transport, they're choosing to
GLOSSARY put on a comfy jumper and
Bad press
There's no such thing as bad
press? Well that's not exactly
true when you're trying to
encourage residents to
replace a system they know
with something they don't (i.e.
from a gas boiler at home to a
district heating system).
Stories of bad experiences
(from unexpected bills to slow
and disruptive installation)
can really put people off.
Behavioural change
People are making low carbon
choices in their everyday lives.
More people are taking public
business running on its own
separate boiler, saving
money and carbon.
Dodgy standards
If new tech or energy
efficiency measures are not
installed to maximum impact,
the carbon savings will be
lower than expected. To make
matters worse, residents are
likely to tell their neighbours
about their negative
experiences and
disappointing savings, putting
people off low-carbon home
improvements.
Eco councillors
Having a sustainability
advocate in your council is a
Building inspectors
Councils and governments
wooly socks instead of turning
on the heating, and they've
even started cutting down on
meat and cheese.
Biogas plant
Biogas plants create clean,
usable energy out of organic
materials like food, plants and
manure. It’s a great solution if
we’re using only our existing
waste, but less sustainable if
we start cutting down forests
simply to grow fuel-crops.
Budget
There's no such thing as a free
lunch - or a free heat pump
for that matter. Here's some
money to put to good use.
sure way to forward
climate-friendly agendas.
With lowering emissions top
of their priorities, eco
councillors are likely to push
forward carbon cutting
motions and block carbon
emitting ones.
Ecohouses
Ecohouses come in all
shapes and sizes, but all are
designed with sustainability
in mind. They are constructed
with low-carbon materials,
are very well insulated and
often contain renewable
energy tech, such as solar
panels or a heat pump.
can create all the efficiency
regulations they want, but
without compliance there's no
guarantee these measures
will lead to lower emissions.
Building inspectors will hold
landlords and businesses to
account and make sure
carbon cutting policies bring
the results they promise.
District heating
District heating involves
generating heating and hot
water for a network of
buildings and homes from
one central location. This can
be much more efficient than
having each home or
Factories
Factories bring jobs and
produce goods, meaning
more wealth for the local
area. But all these goods have
an environmental impact, and
until you invest in renewable
energy, your factory will run
on fossil fuels. And the bigger
the factory, the higher the
carbon emissions.
Fossil fuel lobby
Fossil fuel companies have
representatives that are paid
to influence politicians. By
using a range of tactics they
can influence governments’
policies on climate change.
Funding cuts
Funding cuts are like the
reverse of incentives.
Researching, constructing and
installing low carbon solutions
all cost a lot of money - so
without grants, subsidies or
loans, it’s hard to get
renewable energy projects off
the ground.
Global marketplace
Climate change is a global
issue and so is fighting it.
While you've been finding
solutions in your area,
movements have been
happening beyond those city
walls. New technology is
being created, and new ideas
are taking hold. The global
emitting) nature of its
production means it’s not
always as sustainable as you
might think.
Hydropower
Hydropower systems capture
the energy of flowing water
and turn it into usable
electricity. Thanks to the
natural water cycle, we can
bet on this being a reliable
source of renewable energy.
Increased funding
Perhaps because of public
pressure to act on climate
change, or because the
benefits of existing low
carbon solutions are now
starting to show, the
marketplace defines which
solutions are available.
Government uncertainty
It's almost impossible to
change the status quo when
governments are in a state of
uncertainty. If ministers
disagree on the benefits of
proposed changes, or even if
elections are coming up,
decisions will be put on hold.
Green mortgages
By offering lower interest rates
for energy efficient homes,
banks can incentivise lower
carbon living.
Heat pumps
Heat pumps are a smart
piece of tech that provide
government has decided to
put more money into carbon
cutting initiatives.
Lobby ministers
Lobbying involves
encouraging politicians to
support your interests. Putting
data, petitions or constituents
in front of them can help
ministers learn how the public
feels about an issue, or
encourage them to consider
new evidence.
