Carbon Literacy is an understanding of the causes and impacts of our everyday carbon emissions. This fundamental awareness offers a starting point for making real change in the way we tackle the climate emergency.
The Carbon Literacy Project is based on the key understanding that we need a change in culture as well as technology. This kind of multi-level approach is the best way to drastically reduce our emissions to the levels that science demands.
In February 2019, North Somerset Council became one of the first local authorities to declare a climate emergency. We recognise that immediate and urgent action is the best solution to avoid catastrophic climate change.
In 2020, North Somerset Council set out a new Corporate Plan, putting the Climate Emergency at the heart of everything we do. This plan informs other key strategies and plans, whether council documents or those of our partners.
Climate change is such an all-encompassing issue. It increasingly impacts so much of our lives – from our health, to our jobs, the price of our food, and the extreme weather it creates. Because of this, we have embedded the actions required to reduce these impacts into everything that we do as a council, and as a community.
We’ve put together this short video to explain in more detail what Carbon Literacy training is all about, and how it can have a very positive impact on your business or organisation.
North Somerset Council is proud to have been accredited as a Carbon Literate Organisation. This accreditation is a visible ‘badge’ that shows we are both:
We currently hold a Silver award, because we have implemented a training programme across our organisation. More than 15% of our workforce, including every single member of our Leadership Team, are Carbon Literate, and we have included training targets for additional members of staff in our annual performance management.
We will continue to demonstrate further commitment through supporting partner organisations and members of our community to increase their Carbon Literacy.