Nationally, the Government agreed the Climate Change Act, with its targets to reduce the UK's carbon emissions by 34% by 2020, 50% by 2027, and 80% by 2050. Some of the changes required must happen from a national level e.g. greening of the electricity grid, but Richmondshire District Council must do its part to meet these targets, or we will not have a hope of achieving them nationally.

Richmondshire District Council signed up to the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change in May 2008 to show its commitment to tackling the impacts of climate change and to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from the District.

We developed our Richmondshire Climate Change Action Plan 2010 to address our own impacts and those of the Richmondshire community on the environment upon which we all depend. This Action Plan sets out how Richmondshire District Council will contribute positively to carbon reduction targets and respond to national Climate Change Act targets. 

As this initial plan was produced with limited resources, it focuses on those areas where the Council, and its partners, are already making a positive contribution. In addition it highlights many areas which can also be developed in partnership with other bodies - the Hambleton & Richmondshire Local Strategic Partnership, North Yorkshire County Council, the Yorkshire Dales National Park, local community groups and businesses - to achieve district wide carbon reduction.

The District Council - alongside the other North Yorkshire authorities - has assessed how its services will be affected by the predicted changes to weather patterns in this area due to climate change.  Last year it produced a Local Climate Impacts Profile (2 Mb): including media reports of how extreme weather has impacted North Yorkshire, and particularly Richmondshire, over the last 5 years and how this is likely to change in future. The Council is now carrying out a full risk assessment of how its services will be affected by extreme weather and climate change, and how we can best adapt to continue to deliver our services into the future.

The Council produced a Green Travel Plan (2 Mb) in March 2008, aiming to reduce the impact of their staff and councillors on the environment. The Plan includes advice on reducing car dependence and travel planning.

The Council has also been working across North Yorkshire on the Schools Climate Change Initiative, resulting in educational resources to help teachers plan lessons on sustainability and climate change issues.