Local opposition
Local opposition can stall, or
even block, low-carbon
initiatives from getting started.
Some people just don’t like the
look of wind turbines. Others
low carbon heating and
cooling. They work a bit like a
reverse fridge - extracting
heat from one place and
transferring it to another.
Heat pumps can absorb heat
from outdoor air (an
air-source heat pump), the
ground (ground-source heat
pump), or water, even sewers
(a water-source heat
pump)- there's more heat
energy available than you
might think.
Hydrogen gas mains
Unlike natural gas, hydrogen
gas doesn’t release
greenhouse gases when
burned. But the expensive
(and sometimes carbon
might not want heat pump
installation at the local pool
disrupting swimming
schedules. If local people
aren’t onboard, their
complaints could stop
planning applications from
being approved.
Low carbon tech
Low carbon technologies
make cutting carbon much
easier, as many new
products and services
replace existing products -
think electric vehicles, LED
light bulbs, solar-powered
phone chargers etc. These
are effective because people
can see a big cut to their
emissions without drastically
changing their lifestyles.
Net zero hub
A net zero hub is a group of
industry buildings which run
without adding to the area’s
greenhouse gas emissions.
Any carbon that the buildings
emit is made up for by the
hub’s carbon capture
technologies (like trees) or
clean energy generation.
New building regulations
The government has upped
building standards meaning
all landlords, businesses and
developers need to make
sure their buildings are
climate friendly (no leaky
effective manner. If people
involved are not informed,
supported, or made
accountable, progress will be
delayed.
Public apathy
Change can be a nuisance,
and if people just don't care
about tackling climate
change why bother? There
are so many other important
(and not so important) things
to put their energy into. Public
apathy slows down carbon
cutting plans, as residents will
not be supportive of councils
meddling with their homes or
neighbourhoods.
walls, no gas boilers, solar
panels on the roof etc.).
Poor communication
Communication between the
different people involved (i.e.
installers, tech developers,
and residents) is key to
making sure initiatives work
for the local community, and
are implemented in a way
that maximises carbon
saving. Without
understanding the lifestyle of
residents, it is possible
low-carbon solutions won't
meet their needs - and won't
be taken up.
Public awareness
Whether it's concern about
climate impacts, or
knowledge of new solutions,
awareness helps people make
climate-friendly choices and
changes in their everyday life.
Remote properties
The gas and electricity grid is
inaccessible to those living in
very remote areas. This
means remote homes often
rely on coal or oil for their
heating and cooking.
Although solar panels and
heat pumps are suitable
alternatives, councils may be
less able to support these
remote properties.
Poor housing stock
Old and poorly maintained
houses can be hard to
keep warm. The UK has
some of the draughtiest
buildings in Europe.
Because so much heat
escapes through windows
and poor insulation,
residents use tonnes more
energy (emitting tonnes
more carbon) just to
keep warm.
Poor leadership
Good governance is key to
getting things done. We need
systems to make sure
policies and regulations are
put in place in a timely and
Retrofit buildings
Retrofitting is all about
making old homes more
climate-friendly. Simple
solutions like insulating walls
or fitting windows with triple
glazing stops heat energy
from escaping, and stops
cool outside air from getting
in. This means residents need
less energy to keep their
homes at a comfortable
temperature - saving money
and carbon.
Skilled workforce
Decarbonising a city means
work - so you’ll need people
to get it done. Investing in
jobs and training will help you
install low carbon tech decades. Just one average
quickly and effectively. onshore wind turbine will
Solar thermal panels create enough electricity
every year to power 1,500
As the name suggests, solar
households - that's quite
thermal panels absorb the
a saving.
sun's heat energy. But unlike
solar PV panels, solar thermal
panels don't turn this energy
into electricity. Instead they
use it to heat cylinders of
stored water - providing an
alternative to gas-fuelled
heating.
Wind power
Wind turbines can be
resource intensive to
construct, but once they're up
they'll generate clean,
carbon-free power for