Illustrated Climate & Ecological Emergency Strategy

Short on time? We've created two simple illustrations breaking down Brent's Draft Climate Emergency Strategy. Find out:

Plain text version of the illustrations

What’s the climate emergency got to do with Brent?

Coronavirus showed us that global events have local consequences.

Without action on climate change, we could face:

  • intense heatwaves, droughts, floods
  • loss of biodiversity
  • water and food shortages
  • the displacement of people
  • increased pressure on health systems and infrastructure 

What’s the alternative?

A transformation to carbon neutral by 2030.

  • cleaner air
  • greener spaces
  • warmer homes
  • healthier travel
  • a thriving local economy that’s fit for the future 

What do we know about our carbon footprint in Brent?

Direct emissions within Brent

  • Road Transport - 22% of  carbon emissions
  • Commercial Buildings - 35% of carbon emissions
  • Homes - 43% of carbon emissions

Plus, indirect emissions outside of Brent

  • Carbon emissions from the products and services we all consume, like buying rice which is shipped from India, a shirt made in Vietnam or a return flight to Spain for a summer holiday

The council declared a climate and ecological emergency

The plan

Consumption, resources and waste

  • Boost the low carbon circular economy with new green apprenticeships
  • Improve reuse and recycling infrastructure
  • Update council procurement policies to reduce our environmental impact throughout the supply chain

Transport

  • Make it easier and safer to walk or cycle in Brent
  • Work with TfL to boost the infrastructure supporting electric cars and public transport

Homes and buildings

  • Develop a route map for improving all council homes to EPC B by 2030
  • Encourage homeowners and private landlords to follow suit.
  • Increase the use of renewable energy through localised and sustainable energy networks.
  • Make homes and buildings affordable to heat and resilient to the impacts of climate change.

Nature and green spaces

  • Create a Green Infrastructure Vision for 2030, setting out how we will re-wild land and manage our parks to help biodiversity to thrive
  • Increase our tree canopy cover
  • Support schools to connect young people to nature from an early age.

Supporting communities

  • Set up the Brent Environmental Network to help connect people across the borough to work together to tackle this emergency
  • Finance local carbon reduction projects through Brent’s Carbon Offset Fund collected from developments that have failed to achieve on-site zero carbon.