Haringey wants to make the whole of the borough net zero by 2041 and as part of this secures funding from any new developments that do not meet the carbon savings required. This money is then invested in projects such as the council’s groundbreaking Community Carbon Fund.
Thirteen local organisations, businesses and schools will be handed grants from the third round of the fund.
Carbon-cutting projects to benefit from this year’s pot of more than £70,000 range from bill-busting solar panels and LED lighting to a school uniform swap shop and recycling hub for sports shoes.
Cllr Mike Hakata, Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Environment and Transport, said:
I’m delighted that for the third year running we are supporting several carbon-cutting projects through this important and ambitious fund.
It provides a fantastic opportunity to unlock the talents and creativity of our communities so that together we can tackle the climate crisis and help ensure a fair and sustainable future for our borough.
While our priority will always be to achieve net zero developments, where this is not possible our offsetting scheme enables us to channel funds into vital community-led projects that help compensate for the emissions.
The Community Carbon Fund, which offers both small and large grants and a total pot of £300,000 over four years, is part of the council’s Climate Change Action Plan.
In line with the Haringey Deal, the initiative sets out to tap into the strengths, knowledge, expertise and passion of local people to tackle the big challenges the borough faces.
The council’s planning policies for new buildings set high sustainability standards and the authority’s teams work hard to, and are successful at, achieving net zero developments.
Where developers prove they cannot meet the necessary net zero carbon standards on site they must make a ‘carbon offset contribution’ through planning ‘Section 106’ legal agreements, which helps fund off-site carbon reduction projects, such as the Community Carbon Fund.
Find out more about the organisation’s benefiting from this year’s fund.
