BRINGING WANDSWORTH TOGETHER on climate change in 2023

Comprehensive update to environment and sustainability strategy aims to capitalise on recent sustainability successes.

Plans to meet ambitious targets on climate change in Wandsworth are being stepped up in 2023, with everyone in the borough invited to play their part in the drive towards net zero –and reap the benefits.

Wandsworth’s Environment and Sustainability Strategy (WESS) has been comprehensively updated to include an action plan for 2023, which will move the borough towards its target of achieving net zero by 2043.

The plans for this year also aim to tackle inequality, by focusing on the most vulnerable people and areas most at risk in the borough.

The update should help to build on recent successes, including a drop in carbon emissions, both from the council and across the borough as a whole.

At the same time, it should keep everyone focused and maintain a sense of urgency to “meet the climate emergency”, as Judi Gasser, cabinet member for the environment explains.

“We’re making good progress but it’s vital that we step up the pace, working together as a borough,” said Councillor Gasser.

“We are making sure our partner organisations and residents get a voice through the Sustainability Partnership and Citizen’s Assembly, and we will continue to engage with local people through Brightside, social media, outreach events and other channels to ensure this is a journey we all go on together.”

In 2022, Wandsworth became the first inner-London authority – and one of only 122 cities and towns worldwide - to achieve a place on the CDP Cities A list for action on climate change.

Successes have included a new sciencebased target of achieving net zero by 2043, the new Wandsworth Sustainability Partnership, a new Walking and Cycling Strategy, more electric vehicle charging points and bike storage hangars, and a cargo bike hire scheme.

There are also plans to expand a successful food waste collection pilot scheme.

Work on cleaning up air quality and mitigating climate change is embedded across the council.

A Citizen’s Assembly in Air Quality, with recommendations feeding into a new Air Quality Action Plan will commence work this year.

Further work to decarbonise council procurement, buildings and vehicles and make council homes more energy efficient, as well as more walking and cycling infrastructure will take place in 2023.

The council also plans to install more electric vehicle chargers, with the aim of having nearly 3000 in the borough by 2030, as well as further decarbonising the council’s pension fund and carrying out better air quality monitoring.

Additional work with schools is also planned in 2023, in a bid to engage young people on climate change issues and develop the proposed School Superzone at St Mary’s Primary School in Nine Elms.

Wandsworth residents will benefit from more advice on cutting fuel bills, making their homes more energy efficient and how to recycle more and waste less.

A new framework for tree and woodland management and continued work to improve biodiversity, including programmes to get local people involved, is also planned. Climate mapping work to identify areas and communities most at risk is also targeted for completion in 2023.

Find out more about work to tackle the climate emergency at wandsworth.gov.uk/climate-change