Bristol's work on climate change highlighted by two events

Published by webmaster for Bristol City Council in Communities

Bristol's drive to tackle climate change - and the way local authorities and businesses can play their part - will be highlighted at two major events on
the issue in the city next week.

On Tuesday (December 5th) the city council will host a workshop for local authorities from across the south west at their Create Centre in Smeaton
Road.

The event, organised by the South West Climate Change Impacts Partnership (SWCIIP) with the support of a wide range of national and regional
environmental and public sector bodies, will be addressed by Bristol City Council Leader Cllr Barbara Janke.

She will urge politicians from authorities across the south west to adopt the good practice in a new national toolkit that has recently been developed  - and follow Bristol's lead in introducing new recycling services, alternative energy sources and other environmental initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The council are on target to reduce emissions by 15% between 2000 and 2010 and measures introduced or planned by the city council to improve
performance further include:

A £10 million-a-year investment in energy efficiency measures in people's homes, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 20,000 tonnes a year ·  the
city's trailblazing new doorstep recycling collection services, which have more than doubled Bristol's recycling performance to almost 40% - believed
to be the best of any major English city; ·  proposals for wind turbines to power council buildings and facilities. Subject to public consultation, the
council hopes to site two large free-standing turbines at Avonmouth to eventually save as much as 20-30% on its energy bills. Small roof mounted
turbines are also planned for four council buildings.  

The launch of new bio-mass boilers at Blaise Nursery and Florence Brown School in Knowle, together eventually reducing carbon dioxide emissions by
250 tonnes-a-year ·  plans for a local in-vessel composting facility and other waste treatment plants to recycling household waste and remove the
need to transport waste to treatment facilities in other parts of the UK · the installation of solar panels on council buildings, with the first now in
place at the Easton Customer Service Point

Councillor Janke said: "We take climate change extremely seriously here in Bristol and have already started to introduce a number of measures to tackle
the issue. It is perhaps a indication of the lead that Bristol is giving that these important organisations have chosen to stage their workshop in
our city. I am very pleased to welcome other authorities from across the region to our city for this event and hope we can use the day to share our
experiences with them and learn about the ideas and action they are developing in their own areas."

The workshop precedes a special event for businesses in Bristol and the surrounding city region at Temple Quay on Thursday (December 7th), also
organised by the SWCCIP and local solicitors Bond Pearce. 'The Bottom Line' will look at how companies can respond to the challenges and opportunities
of climate change. Case studies from Bristol, including many schemes and initiatives developed and promoted by the city council, will be outlined during the day.

Commenting on the business event, Cllr Janke added: "I am extremely pleased to see Bristol businesses coming together to start to tackle this issue. The
city council is looking forward to working with other major employers to share our ideas and develop joint initiatives that can reduce waste and
energy use and cut emissions and greenhouse gases."

Sarah Hendel-Blackford, SWCCIP manager, said: "We know that climate change is the most serious threat that we are facing, and many organisations are
working hard to find solutions to the problem. We wanted to bring together those organisations so that we can unite our efforts to help combat climate
change."

Ends

Press release issued: December 1 2006