Climate Emergency

What are you doing to tackle the Climate Emergency?

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  Information for Business (SMEs) on Sustainability and Net Zero

  by Eco Communities, over 4 years ago
  

  Sustainability is an increasingly important issue for many people, especially in the business world. We have just had COP26 in Glasgow which resulted in a huge wave of support. Over 100,000 people marched in Glasgow to demand more action on the climate crisis, plus other marches took place around the world. Now more than ever before consumers are starting to ask businesses what they are doing to reduce the impact their business has on the planet. As such Sustainability is becoming more important for companies, across all industries.

  What does Sustainability mean for my business? Read full article - click... Continue reading

  Sustainability is an increasingly important issue for many people, especially in the business world. We have just had COP26 in Glasgow which resulted in a huge wave of support. Over 100,000 people marched in Glasgow to demand more action on the climate crisis, plus other marches took place around the world. Now more than ever before consumers are starting to ask businesses what they are doing to reduce the impact their business has on the planet. As such Sustainability is becoming more important for companies, across all industries.

  What does Sustainability mean for my business? Read full article - click here
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  Have a green Christmas

  over 4 years ago

  More of us than ever are looking to make sustainable changes in our lives, but it can sometimes feel like a difficult task when it comes to celebrations like Christmas.
  
  Here are a few simple ideas to help you to enjoy the festive season, whilst protecting the planet and without wasting resources.

  • Plan your perfect festive feast - save money by buying just what you need this Christmas. The Love Food Hate Waste website has a clever portion planner that can tell you how much meat or meat alternative, potatoes and veg to buy according the number of guests dining.
  • ... Continue reading

  More of us than ever are looking to make sustainable changes in our lives, but it can sometimes feel like a difficult task when it comes to celebrations like Christmas.
  
  Here are a few simple ideas to help you to enjoy the festive season, whilst protecting the planet and without wasting resources.

  • Plan your perfect festive feast - save money by buying just what you need this Christmas. The Love Food Hate Waste website has a clever portion planner that can tell you how much meat or meat alternative, potatoes and veg to buy according the number of guests dining.
  • Eat with the seasons – lots of our favourite foods at this time of year are in season, such as potatoes, sprouts, carrots and leeks. Do your research and make the most of eating local, seasonal food. Read the Soil Association’s seasonal food guide.
  • Use up your lovely leftovers - your leftover veg would make a tasty roast dinner soup or bubble and squeak. Even leftover wine and beer can be frozen in ice cube trays to flavour casseroles, risottos and gravy. Get some inspiration by visiting the recipe section of the Love Food Hate Waste website.
  • Recycle your leftovers – if you do have some food waste leftover, remember to put it in your brown food recycling bin so your leftovers can be recycled into energy for our homes and schools. Find out what can be recycled: Your bin collection
  • Support local independent shops – aim to buy your presents and produce from a local, independent business, allowing your money to stay in the local economy and support local families. Watch this video from Chester BID about supporting local businesses.
  • Opt for a sustainably-grown tree – if you are planning on buying a real Christmas tree, try to source a locally grown, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) certified tree. These will have been responsibly managed and grown using a minimal amount of pesticides. If you buy one in a pot, you can keep it in the garden and bring it in again next year. Read the RHS Christmas tree guide for tips on caring for your tree.
  • Christmas tree recycling - did you know that you can recycle your real cut Christmas tree for free at your local park? We will chip the trees to use as mulch in the park throughout the year.
    • Hooton Golf Club Chester Road, Hooton, Ellesmere Port, CH66 1QF
    • Whitby Park Stanney Lance Ellesmere Port, CH65 9AQ
    • Stanney Fields Park Hinderton Road, Neston, CH64 9PE
    • Westminster Park Hough Green, Chester, CH4 8JW
    • Alexandra Park Canadian Avenue, Chester, CH2 3HH
    • Castle Park Fountain Lane, Frodsham, WA6 6SA
    • Knights Grange Sports Complex Winsford, CW7 2PT
  • Give a handmade gift – you could bake, sew or paint, get creative to add that personal touch to your gifts this year. Alternatively, buy preloved items.
  • Re-wear your Christmas jumper – 95 per cent of Christmas jumpers are made using plastic so swap, buy second-hand or re-wear your jumper year after year. Environmental charity Hubbub, even has a guide to make your own sustainable Christmas jumper.
  • Clothes clear out - if you’re making space in your wardrobe before Christmas, then don’t forget to recycle your old clothes. Sell them online, take them to a local charity shop or recycle them in your green recycling box. To help keep the textiles dry and clean, please put them in a carrier bag before putting them in your box.
  • Get recycling - your recycling is collected every week, which will help with extra waste you may have during the festive period. Don’t forget to add Christmas cards that don’t have glitter on, envelopes, non-metallic wrapping paper and cardboard. Boxes should be flattened to fit inside the green box. Larger boxes can either be ripped up into smaller pieces or taken to your local household waste and recycling centre. Download a new collection calendar online to check which day to put your recycling out.
    
