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Friends of the Earth Pathways to 40%

The Friends of the Earth ‘Get Serious' Campaign focuses on the role of Local Authorities in reducing carbon emissions. At local level the key campaign ask is for LAs to commit to reductions of 40% based on 2005/06 levels by 2020.

The 40% target is consistent with the Climate Change Committee's recommendations of 42% national target by 2020, and is being adopted by Friends of the Earth Europe as a common campaigning position. Carbon Descent was commissioned to show that it is credible for a local authority to set itself this target by using their carbon reduction planning software VantagePoint. We assessed the measures that would be required above reductions that are likely to be achieved through national policy to achieve such emissions cuts in an inner city borough, a unitary authority and a rural county.

Carbon Descent set up scenarios in VP for Tower Hamlets, Middlesbrough and Hampshire (not including Portsmouth and Southampton) for the period from 2009 to 2020. The scenarios showed that with aggressive yet realistic policy measures, all three authorities could achieve the required 40 % cut in carbon emissions.

This research was used to back up Friends of the Earth's national ‘Get Serious' campaign and the report is available from their website.