New survey launches to ask people how we make North East Lincolnshire a greener place to live, work, invest and visit

North East Lincolnshire Council is asking people for their views on how the area can reduce its carbon footprint and improve the natural environment.

Survey questions cover topics such as how people, businesses and organisations work together to help tackle climate change, and how biodiversity can be improved.

Complete the survey at https://environment.questionpro.eu/.

The survey is live until 22 September.

North East Lincolnshire Council declared a Climate Emergency in September 2019. Since then, it has taken many actions to reduce its carbon footprint and is now revising its plans with the hope of setting an ambitious goal to be Carbon NetZero by 2040.

Council cabinet members will meet later in the year to decide on the targets and how they are met.

Leader of the Council Cllr Philip Jackson said:

“We are working on a road map with the aim of becoming a Carbon NetZero council by 2040 and to support the whole borough to meet the Government’s target of Carbon NetZero by 2050.

“Before we set these ambitious targets, we need people to give us their views on what’s important to them about the natural environment and climate change.

“This will help inform our decisions about how we work together to achieve our aims, reduce carbon emissions and improve the natural habitat for plants and wildlife.

“Your views will inform the steps we take to achieve Carbon Net Zero and how we manage the natural environment.”

What is Carbon NetZero?

Net zero refers to achieving a balance between the amount of carbon dioxide emissions produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere.

A gross-zero target would mean reducing all carbon dioxide emissions to zero. This is not realistic, so instead the net-zero target recognises that there will be some emissions but that these need to be fully offset, predominantly through natural carbon sinks such as oceans and forests.

When the amount of carbon emissions produced are cancelled out by the amount removed, we will be a net-zero emitter. The lower the emissions, the easier this becomes.