    

  No changes to kerbside collection this Christmas

  There are no changes to kerbside recycling and waste collections over Christmas.

  Please ensure that the correct containers are available for collection by 7am, at the edge of your property or agreed collection point.

  Garden waste collections have been suspended from Monday, 6 December 2021 to Friday 25 February 2022. The new garden waste collections service starts on Monday 28 February 2022. Find out more on our website.

  Larger items can be recycled at your recycling centres. Sites will be open as usual over the festive season apart from Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Find out when your nearest site is open on our Recycling centres webpage.
• Share Just Footprints expands into Frodsham & deploys Zero-emissions Electric Delivery Car! on Facebook Share Just Footprints expands into Frodsham & deploys Zero-emissions Electric Delivery Car! on Twitter Share Just Footprints expands into Frodsham & deploys Zero-emissions Electric Delivery Car! on Linkedin Email Just Footprints expands into Frodsham & deploys Zero-emissions Electric Delivery Car! link

  Just Footprints expands into Frodsham & deploys Zero-emissions Electric Delivery Car!

  by Just Footprints, over 4 years ago
  

  Like many small businesses, Chester's First Single-use-plastic-free Refill shop, Just Footprints - https://justfootprintsltd.co.uk/ has battled the effects of the pandemic and subsequent reduction in customers due to the Northgate Development works. Cheshire West and Chester Council helped us to get started, with a great deal on our first space in the Forum Shopping Centre.

  We added the option of "Click-and-Collect" at the start of the pandemic, but we always had plans to expand the business into other areas and to find a way of providing home deliveries, in a sustainable way.

  The great news is that we have now opened... Continue reading

  Like many small businesses, Chester's First Single-use-plastic-free Refill shop, Just Footprints - https://justfootprintsltd.co.uk/ has battled the effects of the pandemic and subsequent reduction in customers due to the Northgate Development works. Cheshire West and Chester Council helped us to get started, with a great deal on our first space in the Forum Shopping Centre.

  We added the option of "Click-and-Collect" at the start of the pandemic, but we always had plans to expand the business into other areas and to find a way of providing home deliveries, in a sustainable way.

  The great news is that we have now opened a SECOND SHOP in FRODSHAM, giving the residents of the town and surrounding areas the same quality, sustainable, affordable shopping experience. And the shop is proving to be a big hit, with an increase in customers weekly, since it opened on October 30th this year.

  To support the needs of many of our customers, who are either concerned about Covid-19 or the difficulties with getting into Chester, or just getting out during the winter months, we have also added a Single-Use-Plastic-Free HOME DELIVERY SERVICE, via our fantastic Electric Delivery vehicle, in the form a Fully-Sign-Written Nissan Leaf car.

  The intention is that this will also be complemented by deliveries in the centre of Chester via an electric bicycle, at least in the run-up to Christmas.

  We are so pleased that, for 3 years already, we have been able to support our community in the wonderful city of Chester and that we are now supporting the lovely community of Frodsham and the areas beyond. When we are able to once again, we will re-start our community workshops in the Chester store and become more involved than we already are with community events in Frodsham.

  We look forward to many more years supporting both communities and hope that customers will help us grow to provide even more than our existing 1,200 Food & Non-food products.
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  Green Expo 2022 - June 16-18th

  by Jane Harrad-Roberts, Project Director, Green Expo 2025, over 4 years ago

  A recent survey by CHASE (Cheshire Heritage and Sustainability Enterprises Community Interest Company) found that 84% of Cheshire residents would ‘like to know more about climate change, Net Zero and how it applies locally’.

