How is the South West RDA providing leadership in this area?

The South West RDA is committed to leading the region's transformation to a low carbon economy. 
 
The environment of South West England is acknowledged as the region's most valuable asset and is recognised in the Regional Economic Strategy as one of the three key economic drivers for the region. As an RDA, we have a responsibility to ensure that our activities and services have minimal detrimental effect on the environment. 
 
In January 2005, the South West RDA Board endorsed the decision to develop an Environmental Management System (EMS) for the Agency, and we have gained the international standard ISO14001 for our offices as well as signing up to the Agency's first Environment Policy (Adobe Acrobat Reader Document - 30.62kb). Our award winning Green Travel Plan which was developed by and for our staff, also forms a key part of this. It was developed to cut down on CO2 emissions by reducing staff travel. It won an Observer Fleet Hero award in 2006 for reducing business travel by 300,000 miles in just four years. 
 
For some time, the South West RDA has been considering the need to significantly reduce the carbon impact of its investments. At the beginning of 2007, we initially considered this in terms of an RDA climate change action plan which later evolved into the concept of a Climate Change Escalator of Ambition. In July 2007, the Board endorsed this approach and our aspiration to have a net zero carbon investment portfolio by 2013.

What does a net zero carbon investment portfolio mean?

This means that the strategies and projects we choose to invest in need to be considered in terms of how much they affect our carbon footprint. Over the next five years we want to make sure that, viewed in the round, our investment decisions reduce our carbon impact - to the point that by 2013 all our investments will be net zero carbon. This means that in the future we will not invest in projects that take our carbon bank balance into deficit but instead, will invest in more carbon saving activities. To do this we will build on the good practice we already adopt, in the form of sustainable construction standards, and continuing to invest in carbon saving activity, such as investing in renewable energy, low carbon technologies, and advising business on how to use their resources more efficiently. At the same time we will be developing ways of measuring our carbon footprint. 
 
For more information on the work of the South West RDA's environment team, e-mail: environmentteam@southwestrda.org.uk.