Eastbourne Climate Emergency Strategy
Introduction and latest news
The Climate Emergency Strategy (with action plan) provides the background information on emissions for the council and the borough. We will use these to measure our progress towards Eastbourne Carbon Neutral 2030.
Please read our strategy, with its eight themes, and get involved in local action. You will also find links to further information related to the eight themes. This includes Sussex-wide action and general advice, such as how to reduce energy consumption at home. We will keep you updated with information on current actions and future updates.
The Climate Emergency Strategy
You can download and read the Climate Emergency Strategy (with action plan) and Summary documents approved at Cabinet on 4 November 2020 from all pages in this section. The strategy provides the background information on emissions for the council and the borough. We will use these to measure our progress towards Eastbourne Carbon Neutral 2030.
The December 2023 update to the EBC Climate Strategy is also now available.
How to get involved
If you are interested in how you can make a difference at home and in your community to reduce the impacts of climate change, then please take a look at the Summary. It summarises the work the council is doing, our aims and vision for Eastbourne in 2030, and provides a quick guide to how you can help.
Coastal Schools Partnership
The Coastal Schools Partnership (East Sussex) is a partnership of Schools and Colleges located in Eastbourne and the surrounding area. By linking resources, expertise, enthusiasm and commitment they aim to develop projects and ideas that inspire, excite and offer creative opportunities for children and young people.
The partnership undertakes many environmental initiatives. Sir Tim Smit from the Eden Project has been inspired by the engagement and commitment of the partnership's young people and has begun to strongly consider bringing Eden to Eastbourne.
You are not alone and the little changes we can all make, really will add up!
Latest updates
- Cabinet welcomes new way to protect and restore local nature
- Eastbourne Welcomes Its First GreenSeas Trust Bin: A Landmark Step in Marine Conservation
- Eastbourne Seafront: Leader sets sights on 2050 vision
- Get involved in a new way to help nature and wildlife in Sussex
- Eastbourne Carbon Neutral 2030 Symposium: Saturday 20 April
- Council secures £300K to decarbonise homes
Transport
In November 2023 Eastbourne Eco Action Network supported by EBC held a Sustainable Transport and Active Transport summit bringing together stakeholders, suppliers and decision makers. Further information about this and other active and sustainable travel initiatives can be found here
The following groups and organisations are all able to provide information and advice on how travel impacts the environment and what options we have.
Electric vehicle charge points
Eastbourne Borough Council has installed 18 electric vehicle charge points in Hyde Gardens, Redoubt and Devonshire car parks Public chargers for electric vehicles .
Find electric vehicle charge points in Eastbourne and across the UK Zap Map | Connected Kerb
Shared transport and hire schemes
Car clubs and care share schemes
Co Wheels | Enterprise Car Club
Mobility scooter hire
There are over lots of companies offering scooter hire across the town, including Eastbourne Shopmobility and Martlet Mobility Services.
Bicycle hire in Eastbourne
Download and signup to App-Bike to access short-term cycle hire at sites located along Eastbourne seafront - Find out more on their website
APP-BIKE | Bike sharing and Rental| Cuckmere Cycle Co
For longer term cycle hire you could consider Let's Bike-Eastbourne
Bike Hire - Let's Bike-Eastbourne
Cycle maps and routes
Eastbourne Cycle Map produced by Bespoke | Route 21 London to Eastbourne | South Downs National Park cycle routes | National Cycle Network maps
Sustrans: Active Travel Toolkit
A charity making it easier for people to walk and cycle.
The Role of Active Travel in Improving Health
Air Quality
Sussex Air Quality Partnership promotes improvements in air quality across Sussex.
Air Quality News covers breaking news and key developments concerning the issue of air quality in towns and cities across the UK.
Action for Clean Air is a global action plan to mobilise individuals and organisations to act on air pollution.
Action for Clean Air
Global Action Plan's role is to fuel the Clean Air movement by mobilising and enabling people and organisations to act on air pollution and ensure their voice is heard
Friends of the Earth: Responsible travel: eco tips for getting around
Part of an international community dedicated to protecting the natural world and the well being of everyone in it.
Friends of the Earth - Responsible Travel
DEFRA: Sustainable Travel Guides
Sustainable travel is about providing transport to suit local needs through a package of measures which promote attractive sustainable transport alternatives such as walking, cycling, public transport and sustainable car use.