  As a result and as well as restoring the Hydro Building in Chester and creating the Hydro Hub, CHASE is also organising Green Expo for June 16-18, 2022. Proceeds from Green Expo will go towards the restoration of what once generated over a third of Chester's electricity from water power on the Dee.

  Green Expo is FREE to attend and will run alongside the River Dee... Continue reading

  A recent survey by CHASE (Cheshire Heritage and Sustainability Enterprises Community Interest Company) found that 84% of Cheshire residents would ‘like to know more about climate change, Net Zero and how it applies locally’.

  As a result and as well as restoring the Hydro Building in Chester and creating the Hydro Hub, CHASE is also organising Green Expo for June 16-18, 2022. Proceeds from Green Expo will go towards the restoration of what once generated over a third of Chester's electricity from water power on the Dee.

  Green Expo is FREE to attend and will run alongside the River Dee in Chester, on Castle Drive. It will feature the latest sustainable technologies for powering our future homes, transport and lives. There will be demonstrations, exhibits and presentations for many leading organisations in the region, and it will offer a chance for everyone to gain an understanding of how these technologies will impact upon their lives. For more information see https://greenexpo.uk Social media @greenexpochester.

  Put the date in your diary now!
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  Little Leigh Active Travel Group

  by Martin Beecroft, over 4 years ago

  Concerns about climate change and the need to reduce the reliance on motor vehicles have led us, as a small Parish Council, to encourage people out of their cars and to cycle or walk shorter journeys whenever possible.

  Little Leigh village is bordered by busy 'A' roads and the Trent and Mersey Canal with only one, very hazardous, narrow footpath connecting to our nearest local services in Barnton. We are not served by public transport. The result is that most residents and visitors have little choice but to use private motor vehicles for most journeys. Our successful and popular Primary... Continue reading

  Concerns about climate change and the need to reduce the reliance on motor vehicles have led us, as a small Parish Council, to encourage people out of their cars and to cycle or walk shorter journeys whenever possible.

  Little Leigh village is bordered by busy 'A' roads and the Trent and Mersey Canal with only one, very hazardous, narrow footpath connecting to our nearest local services in Barnton. We are not served by public transport. The result is that most residents and visitors have little choice but to use private motor vehicles for most journeys. Our successful and popular Primary School is only accessible by motor vehicle for all but a few pupils who live within the village area, causing heavy congestion and increased vehicle pollution during school times.

  Our group has been set up as a sub-committee of the Parish Council to encourage the development and funding of safe, motor vehicle free, routes for pedestrians and cyclists to enable access to services including shops, medical and banking, none of which are available in the village.
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  Neston Earth Group

  by Rachel Smith, over 4 years ago
  

  Neston Earth Group is a community based group focused on promoting interest and care of the local environment and raising awareness of the climate emergency. We aim to think globally and act locally. Our group was founded in 2019 following the success of the Neston EarthFestival at the Neston Community and Youth Centre with the desire to keep green initiatives moving in the community.

  Our members have networked with Wirral and Cheshire West and Chester Councils, and Mersey Forest amongst others and we are listed on the Mersey Green Map run by Transition Liverpool and the Big Green List run... Continue reading

  Neston Earth Group is a community based group focused on promoting interest and care of the local environment and raising awareness of the climate emergency. We aim to think globally and act locally. Our group was founded in 2019 following the success of the Neston EarthFestival at the Neston Community and Youth Centre with the desire to keep green initiatives moving in the community.

  Our members have networked with Wirral and Cheshire West and Chester Councils, and Mersey Forest amongst others and we are listed on the Mersey Green Map run by Transition Liverpool and the Big Green List run by the Wirral Environmental Network. We are networking with local supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s with the goal of reinstating their plastic bag recycling point.

  Before lockdown, we had guest speakers at meetings including Simon Brown from Transition Town Chester, Councillor Louise Gittins and Cheshire West and Chester Council's Climate Emergency Champion Matt Bryan.

  Our members have recently taken part in local climate justice events such as Global Day for Climate Justice, Ring out for Climate initiative, Climate rally on Chester Dee Bridge and the Chester Climate Fair. We hope to network further with other local groups so we can be part of a wider community that is dedicated to making our planet greener. We are stronger together!

