, we have made a Net Zero 2030 commitment and are investing in the long-term future of our wonderful district. We’re dedicated to reducing the impact we have on the environment and supporting our residents and businesses on this journey too. It’s about making small changes to the way we live our lives that will have a big impact when they are all brought together. The environment is the backbone of our district and we have a responsibility to look after it.