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Sustainable Hertfordshire

A cleaner, greener, more environmentally sustainable county.

 

 

 

 

We've since set out our commitments to make Hertfordshire cleaner, greener and more sustainable.

We want to:

 

1. Lead in our own operations

That's how we work, provide services and manage our buildings.

As an organisation, we want to be:

 

2. Enable sustainability with our programmes, policies and decisions

For example, through our planning policies and how we dispose of waste.

In Hertfordshire, we want:

 

3. Inspire businesses and residents to take action

We will help residents lead a sustainable life and support businesses to grow. We'll take action together with other organisations. We will:

  • ask energy companies to develop a regional net zero energy strategy
  • work with our partners in the private sector to investigate opportunities for increased investment in sustainable developments across the county
  • support public transport growth, including taxi, bus and rail
  • encourage walking and cycling over car travel and promote more low emission vehicles and charging points

 

 

 

 

Climate change is the long-term shift in the planet’s weather patterns and temperatures.

In the UK, 19 of the 20 hottest years have occurred since 2001.

 

 

Climate change has impacted Hertfordshire in the following ways:

Droughts

The Environment Agency declared an environmental drought in Hertfordshire in 2019.

Climate change will result in worsening water quality in our rivers and could limit the supply of water in our homes.

More about drought in Hertfordshire

Flooding

As with much of the UK, properties in Hertfordshire are at risk from increased flooding, cause by an increase in extreme weather events as a result of climate change. Our Local Flood Risk Management Strategy outlines how flooding impacts our local communities in Hertfordshire.

Read the Local Flood Risk Management Strategy (PDF, 9.4MB)

 

 

 

 

 

We're a member of the Hertfordshire Climate Change and Sustainability Partnership. 
HCCSP is a strategic group which acts as the lead partnership organisation for partners to collaborate and identify joint work programmes on environmental, climate change and wider sustainability issues across Hertfordshire.

Progress so far...

 

A snail

 

Wildlife

  • The Hertfordshire nature recovery partnership (HNRP) has been formed to develop Hertfordshire's local nature recovery strategy (LNRS).
  • Implemented a Tree and Woodland Strategy (PDF 15MB) Our target is 1.8 million trees established across Hertfordshire by 2030.
  • Implemented a Pollinator strategy (PDF 4.25MB) to optimise the use of county council owned land.
  • Successfully secured £3.5m funding for Hertfordshire's public green spaces. This money has been invested in 53 sites across Hertfordshire.
  • Worked in partnership with the district and borough councils to produce Green Space Action Plans for local authority areas which seek to conserve green spaces.

 

An electric car

 

Transport

  • Implemented our Local Transport Plan (PDF 3.7MB)Opening in a new window which sets out how we'll shape transport in Hertfordshire into the future, including how we'll look to reduce the environmental impacts of doing so. 
  • Completed 37 projects to improve access to local facilities through sustainable modes of travel. 
  • Along with our volunteers, led over 65,000 Hertfordshire Health Walks in 2018/19.
  • Improved some of Hertfordshire’s 3,167km of footpaths, bridleways and byways.
  • Our partner Ringway has switched their energy supplier so that all depots run on 100% renewable energy.

 

Recycling symbol

 

Waste

  • Introduced reuse facilities where residents can donate their unwanted goods, preventing waste.
  • Collaborate with Hertfordshire Waste Partnership to deliver the WasteAware campaign, reducing waste across the county.
  • Tackled waste in our buildings, including: removing single use plastic cups and disposable coffee cups, introducing metal cutlery in our canteens, and improving our collection of recyclable materials.

 

Solar panel

 

Energy

Achieved 40.6% carbon reduction between 2013/14 – 2018/19 in our non-schools property by:

  • improving energy use in our buildings through heating and cooling system controls
  • changing street lights to LEDs
  • upgrading mechanical and electrical systems, such as new boilers and heating systems.

Our Energy Strategy (PDF 4.6MB)Opening in a new window along with our Air Quality strategy (PDF 623KB)Opening in a new window details how we are doing all that we can to improve the air quality of Hertfordshire whilst meeting the energy needs of the county.

 

 

 

 

Be energy smart.

  • The Energy Saving Trust offer energy saving tips.

  •  Switch to renewable energy. USave provides a list of 100% renewable energy suppliers in the UK.

  • Use electricity when being generated at the ‘greenest’ time. For real-time information on when electricity is generated from renewable sources, use ESO’s Carbon Intensity App .

 

Think sustainable travel.

  • Get active, enjoy the fresh air and try to walk or cycle wherever possible.

  • Flying produces 2.4% of all global CO2 emissions. When possible, consider driving, or taking train or bus.

  • If driving is necessary, consider car-sharing or practicing eco-driving.  

  • If you’re travelling for business, consider if your meeting can be done virtually.

 

Cut down & buy less stuff.

  • 41.8 million tons of electronics are thrown away every year. Find your nearest recycling centre to recycle items such as toasters and old cables.

  • Fast fashion produces 10% of all greenhouse gases yearly. Learn how to buy smarter on the Fight Fast Fashion page.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Give us your thoughts

What else should we be doing? What great initiatives are happening in your area? What are your climate change concerns?

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