‘Your contribution to the London Environment Strategy’ 27 th of October, 2017 1
The aims of this event Explore the policies and targets of the Draft London Environment Strategy Develop ways community members can get involved in processing these Make new connections between community groups Contribute to shaping the vision for the future of London, and to a community engagement action plan 2
Event Agenda 3
Peter Eversden London Forum of Amenity and Civic Societies “ This strategy is going to need you very badly” Unlike other strategies which have had targets, actions, and funding, the LES has mainly aspirations but not yet fully defined actions. It has a strong dependency on the government, local authorities, and the general public. Therefore, there needs to be an emphasis on public engagement. The LES depends heavily on the public and their communities and relevant organisations to get engaged. This includes lobbying your MPs and select committees in the House of Commons. 4
Andrew Richmond Greater London Authority (GLA) The LES is an integration of 8 strategies, and the aim is for London to be a “Greenest global city” – clean, attractive, and healthy. The Mayor wants London to be Zero Carbon by 2050 , a Zero Emission transport city by 2050 and Zero Waste by 2030. The GLA has looked at where previous government policies have led to unintended consequences, like increased diesel use, and have tried to integrate into the agenda more of the impacts on health, inequalities and fairness. The GLA has published a Solar Action Plan – what London needs to do in order to provide solar power within London, which includes proliferating Community Energy infrastructure. The GLA is also publishing a Fuel Poverty Action Plan, which aims to eradicate fuel poverty endured by 10% of London households. There will be a £20m Air Quality fund, a £1m fund to improve air quality for businesses, a £9m fund to improve green spaces and increase tree planting in the capital. There will also be £10m in funding over 4 years for new energy efficiency programmes, as well as funding to become available for healthy streets and to incentivise boroughs to do more to promote health benefits of improving air quality, etc. The Mayor of London has limited powers in terms of the environment, the GLA even more so. However, the Mayor does have reasonable powers in regards to waste, as authorities have to act in general conformity with waste elements of the strategy. He also has some powers over air quality which enable him to introduce variable road charges, as the chief of TFL, and is making sure improvements are being made to London’s transport. The Mayor will work to ensure that implementation of the LES will be delivered through the London Plan, as it is through this that he has more decisive power. It will be difficult to achieve these aims, but there have already been improvements made since 1990 to reduce CO2 emissions, and to waste, recycling and green spaces. Because of the Mayor’s power restrictions, the focus is on convening lobbyist and activists to work together and campaigning initiatives to make the needed changes. 5
London Environment Strategy: Summary 6
London Environment Strategy: Aims 7
Workshops 8
Air Quality Facilitated by: Bridget Fox, Campaign for Better Transport London will have the best air quality of any major world city by 2050, going beyond the Target legal requirements to protect human health and minimise inequalities Promising steps have been made over the past 50 years Particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5 and black carbon) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) remain to be two major concerns. Background London is failing to meet the legal limit for NO2. Particulate matter is damaging to health at any level and must be reduced. Reducing exposure of Londoners to harmful pollution across London Achieving legal compliance with UK and EU limits as soon as possible. Actions Suggested Achieving new, tighter air quality targets for a cleaner London, meeting WHO’s guidelines by 2030 by transitioning to a zero emission London. 9
Air Quality Facilitated by: Bridget Fox, Campaign for Better Transport Q1. Do you agree that the policies and proposals outlined will meet the Mayor’s ambitions for 3 key methods for community engagement: air quality in London and zero emission transport by 2050? Is the proposed approach and 1. Working with community groups and schools to put pace realistic and achievable, and what further powers might be required? pressure on local authorities in order to induce road closures, increased parking tickets, parking tickets Yes, but … based on the vehicles age/pollution, local air quality - The proposed dates are not soon enough, and the overall pace of action is currently too monitoring/shaming tactics etc. slow. The mayor needs to implement action now, not by 2050, further policies must be 2. Lobby and pressure local authorities/decision implemented early, and non-transport policies must have equal attention to transport ones. makers/planning authorities and making them more The LES’s air quality vision can only be achieved if vehicles on the roads are reduced, not - accountable for large scale construction and its impacts just switching to less polluting ones, and if pollution from construction and buildings is on air quality. properly addressed too. 3. Reassessing how individuals/colleagues/employees - There is a need for further knowledge, understanding and enablement at the community travel around London, making use of latest information, level to tackle the widespread ignorance and lack of concern that still exists. There is a transport and incentives to get around more sustainably. lack of coordination between local authorities and schools, and there needs to be a framework for implementing air quality reduction schemes, and for effectively monitoring and reviewing the data collected. - There is a common sense of uncertainty on how these policies will be achieved especially with Brexit. Lack of costed proposals creates an atmosphere of ignorance. Bringing in experts from a range of fields to do a full cost benefit analysis of proposals will create more accessible information for the public and can reduce ambiguity. 3 key gaps in the LES: 1. There is scope to implement short-term policies now that can reduce air pollution that are not mentioned in the strategy. These include stopping vehicle idling to avoid parking tickets, including private hire vehicles and river vessels into congestion charge/T-charge/ULEZ groups, and short-term road closures. 2. Time frames are too distant, especially an electrified transport system by 2050, and terms used in individual policies aren’t authoritative, e.g. ‘encourage’ should be ‘require’ etc. With a long time frame comes ambiguity and vagueness about how policies and proposals will be carried out to achieve overall goals. Education and public information – there is not enough public information available or 3. accessible to induce behavioural change right now. This coupled with distant time frames for transport changes will cause a slow shift to less polluting practises. 10
Green Infrastructure Facilitated by: Mathew Frith, Wildlife Trust London London will be a National Park City where more than half of its area is green; where Target the natural environment is protected and the network of green infrastructure is managed to benefit all Londoners. London’s green spaces and natural landscapes provide a recreational space for Londoners as well as provide habitat for wildlife, help protect London from the impact of climate change, and help improve London’s air quality. Background As London grows its green infrastructure becomes even more vital; to ensure the health of Londoners is improved, to protect the city from climate change and to boost London’s economic growth. Increasing London’s green cover, making more than half of London green by 2050. Conserving and enhancing wildlife and Actions Suggested natural habitats. Valuing London’s natural capital as an economic asset and greater investment in green infrastructure 11
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