DEFRA - Sustainable Travel Guides
Environmental Protection UK: Air pollution and transport
A national charity that provides policy analysis and information on air quality, land quality and noise and their effects on people and communities.
Lewes and Eastbourne Fleet Replacement Strategy June 2023 (PDF) [1MB]
Housing and energy
Information on the council's net zero housing retrofit study, renewable energy initiatives in the borough and where to find energy saving advice and help.
Energy Saving Trust
Information and advice on home energy efficiency measures to keep your home warm whilst reducing your carbon footprint and energy bills.
Energy Saving Trust - Energy at home
Fuel Poverty
Fuel poverty is a serious and complicated issue, which energy suppliers are helping to tackle in a number of ways.
Free household energy advice service
Contact Energise Sussex Coast for support, advice and information on tariffs, energy saving and retrofitting.
Energy advice from Energise Sussex Coast
In partnership with Energise Sussex Coast, Eastbourne Eco Action Network is training "energy champions" - volunteers who can provide energy and retrofit advice to local households and help develop community energy projects and to provide basic energy and retrofit advice to local households, especially those in fuel poverty. If you would like to volunteer with this network and receive free training and mentorship from it, please contact andy@ecoactioneb.co.uk .
Decarbonising our Council Housing Report
Summary of groundbreaking research on retrofit and decarbonisation of council owned homes at scale.
Decarbonising our housing stock - Roadmap for 2030 zero carbon (PDF) [343KB]
OVESCO
A community group run by local volunteers in East Sussex that creates community owned renewable energy projects so the local community can become zero carbon.
Suncoast Solar Farm Proposal for Eastbourne
Low Carbon is proposing a new solar farm with battery energy storage, located on land west and east of the East Coastway Line. The project will generate approximately 20 Megawatts (MW), producing enough clean energy to power 6,400 typical family homes each year.
UK Green Building Council
The UKGBC aims to improve the sustainability of the built environment, by transforming the way it is planned, designed, constructed, maintained and operated.
Report: UK housing: Fit for the future?
This report aims to assess the measures that need to be adopted in the housing sector to both manage climate change impacts and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Committee on Climate Change - Housing Fit For The Future
(PDF)
[4MB]
Great British Insulation Scheme
On the 14 September 2023, the government launched the £1 billion Great British Insulation Scheme to help some families insulate their homes. Families in lower council tax bands with less energy-efficient homes will be offered upgrades such as roof, loft or cavity wall insulation. Use an online checker for the Great British Insulation Scheme to find out if you are eligible
Boiler Upgrade Scheme
You can get one grant per property. Current grants are available for £7,500 towards an air source heat pump, £7,500 towards a ground source heat pump (including water source heat pumps and those on shared ground loops) and £5,000 towards a biomass boiler.
Energy and workplaces
From carbon literacy training to a net zero business package, find out what resources are available locally to help reduce workplace emissions and imbed sustainability in decision-making.
UN Climate Change: Reducing Emissions - Companies and Organizations
Reduction measures for companies' or organisations' greenhouse gas emitting activities.
Eastbourne Borough Council's Sustainable Procurement Policy
Sustainable Procurement policy (PDF) [202KB]
WWF: Let's make our workplaces sustainable
Let's make our workplaces sustainable.
Conserve Energy Future
30 ways to go green at workplaces.
Citizens and Climate - Crowdfunding for Net Zero
As part of the Net Zero Innovation Project grant, funded by the Local Government Association, the Council and it's partner the University of Sussex has reviewed ways in which alternative financing could provide a way to fund projects to tackle the climate emergency.
Citizens and climate crowdfunding for net zero (PDF) [2MB]
Net Zero 360
The UK's first full service net-zero business package.
Community Energy South
Delivering Carbon Literacy Training.
Biodiversity
The Council works in partnership to support nature recovery and encourage biodiversity. Learn about the Council's biodiversity strategy and find out more about these important projects, how to get involved, and what you can do help nature and wildlife.
Changing Chalk
Changing Chalk is a landscape-scale partnership connecting nature, people and heritage on and around the South Downs.
South Downs Changing Chalk partnership | National Trust Changing Chalk partnership
EBC Downland Estate - Whole Estate Plan
Eastbourne Downland Estate - Whole Estate Plan 2020-2045 (PDF) [3MB]
Gardening for wildlife
Learn how to provide food, shelter and breeding spots for the wildlife in your garden.
