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After receiving training from Save Our Shropshire CIO, Shropshire Council is now a bronze-accredited Carbon Literacy Organization.
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Shropshire Council’s senior management have all undertaken the training, offered by Save Our Shropshire, to give them the tools and knowledge to take positive action to tackle the climate crisis.
Carbon Literacy is ‘an awareness of the carbon dioxide costs and impacts of everyday activities, and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis’.
The training covered the changes required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Shropshire, and beyond, to net zero. It was done with the goal of putting Shropshire Council into a strong position to share best practices and be a community leader.
The Carbon Literacy Organisation
Save our Shropshire CIO says it is thrilled that they have been able to help Shropshire Council become a bronze level organisation – accredited by the Carbon Literacy Project.
The training was conducted over three nights in November 2021 and January 2022 to help team members understand the Climate Emergency and the actions they can undertake across Shropshire to reduce the devastating climate change.
Around 33% of emissions can be controlled by local authorities. The Carbon Literacy Organisation is a leading organization that helps us understand what we can do to live well for our planet.
Allan Wilson, founder and chair of SOS CIO said: “We were very excited to get a call from Adrian Cooper back in November asking if we can deliver training to the cabinet and Senior team of Shropshire Council. To deliver their Council Leaders toolkit, we worked with Speak Carbon as well as the Carbon Literacy Project.
“As a result Shropshire Council are now a bronze level Carbon Literate Organisation, by virtue of the fact that the Senior Team have completed the training. The pledges which the team made as part of the training provide an exciting platform for helping tackle the Climate Emergency.”
Ian Nellins, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for climate change, natural assets and the green economy, said:
“This bronze award means that we have implemented a training programme across the organisation and that senior management, including Lezley Picton, Leader of the Council, and Andy Begley, chief executive, have received training.
“In the future we aim to achieve higher levels of accreditation, demonstrating a greater level of commitment, through training a significant number of our staff and supporting partner organisations and members of our community to increase their carbon literacy as well.”
Climate Emergency
Shropshire Council declared an emergency climate situation in May 2019, and adopted a Climate Strategy and Action Plan for December 2020. This plan sets out the goal of achieving net-zero emissions performance for the council in 2030.
Ian added: “This is a great step on our journey to becoming a carbon neutral organisation by 2030 and demonstrating that everyone has a part to play.
“The council’s corporate footprint represents only around 1% of Shropshire’s total carbon footprint, but the council can influence as much as 33% of emissions through its regulatory and support functions.
“We are committed to further action, and are already supporting a wide range of projects and initiatives designed to support local businesses and communities to help tackle the climate crisis.”