  A small group of our members have also decided to become volunteer Tree Wardens, supporting the local Tree Warden group. Tree Wardens plant, protect and promote their local trees through education, after care and rejuvenating woodland for example.

  Alongside this initiative we hope to promote the Queen’s Green Canopy project which invites people from across the UK to plant a tree for the jubilee. Community groups and schools are able to apply for free native tree packs supplied by the Woodland Trust. As well as inviting the planting of new trees, The Queen’s Green Canopy will dedicate a network of 70 Ancient Woodlands across the United Kingdom and identify 70 Ancient Trees to celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 years of service.

  Our group has been talking with Neston High School about “A Big Bang for Plastic Recycling”. The project is focussed on creating a network to transform plastic waste that can’t be commonly recycled (types 2, 3 and 5). The High School now have a recycling workspace where they can shred plastic into flakes which can be placed in moulds to create new products. You can read more about the wider project here: https://preciousplastic.com/index.html.

  Lastly, we promote the actions of individuals in our group that will help the environment; we can all do our bit to help out. Actions such as: joining a local litter pick, researching how we can each reduce the energy and water use in our own homes, helping the wildlife in our gardens and repairing items rather than buying new.

  If you’d like to find out more, join our meetings, or hear about what we accomplish in the future please email nestonearthgroup@gmail.com or you can find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nestonearthgroup. We’d love to hear from you!
• Share THE PRIDE OF BRITAIN REDUCING A TOWNS CARBON FOOTPRINT on Facebook Share THE PRIDE OF BRITAIN REDUCING A TOWNS CARBON FOOTPRINT on Twitter Share THE PRIDE OF BRITAIN REDUCING A TOWNS CARBON FOOTPRINT on Linkedin Email THE PRIDE OF BRITAIN REDUCING A TOWNS CARBON FOOTPRINT link

  THE PRIDE OF BRITAIN REDUCING A TOWNS CARBON FOOTPRINT

  by NCS, over 4 years ago
  

  The carbon footprint of the world, your country, your community can be viewed in many ways but one of the simplest and most overlooked is the food we waste. Waste food will go to landfill. I guess that’s obvious to us all but what you might not know is that supermarkets supplying millions of pounds worth of food each week, order enough with some to spare. Just in case!

  So, in your town if the combined supermarkets sell one million pounds worth of food each week, between 1% and 5% of it goes to waste. Between £10,000 and £50,000 worth... Continue reading

  The carbon footprint of the world, your country, your community can be viewed in many ways but one of the simplest and most overlooked is the food we waste. Waste food will go to landfill. I guess that’s obvious to us all but what you might not know is that supermarkets supplying millions of pounds worth of food each week, order enough with some to spare. Just in case!

  So, in your town if the combined supermarkets sell one million pounds worth of food each week, between 1% and 5% of it goes to waste. Between £10,000 and £50,000 worth of food.

  When we talk about waste you might think of food that’s no longer fit for consumption, but the supermarkets are a living breathing logistical machine and they have to keep rotating their stock. Often this 'waste' is food simply approaching either a Best Before or Use By Date. So, in theory, food that is perfectly fine, dare I say still high quality, is wasted and put into landfill and we all know that landfill is a major contributor to methane gas, the greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.

  And then we consider the current times of rising inflation and poverty and the onset of the UK's winter of discontent, and we should be able to see some simple solutions.

  At Northwich Community Support (NCS) we have a small army of unpaid volunteers utilising local and national contacts to locate, collect and collate this surplus food. We then very simply distribute it to our community via a small network of hubs. We encourage donations for this food and a good example or rule of thumb is that someone can expect to walk away with £40+ of grocery shopping for a donation of around about £5. The £5 is used to pay for insurance and food labelling and other incidental costs of running a charity.