The National Biodiversity Network
A collaborative partnership created to exchange biodiversity information, with over 200 members and almost 200 million wildlife records available.
DEFRA: Biodiversity 2020
A strategy for England's wildlife and ecosystem services.
DEFRA Biodiversity 2020 (PDF) [2MB]
Joint Nature Conservation Committee: UK Biodiversity Indicators 2020
The JNCC is the public body that advises the UK Government and devolved administrations on UK-wide and international nature conservation.
UK biodiversity indicators 2023
The National Trust: What is biodiversity?
Europe's largest conservation charity, looking after nature, beauty and history for the nation to enjoy has published helpful information exploring biodiversity in closer detail.
National Trust - What Is Biodiversity?
Natural England: Biodiversity
The government's adviser for the natural environment, helping to protect England's nature and landscapes for people to enjoy.
WWF: Biodiversity
The world's leading independent conservation organisation. For downloadable posters and worksheets go to WWF Biodiversity
EBC Biodiversity Strategy
Eastbourne Biodiversity Strategy - 2021 to 2025 (PDF) [911KB]
EBC Pesticide Policy
Pesticide Policy (PDF) [284KB]
Sussex Bay
A vision for Sussex Bay, 100 miles of coastline where our seascape and rivers flourish. A healthy blue ecosystem in which nature, people and local economy can thrive.
Eastbourne to Seaford Nature Recovery Project
This project will create wildlife-rich habitats, improve climate security, and offer opportunities for the local communities.
Seaford to Eastbourne Nature Recovery Project
Pevensey Bay to Eastbourne Coastal Management Scheme
Reducing coastal flood and erosion risk to properties and infrastructure.
Pevensey Bay to Eastbourne Coastal Defence Project website
Beachy Head East Conservation Zone
A 195 km2 diverse mosaic of habitats that provide homes, feeding and breeding areas for masses of marine life. It includes fragile chalk reefs, sandstone reef systems, vulnerable blue mussel beds, and two marine Sites of Nature Conservation Importance: The Royal Sovereign Shoals and the Horse of Willingdon Reef.
This zone is home to threatened and declining species such as the tube-building ross worm, native oyster and short-snouted seahorse, cuckoo wrasse, plaice, dover sole, small spotted catshark and possible spawning beds for herring.
Beachy Head East Marine Conservation Zone
Community River Watch - Eastbourne and Pevensey Levels
Strandliners, in collaboration with Blue Heart, are encouraging residents to participate in simple waterway surveys in Eastbourne and Pevensey Levels. The surveys will involve monitoring water quality, river health, and wildlife such as dragonflies, butterflies, and birds.
To find out more and get involved visit Community River Watch.
Blue Heart
To help predict and reduce the impact of flooding, Blue Heart is investigating how rain, river and waste water move through Eastbourne and south Wealden.
Environment Agency's incident hotline
To report an environmental incident call 0800 80 70 60 or visit Gov.UK report an environmental incident
Food
The council supports and endorses Eastbourne Food Partnership's goals and aims in bringing people together to tackle food insecurity, encourage local food production and increase access to affordable healthy food. Find out more about food and climate change.
Eastbourne Food Partnership
Eastbourne Food Partnership brings together communities, individuals and organisations that are committed to creating a more equitable, sustainable, and diverse food system in Eastbourne.
Sustainable Food Places Bronze award for Eastbourne
Eastbourne Borough Council supported the application for this prestigious award.
Sustainable Food Places Bronze Award
The National Trust: Food
Europe's largest conservation charity, looking after nature, beauty and history for the nation to enjoy. Sustainably produced, local and seasonal food is better for the environment.
Friends of the Earth: Food production and sustainable farming
Part of an international community dedicated to protecting the natural world and the wellbeing of everyone in it.
Friends of the Earth - Food Production and Sustainable Farming
Sustain: Sustainable food
An alliance of organisations and communities working together for a better system of food, farming and fishing, and cultivating the movement for change.
Sustainable Web - Sustainable Food
BBC Bitesize: Food security - a global concern
The BBC's educational website, with reference to increasing food sustainability.
BBC Bitesize - Increasing Food Sustainability
BBC: How cutting your food waste can help the climate
All food generates greenhouse gases to reach our plates, but when nearly a third of it is thrown away or wasted.
