In 2012 Manchester City Council aimed for a 10% reduction in its own emissions. In July 2013 it claimed a 7% reduction. It was able to do this because responsibility for traffic lights moved from its books. Looking at everything else (buildings, transport) emissions went … UP by 1.8%.
So, building on that extremely strong base, the Council’s bureaucrats have proposed a series of actions to help them hit a new “7%” target. You can see the complete list here. Manchester Climate Monthly is going to take a closer look at each and every one of these 44 “actions.”

Twice a week, on “Annual Plan Tuesdays” and “Annual Plan Thursdays” we will be asking a few straightforward questions about each item. And to illustrate each post, we (Marc Hudson and Marc Roberts) are devising “Top Trump” cards for all of these actions. At two a week it will take you until December or so to collect the whole set… So far can’t give you a percentage on the 2005 figure, since the Council has been going off its 2009/10 baseline, in direct contradiction of its own plan.

And throughout all of this, we are asking YOU, the reader, and council tax payer (probably), what YOU think the Council should REALLY be doing… Because next year the council moves to a “three year plan.” And given what we already know of the low quality of the carbon plans and their implementation so far, we, the citizens, will be complicit if we remain silent…

What it says “4.18 Internal asset management and maintenance programmes such as the Asset Management Programme, consequential repairs and air conditioning reviews will identify and implement energy saving opportunities, wherever possible.”

What was said last year (direct quote from 2012/13 plan) The asset management plan for 2012/13 includes roof insulation at Wythenshawe Forum, boiler replacement at Levenshulme leisure centre and heating works at Wythenshawe Horticultural Centre

MCFly’s verdict (Is it ambitious enough, is it likely to happen, is this meaningless gibberish/stuff that they were already doing designed to pad out a thin plan, what questions about this “action” are yet to be answered etc etc)

Well, that didn’t take long, did it?  Third item in the “plan” and already we are into no carbon tonnage given and weasel phrases like “wherever possible.”  As a financially responsible organisation you’d expect that the City Council was doing this ANYWAY, no?

What would a proper three year plan around this item look like? They figure out where the low-hanging fruit is and they, um, make a plan to make savings?

How can culture be shifted around this item? I personally have no idea.

What else should the Council be doing around this item? Asking its staff how THEY think money/carbon can be saved?  Above and beyond “Green Impact”, that is…

Other info n/a

Phone numbers and emails of the organisations n/a

What do you think??