  Times are indeed tough, but the people of Britain are proud. Foodbanks carry a stigma and handouts 'are for people on benefits' but we all know there is a lot of grey in that area. We allow people to work with us to reduce the towns carbon footprint and as a happy by product, they get to stretch their weekly budget just that little bit further. No matter how you look at it, that’s a WIN WIN!!!
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  Chester Zoo Wildlife Champions

  by Hannah Brooks Chester Zoo, over 4 years ago
  

  Chester Zoo in collaboration with partners has recently launched the Nature Recovery Network. A key aspect of this project is to train local Wildlife Champions in Chester to upskill and empower community leaders to take action to improve their local greenspace for wildlife and for people, involving their local community in the process. We’ve just announced the dates for our first course which will start on 20^th November, and there will be 5 more courses running in 2022. We would love to hear from anyone who would like to participate either in the first course or in 2022... Continue reading

  Chester Zoo in collaboration with partners has recently launched the Nature Recovery Network. A key aspect of this project is to train local Wildlife Champions in Chester to upskill and empower community leaders to take action to improve their local greenspace for wildlife and for people, involving their local community in the process. We’ve just announced the dates for our first course which will start on 20^th November, and there will be 5 more courses running in 2022. We would love to hear from anyone who would like to participate either in the first course or in 2022. We’ve previously delivered this training with friends of groups, teachers, youth group leaders, care home workers and we want to support a whole range of different audiences to engage, all you need is a green space to improve and a community to engage in the process. The Green Recovery Challenge Funding is enabling us to deliver this training for free and to provide ongoing support for the trained Wildlife Champions. Details for getting in touch are in the attached flyer and it’s here on our website - chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/viewer.html?pdfurl=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.chesterzoo.org%2Fsites%2F3%2F2021%2F11%2Fwildlife-champions-flyer-2021-final_removed.pdf&clen=10771439
• Share Next stage of project to reduce flood risk in Tattenhall is completed on Facebook Share Next stage of project to reduce flood risk in Tattenhall is completed on Twitter Share Next stage of project to reduce flood risk in Tattenhall is completed on Linkedin Email Next stage of project to reduce flood risk in Tattenhall is completed link

  Next stage of project to reduce flood risk in Tattenhall is completed

  over 4 years ago
  

  The second phase of a project designed to harness the power of nature to reduce flood risk to the people of Tattenhall in Cheshire was recently completed.

  Delivered by the Environment Agency working in partnership with the Bolesworth Estate, Tattenhall Wildlife Group, Environmental Land Management Associates (ELMS), The Mersey Forest and Pownall Plant Ltd, the project has seen the creation of three water storage areas, using earth bunds, where up to 4,500 cubic metres of water will be held upstream of the village when flooding might occur.

  The areas have been created using banks to temporarily hold water back in... Continue reading

  The second phase of a project designed to harness the power of nature to reduce flood risk to the people of Tattenhall in Cheshire was recently completed.

  Delivered by the Environment Agency working in partnership with the Bolesworth Estate, Tattenhall Wildlife Group, Environmental Land Management Associates (ELMS), The Mersey Forest and Pownall Plant Ltd, the project has seen the creation of three water storage areas, using earth bunds, where up to 4,500 cubic metres of water will be held upstream of the village when flooding might occur.

  The areas have been created using banks to temporarily hold water back in existing fields, reducing the amount of water that travels downstream during heavy rain and helping to protect local communities from the devastating effects of flooding.

  The latest round of works followed on from Phase 1 of the scheme which created 1.5 hectares of new habitat including reed beds and wet grasslands that will also hold water back in addition to helping local wildlife to thrive.

  David Brown, Senior Flood Risk Management Advisor with the Environment Agency said: “The commitment of these organisations to work together and explore nature based solutions alongside traditional flood defences, is a powerful component of our response to the Climate Emergency.

  “There has already been some great work delivered in partnership across Cheshire over the years to help slow the flow of floodwaters but we need to do more. We hope that our work at Mill Brook will be a catalyst for more of these measures to be installed elsewhere in Cheshire.”

  Andrew Hull Chair, Tattenhall Wildlife Group (TWiG) said: "Since the flood event of January 2021 every effort has been made to protect the local community from further inundation. Phase 2a of the Mill Brook flood defence scheme provides a potential solution and our thanks go to all partners involved in a very successful outcome."

