Welcome to Climate Change Northwest

Climate Change Northwest is the new regional website exploring the opportunities and challenges that a changing climate presents to England's Northwest. You can use the site to find out how you can help and assist your business , household or school to better understand and manage climate change.

Keep checking back for updates on the delivery of the Northwest Climate Change Action Plan and associated events happening in the Northwest.

Government responds to the public consultation on the draft climate change bill

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has set out a response to the public consultation on the draft climate change bill.

Mr Benn said:

"We need to step up the fight against climate change and we need to do it fast.

"The draft bill we set out earlier this year, and have now refined, is a ground breaking blueprint for moving the UK towards a low carbon economy. It will bind us to legally enforceable emissions reduction targets at home, while giving us greater clout at the international negotiating table.

The full response can be read here.

£23.5m portfolio of investment approved to tackle climate change

On World Environment Day, the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has announced that in-principle approval has been granted for a £23.5m portfolio of investment over three years to implement the continued delivery of the Northwest Climate Change Action Plan.

Click here for the full press release.

European Commission Announce New Climate Change and Energy Package

The European Commission announced on 23 January a new climate change and energy package. The proposals, which are likely to come into operation in 2010, set targets for the reduction of CO₂ and the supply of renewable energy across Europe.
The headline targets are:

• Overall target of 20% cut in EU emissions by 2020
• Overall increase of 20% in EU renewable energy by 2020
• UK target for cutting emissions to be set at 16% by 2020
• UK target for increasing renewable energy is 15% (from a 2005 UK base of under 2%) by 2020
• 10% biofuel component in vehicle fuel by 2020 (from sustainable sources)

These measures are anticipated to produce an EU wide savings of 600-900 million tonnes of CO₂ per year and an anticipated EU reduction of 200-300 million tonnes of fossil fuel consumed per year

For further details please click here

Source: Energy Saving Trust