Archive for Citizen engagement and behavioural change initiatives
Manchester Eco House
Posted by: | CommentsEco Demonstration Show House created by Manchester City Council Energy Group. Over 30 displays via a guided tour on energy efficiency measures, recycling, water saving devices, renewable and sustainable energy technologies and the effects of CO2 emissions. Aimed at homeowners, private and social landlords, tenant and resident groups, developers, schools and students. The refurbishment achieved EcoHomes ‘Very Good’ rating for early 1900’s ‘hard to heat’ property.
Manchester is my Planet Pledge Campaign
Posted by: | CommentsThe pledge campaign had a successful launch in August 2005 and reached a 10,000 pledge target by October. During this time, Manchester is my Planet gained celebrity endorsements from a number of local sports and TV stars – even the likes of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown signed up. In 2006, the campaign successfully secured funding from Defra’s Climate Challenge Fund. This enabled the communications activities to continue, in order to increase understanding and awareness of climate change across the sub-region. A key activity was the survey gauging attitudes to climate change across Manchester, which was run in partnership with the Manchester Evening News in February 2007. This highlighted that Mancunians are passionate about the environment, with nearly 90% of respondents believing that, as an individual, they could help tackle climate change. The Manchester is my Planet pledgers are an active community of local people from across the ten Local Authority areas who have not only pledged to cut their own emissions, but are also kept updated with regular newsletters and invitations to take part in relevant events and activities across the city-region.
The thematic issue of Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) has been addressed at international level through the “Marrakech Process”, launched at the First International Meeting of the Italian Task Force held in Marrakech (June 2003), as a response to the recommendations of the Johannesburg Summit, where governments, international organisations and civil society were encouraged to develop a “10-Year Framework of Programmes to accelerate the shift towards sustainable consumption and production”. The work of the Marrakech Task Force, acting on a two fold approach, through the fulfilment of the expected deliverables will contribute to international debate by producing her outcomes to the UN Commission. To curb present consumption patterns, there is the need to empower people by increasing awareness, providing access in appropriate knowledge, building individual mindsets and being active for changes towards sustainability. Such cultural and social changes should be enhanced showing the risks of business-as-usual scenarios and for society now and in the future.
Solar City Malmö – Scandinavia’s largest solar energy demonstrations
Posted by: | CommentsSolar City Malmö is a non-profit association dedicated to raising awareness of solar energy technologies in a balanced and professional way in order to increase interest and skills amongst different parties in the solar market and general public. The association therefore organises training, seminars, exhibitions, study visits, theme days, conferences, technology competitions, information meetings for businesses, installers and councils, education for students, and advisory and dissemination services. The association is also working at a national level for a functioning solar electricity market in Sweden and for continued support in the field of solar thermal and photovoltaic energy. Solar City Malmö will build up a network and knowledge centre for solar energy.
Klimatakuten
Posted by: | CommentsA free resource for schools who want to improve their education for sustainable development (ESD), with focus on climate issues. The main target are pupils between the age range of 14-19, and the raised awareness is supposed to help influence their attitudes to lessen their overall environmental impact.
Platform of communication using portal, contest, guidelines in Czestochowa
Posted by: | CommentsThe idea of the project was to build communication platform, which would provide information on energy and environmental issues for the Częstochowa region. The platform is aimed for use by the local residents. It is designed to be a communication tool between local authorities (decision makers) and citizens (all stakeholders). On the portal, there is interesting information on energy planning, as well as best practise guidelines. Along with advice and instructions for energy efficiency to be used at home environment. Additionally, there is a forum, where anybody can ask questions and share their own problems.
As a part of the project, there was a “Mini-audit of my school” contest introduced students in the city of Częstochowa.
Staff Travel Plan
Posted by: | CommentsThe Council introduced a staff Travel Plan. A travel plan is a means of encouraging staff to use alternatives to single occupancy car-use, and it offers real benefits to the organisation, its employees and to the community at large. The plan aims to improve the local environment by reducing the levels of traffic in the borough. This helps reduce the level of air pollution and also helps reduce congestion. Under the support of the Travel Plan, many programs have been introduced, including a car sharing scheme, and incentives for cycling to work. There have been many successes, including an 11% decrease in cars being used for business travel.
