Lincoln firms unite to cut city's carbon emissions
A group of Lincoln's biggest organisations have united in a bid to cut the city's emissions.
More than 40 organisations have signed a charter to cement their commitment to fighting climate change.
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The Low Carbon Lincoln conference held at The University of Lincoln in March.
The group has also formed the Low Carbon Lincoln partnership (LCLP), which is working to produce an action plan for the years ahead.
And ambitious targets have already been set by its members.
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The bodies aim to reduce the city's carbon dioxide emissions by a quarter by 2020 and by 80 per cent by 2050.
This is based on a 2005 starting point, which was followed by a 17 per reduction over the next four years.
The initiative is being run by the City of Lincoln Council.
Councillor Fay Smith, portfolio holder for environmental services at the authority, said one priority was improving efficiencies within properties.
"Buildings are one of the biggest producers of carbon, so we're trying to encourage people to take up the home insulation schemes, and also looking at our own buildings," she said.
"There are so many ways in which different organisations can help to hit that target of reducing Lincoln's carbon emissions by 25 per cent by 2020."
Key players in the LCLP include the University of Lincoln, which hopes to slash emissions by 43 per cent by the end of its 2020-2021 academic year.
United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trusts is aiming for a 30 per cent reduction by 2015, compared with its 2007-2008 figures. And manufacturing giant Siemens wants to cut its emissions by 1.7 per cent every year.
Bus operator Stagecoach, is targeting an 8 per cent drop in its buildings' carbon footprints and a 3 per cent fall in its fleet's emissions by 2013-2014.
The Environment Agency has also pledged to cut carbon by a third by 2015, based on its 2006-2007 levels.
The University of Lincoln said it had already installed a range of energy-saving measures since March's Low Carbon Lincoln Conference, which brought the bodies together for the first time.
The initiatives include upgrading ventilation and temperature control systems across its campus, which will cut bills by more than £50,000 a year.
The project will also cut carbon by 250 tonnes and give a 5 per cent energy saving.
Cara Tabaku, the carbon reduction manager at the university, said: "Between 2006 and 2011 we have reduced the carbon emissions from our buildings and vehicles by 14 per cent.
"This puts us on track to meet our longer term target of 43 per cent by 2020, especially considering that we have more buildings and students now."
Comments
by InsideStory
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 6:30PM
“I don't know how true it is but i was told buses are not running on bio methane because the buses are too old to run on them does anyone have any info on if this is true please ?”
by Ian_Heighton
Tuesday, September 04 2012, 5:24PM
“Well the Council could cut carbon emmissions by turning off traffic lights when not needed, eg outside Tritton Road stores when they are closed and the "Magic Roundabout" at off-peak times. Stopping the train barriers from coming down 5 minutes too early would also save a great deal of carbon from vehicle exausts.
It won't make any differance to natural climate variation however, the climate has been changing since long before humans even existed.”