  Nicky Hall, ELM Associates said: “The natural flood management measures implemented on farmland along Mill Brook will make an important contribution to reducing flood risk in Tattenhall village, and may also deliver other benefits such as improving water quality and providing habitat for protected species such as water voles. This small-scale project working with farmers, landowners and the local community is a great example of collaborative efforts to implement a practical and cost-effective solution to achieve better community flood resilience. ELM Associates will be working with the land managers to support ongoing management of the site through future Environmental Land Management Schemes.”

  Nina Barbour, Managing Director of Bolesworth Estate, said: “Tattenhall has been integral to Bolesworth since the estate was established, hundreds of years ago, and we are proud to be a part of the village’s community. It therefore remains vitally important to us that we maintain our support of crucial projects like this which are designed to help protect the community and improve habitat for wildlife. We can all well remember the heart-breaking scenes which we witnessed at the beginning of this year, where people, including some of our tenants, saw their homes, businesses and lives severely affected by the flooding in the village.

  “That’s why we are pleased to be working in partnership to drive this environmentally conscious, innovative scheme forward and it is terrific to see another part of the project has now been completed.”

  The natural flood management project at Tattenhall forms part of the Environment Agency’s overall vision to develop flood management schemes that will not only reduce the risks to local communities, but also tackle climate change through carbon capture and new habitats for wildlife. Cheshire West Council, who have declared a climate emergency, also supported the project during community consultation and in consenting the watercourse works.
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  Responsible Investment: our pledge to climate change

  by CheshirePensionFund, over 4 years ago

  Many of you will know that a Local Government Pension Scheme is what’s known as a defined benefit (DB) scheme, meaning an individual’s pension benefits aren’t linked to investment returns, rather they are guaranteed with the cost shared between scheme members, their employers and ultimately the taxpayer

  Local Government Pension Funds have historically been invested across multiple areas to achieve strong investment returns to meet their fiduciary duties - to pay pensions, and in turn minimise the cost of the benefits that fall back on to the local taxpayer.

  In recent years there has been an increased focus on ESG... Continue reading

  Many of you will know that a Local Government Pension Scheme is what’s known as a defined benefit (DB) scheme, meaning an individual’s pension benefits aren’t linked to investment returns, rather they are guaranteed with the cost shared between scheme members, their employers and ultimately the taxpayer

  Local Government Pension Funds have historically been invested across multiple areas to achieve strong investment returns to meet their fiduciary duties - to pay pensions, and in turn minimise the cost of the benefits that fall back on to the local taxpayer.

  In recent years there has been an increased focus on ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) and climate change factors informing investment decisions. This is also becoming part of a normal day to day routine for many people - whether they are shopping, investing, or looking at their lifestyle choices.

  Cheshire West and Chester Council, as manager of the Cheshire Pension Fund, is working to ensure the Fund’s investment meet ambitious targets for reducing the Fund’s carbon footprint, ensuring we’re a responsible investor overall, whilst still meeting our fiduciary duties.

  We have aligned to the Paris Agreement, probably the most well-known and globally accepted as a way in which we can positively impact climate change. We’ve also started to steadily decarbonise our listed equities portfolio.

  The Council is working alongside like-minded organisations to support the ambitions of the Paris Agreement. We have already committed to investing in sustainable and low carbon products, as well as working with other LGPS funds to use our holdings in companies to influence and encourage positive behaviours.

  Ensuring that our investment managers are holding discussions with companies who aren’t taking climate change seriously, and influencing behaviours is another way that we are taking climate change seriously.

  We have committed to setting ambitious targets to reduce the carbon footprint of the Fund’s listed equities portfolio. These are already 30% below the general market, with a target to be 50% below by 2023. We mean what we say.

  Going further, we have also committed to reducing the carbon footprint of our listed equities portfolio by 7.6% each year ensuring the Fund is aligned with the United Nation’s recommendation, which stated that ‘global greenhouse gases must fall by 7.6% each year between 2020 and 2039 to achieve the Paris climate target of reducing the rise in global temperatures to 1.5c.’

  The Council will also seek to invest an increasing proportion of Fund assets in low carbon and sustainable assets.

  Put simply – we believe in action by responsible investors to change the way we invest, and the way major corporations and organisations behave towards the environment. It’s not something we can simply do overnight but it’s something we’re striving towards, setting meaningful and achievable targets along the way.

  We will keep you updated on our website www.cheshirepensionfund.org/members/