BBC - How Cutting Food Waste Can Help The Climate
Diet and climate change
WWF - What we eat matters to our own health and to our Planet's health
BBC climate change food calculator
Find out your diet's carbon footprint.
BBC climate change food calculator
Community Growing
The Council is keen to support community growing initiatives and this guidance aims to ensure applications are robust, well thought through and appropriate for any given site.
Homes First Community Growing Spaces - Guidance and Application Process (PDF) [212KB]
Waste
Waste contributes to climate change. Find out what you can do to reduce, reuse and recycle. Use the council's A-Z of recycling to understand how and what can be recycled, find out what other organisations are doing tackle this problem and what you can do to help reduce waste.
Reduce, reuse, recycle
By reducing the amount of waste we all produce, and recycling as much as possible, all residents can make simple, practical actions to combat climate change.
A-Z of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Keep Britain Tidy
Find out how to improve our environment and get involved.
Wrap
Helping protect the planet by changing the way things are produced, consumed, and disposed of. Find out about the impact of fast fashion on the planet and what you can do.
Litter picking - join our mailing list
Get support with litter picking, starting a new group or joining and existing one.
Plastic Free Eastbourne
Plastic Free Eastbourne promote initiatives to improve the way we care for our planet. They believe in taking action with urgency in order to raise public awareness about some of the most pressing issues facing our environment.
www.plasticfreeeastbourne.co.uk
Eurostat: Greenhouse gas emissions from waste
Between 1995 and 2017, greenhouse gas emissions from waste in the EU have fallen by 42%.
Report by Imperial College London: Centre for Environmental Policy
An exploration of the resource sector's greenhouse gas emissions in the UK and its potential to reduce the carbon shortfall in the UK 4th and 5th carbon budgets. This is a PDF download.
Imperial College London - greenhouse gas report
HM Government
Our waste, our resources: A strategy for England. This is a PDF download.
Gov.uk - Our Waste, Our Resources
United Nations News
Wasting food just feeds climate change, new UN environment report warns.
Climate adaption
The Environment Agency in partnership with Eastbourne Borough Council are developing a new, £100+ million large coastal flood and erosion risk management project for Pevensey Bay to Eastbourne. This is one of the largest coastal flood risk projects in the country, as we plan to make Pevensey Bay to Eastbourne resilient to coastal flooding in response to the current climate emergency.
Eastbourne ECO Action Network
A community interest company whose goal is to turn Eastbourne carbon neutral by 2030 and to make it one of the best places to live in the UK.
The World Bank: The water blogs
Ideas and solutions to address global water issues.
United Nations: Climate Change
What do adaptation to climate change and climate resilience mean?
Climate ADAPT
Provides access to a wide range of relevant publications, tools, websites and other resources related to climate change and health.
HM Government: National Adaptation Programme
The government has updated the National Adaptation Programme (NAP) and remains committed to tackling the effects of a changing climate on the UK.
House of Commons Library
How is the UK adapting to climate change? Spotlight on health.
Carbon capture
Many members of the local community, including organisations and businesses, supported efforts to make Beachy Head East a Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) to protect and maintain this beautiful area now and for future generations. And find out about Treebourne - a fantastic partnership between the council and Treebourne which has successfully planted 1000 new street trees, with residents registering as Tree Champions to help care for these newly planted trees.
Treebourne
Treebourne is an Eastbourne-based, volunteer-run group which focuses on getting trees planted on both public and private land for wildlife, carbon capture and community benefit and engagement.
We work with Treebourne to help find sites - large and small - where new trees can be planted. Treebourne also do this independently of the Council. They raise the money to buy trees, enlist volunteers needed to plant them, and plan and manage the planting projects.
The Guardian
What is carbon capture, usage and storage - and can it trap emissions?
The Guardian - What is carbon capture, usage and storage – and can it trap emissions?
National Grid
Unlocking a sustainable future by locking away carbon.
National Grid - Cutting Carbon Emissions
Imperial College London
Assessing the economic and environmental value of carbon capture and utilisation in the UK.
Strategy documents
Read about our partners, and download the strategy, roadmap, reports and other documents relating to our climate emergency strategy.
East Sussex Environment Strategy 2020
A partnership of private, public and educational sector organisations has formed the Environment East Sussex Board, which has developed this Environment Strategy.
East Sussex County Council - Environment Strategy 2020
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