The Climate Emergency and Sustainable Transport

The Challenge

Climate change is one of our biggest challenges and is already affecting our borough. The New Local Plan provides an opportunity to include planning policies that will support radical reductions in our carbon emissions to meet our target and reduce Haringey’s contribution to climate change while protecting our most vulnerable from its negative effects. Half of our emissions in Haringey come from the way we heat and power our homes so this will be a key focus area for the New Local Plan. So will efforts to create a more sustainable transport system, with 18% of our emissions coming from road-based motor transport.

In addition, we need to continue to work towards a Healthy Streets Approach which improves air quality, reduces congestion, and creates greener, healthier, safer and more attractive environments that are accessible for everyone.

What is the Council doing?

The Council declared a Climate Emergency in 2019 and has published a Draft Climate Change Action Plan  for consultation which sets an ambition and a proposed road map for the borough to become Net Zero Carbon by 2041. We are consulting on the Draft Climate Change Action Plan until 4 January and we encourage you to Have Your Say.

Haringey and four other London Boroughs jointly commissioned the London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) to provide evidence on how to achieve greater carbon reductions on site through new development. The report, 'Towards Net Zero Carbon' (May 2020), addresses three main issues:

• how to achieve the net zero carbon target on-site for a range of development typologies
• the appropriateness of the current carbon offset payment approach
• how the carbon offsetting price could incentivise greater on-site carbon reductions

The report will form part of the evidence base for the New Local Plan. We encourage you to read the report and provide us with your feedback.

Haringey’s Transport Strategy (2018) sets out a vision to deliver “a transport system that matches our growth and prosperity ambitions, whilst also improving our environment, providing accessible choices and making walking, cycling and the use of public transport a first choice for all”.

We are currently developing a draft Walking and Cycling Action Plan which we hope to consult on in early-mid 2021 and will inform the development of the New Local Plan.

How can I help?

Head to our webpage ' Going Green' to find out more about how you can reduce your emissions and take part on 'Smarter Travel' whether at home, work or out and about in the borough. The Haringey Climate Forum is made up of local environmental and community groups and councillors who are passionate about creating positive change, in line with the climate emergency, both in our own lives, and through the Council and other institutions in the borough. Their website contains more information on local groups you can join and how you can make a difference in the fight against climate change

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