Tackling climate change begins with the individual, and local councils are uniquely placed to offer assistance, says Edward Welsh
Funny as it may seem at times, the effort by councils to encourage householders to recycle more is one of the decade's most successful public policy initiatives.
While large chunks of the media may regularly slam local government for the bin mishaps of one unfortunate council, the sector has actually succeeded where political and religious institutions have struggled for centuries to change people's behaviour.
But local government can't rest on its laurels.
The success over recycling provides important encouragement and lessons for councils facing an even greater challenge than the rising cost of landfill tax, namely, tackling climate change.
Growing pressure for concerted, international action to cut carbon emissions and prepare for worsening weather are mirrored by action by the EU and British Government.
But, while climate change remains a global threat, the only way the human race is going to make a difference is by individual action by each of us.
But here we face a dilemma. Opinion polling by the LGA shows that people are increasingly aware of the threat posed to their lives by climate change, but often feel powerless to make an impact.
What deters people is freeloading. They believe that if they take action to cut their own carbon footprint, their sacrifice will count for nothing because their neighbours will carry on turning up the heating, driving 4x4s and flying away on cheap holidays.
Pursuing this line of inquiry then produces a quiet extraordinary conclusion. In a country where we are perpetually told that deference is dead and scepticism of anything that smacks of the state is alive and kicking, people tell pollsters that they think tougher measures should be introduced to ensure that all of us make the necessary changes to their lifestyle. In other words, the state needs to step in to stop freeloading .
But which part of government has the most effective relationship with the individual to change behaviour?
While European rules on waste and the Government's landfill taxes have played their part in encouraging householders to change their behaviour, it has been the interaction between councils and every household in the country which has brought about the rising rates of recycling. Yes, there have been problems, but what recycling has shown more than any other service provided by councils is the special, intimate relationship between them and their residents.
It is with these thoughts in mind that the LGA has launched ‘Small change, big difference', its campaign to tackle climate change. Our objectives here are twofold – for councils to do more and the public and decision-makers to see local government as central to the solution. So, first, councils.
On the back of the LGA's climate change commission, the campaign wants councils to commit collectively to reducing their own carbon footprint by 1.5m tonnes by the end of 2008 and of their residents by 32m tonnes by 2011.
We also want all member councils to sign up to the Nottingham Declaration by the end of 2008, every local area agreement to include at least one target that relates to climate change, and each local authority to have an understanding of how worsening weather will impact on its services by 2011.
Next decision-makers. The LGA wants to obtain a clear policy statement from all the main parties in support of giving councils a specific power or extra support to help them tackle climate changes.
We are producing four policy proposals on home insulation and fuel poverty, the freedom to produce energy on every street corner, incentives to encourage householders to cut their carbon footprint and the economic case of taking action .
And then the public. The campaign seeks to increase the take-up of council services such as home insulation and transport measures that will help tackle climate change by 2009.
It is early days, but already, the campaign has seen some successes. Sign up to the Nottingham Declaration has jumped; climate change is one of the most popular indicators for councils; and the LGA's home insulation and fuel poverty proposal is creating plenty of interest with the three main parties. But there is still much to do and achieve.
Our country's ambitious targets to cut carbon emissions can only be met if we take action locally.
Councils are the vital links between these national aspirations and individual action.
Edward Welsh is head of communications at the Local Government Associations
