Winchester leads the way towards a low carbon society
Major organisations in the Winchester District have pledged to reduce their carbon footprints in a pioneering local declaration on climate change.
Winchester District Strategic Partnership (WDSP) has been working with Winchester Action on Climate Change (WinACC) on 20:12, the campaign to cut the carbon footprint of Winchester by 20% by the end of 2012.
The Winchester Declaration on Climate Change gives organisations of all types, including businesses, charities and the public sector, the opportunity to pledge to reduce their carbon emissions by 20% between 2009 and 2012.
The first wave of organisations to sign up include Winchester City Council, The University of Winchester, Winchester College, and Winchester Area Community Action. Winchester and Eastleigh HealthCare Trust is already working on an NHS scheme for carbon footprint reduction, but it has the same goals as the Winchester Declaration so the Trust has also signed up.
The Declaration has been launched at the start of the New Year 2010 to encourage a fresh start and to get organisations to think about how they can reduce their impact on the environment. This first signing of the declaration is just the start of the two year long campaign to change habits and behaviour to create a low carbon future
This declaration recognises the seriousness of the threat of human caused climate change and the potential benefits, both social and economic, to the Winchester area, by becoming a leading city in creating a low carbon society.
Organisations agreeing to sign up will publish a plan for reducing their carbon footprints by 20 percent by 2012, sign up to at least one low carbon campaign, and support their staff in reducing their own personal carbon footprints.
For more information about climate change, how you can make changes, or to pledge to reduce your emissions go to www.winacc.org.uk/2012-winchester-declaration-climate-change