Council aims for 30% of Royal Borough 'managed for nature' in new strategy

RBWM hopes to introduce a policy of ‘nature recovery’ for almost one-third of the region through a new environment and climate change strategy.

The measure forms part of the council’s wider efforts to improve its environmental credentials in the strategy, which will guide its decision-making from 2026 to 2035.

A draft version of the strategy has been released for public consultation.

Councillor Karen Davies, Liberal Democrat cabinet member for climate change and biodiversity, urged participation in the consultation to help ‘build a cleaner, greener borough for all.’

The council declared a ‘climate emergency’ in 2019 and it adopted its first strategy in 2020.

Five priority areas are identified in the new strategy: energy, sustainable transport, natural environment, reducing waste, governance and governance, finance and risk.

Hurdles include funding pressures and the perspective of the Royal Borough in regard to wider energy and emissions challenges.

The strategy hopes to curb problems caused by rising energy demand, the cause largest of emissions in the borough, by ramping up use of renewables in new buildings and retrofitting existing ones.

Also mentioned among the measures is an effort to ‘embed carbon literacy’ for council staff and other groups, to ‘encourage energy-conscious behaviours’.

Action group RBWM Climate Emergency Coalition claimed ‘alarm bells should be ringing’ for the council after it was ranked 66 out 186 local authorities for its progress towards net-zero in 2025.

Transport ambitions include improved access to electric vehicle charging points across the borough, and ‘flood resilient travel routes’ to future-proof infrastructure against climate change.

A borough-wide day bus pass is also considered, as is accommodation for enhanced routes for walkers, bicyclists and wheelchair users.

The strategy said ‘natural environments are one of our most powerful tools for adapting to climate change,’ helping to mitigate flooding and extreme temperatures.

Meeting the national target of 30 per cent land ‘managed for nature’ – restoring and enhancing the borough’s natural assets – is referenced as a central ambition.

“By 2035, nature will be thriving across the borough in parks, woodlands, verges, rivers and gardens,” the documents said.

“Everyone will live within easy reach of a high-quality green space.”

Strategies to reduce waste include improving ‘the reliability and reach of waste and recycling services’, as well as ‘cleaner public spaces through local community action and enforcement’.

Financing and governance aims include ensuring ‘financial decisions, pension funds, and investment policies reflect net zero ambitions’.

Cllr Davies said: “We’ve shown what’s possible - now we want your views on what comes next.

“We’ve seen real benefits from local action: cleaner energy in our public buildings and schools, thriving spaces for nature, and better options for low-carbon travel.

“But we need to go further and faster.

“Engagement events have helped us to focus on what has the highest impact - retrofit and renewables, active travel and a strong nature recovery network - so that together we build a cleaner, greener borough for all.”

Further details on the strategy and the consultation, which is open until March 2, are available to complete online.