London National Park City 100 Voices marks the first anniversary of London becoming the World’s first National Park City, and showcases 100 people doing things to make London greener, healthier or wilder.

Ealing Transition has contributed two videos to the series, highlighting some of our recent success stories. As part of 100 Voices, you can listen to Andy Rolfe of Ealing Transition’s Energy Team discussing our schools’ solar energy project and Trevor Sharman discussing the rewilded Lammas Enclosure Community Garden.

Having watched the film, ‘The Climate Race’ which shows the why and how of reducing carbon emissions to zero, participants discussed their top local priorities and personal intentions in response.

Proposed local plan priorities

• Priority to retro-fitting housing with insulation to reduce domestic emissions and fuel costs, which would benefit residents directly and also create local accessible employment.

• Council to facilitate free assessments for householders to provide guidance, plans & proposals for home owners & tenants to follow, as funds become available, to implement the works to reduce domestic emissions.

• Promote local and community renewable electricity generation given the need to massively increase the production of electrical power to replace other dirty sources, including facilitating local grids.

• Apply zero emission standards to all new buildings and refurbishments.

• Council Tax reductions for energy efficient homes also being conditional on supply being from renewable sources, as incentives.

• Establish extensive ‘Low Traffic Neighbourhoods’ throughout the borough to provide local benefits of low pollution and safer streets to residents.

• Announce a specifically dated commitment to the ending of parking permits for fossil fuelled vehicles across the borough in line with the government targets to end sales by 2034 and support the provision for neighbourhood level electric vehicle clubs/hubs.

• Create integrated safe cycling infrastructure across the borough to facilitate safe and healthy carbon free travel for all. Covid lockdown has shown that if there is opportunity for safe cycling, it will be used.

• Since over 30% of carbon emissions globally are from food, promote local sourcing and locally run food businesses & include effective waste reduction for food businesses within their licencing terms.

• Ensure Council services and schools use green supply chains & produce, as a condition of contract.

• Ensure protection and preservation of allotments and all current green spaces, in public & private ownership through planning protections.

• Increase street tree planting and create new mini forests including re-wilding Warren Farm.

• Ensure widespread and effective public education and publicity to enable the plan to be seen as necessary, possible and positive for all.

Personal actions and commitments included:

• Joining with local groups and networks to work for the implementation of the Climate and Ecological Action Plan.

• Engage directly with the Council’s consultation on the Climate & Ecological Action Plan to support and develop it.

• Share own commitment and energy with family, friends & neighbours.

• Engage with my local councillors to ensure their active support for the Climate Plan.

We have now received the latest draft strategy paper drawn up by Ealing council following on from their declaration of a climate and ecological emergency last year. A version of the current strategy paper is available for download here as the full report, with appendices one (strategy matrix) and two (engagement plan). This is a working version of the strategy paper on which Ealing council are keen to consult.

Please do review the council’s proposals and let us and/or the council’s Climate Action Team have any feedback. You can email us at steering@ealingtransition.org.uk and Jo Mortensen from Ealing Council here. Many of the initiatives recommended by the council will require further development into projects, with specific resources and timescales in the coming months.

Details of our early post on this subject are available here.