Pursue environmental sustainability and health equity together - Print version

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This priority focuses on:

  • A transport system that promotes active travel and road safety, and minimises pollution.
  • The retrofitting of homes to be energy efficient, climate resilient and healthy.
  • An energy transition that minimises air pollution from all sources.
  • Building a sustainable resilient healthy food system.
  • Healthy and sustainable models of work.

Background

Many of the actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will also improve health and reduce existing health inequalities. However, there is a potential for interventions, and the recent increases in energy costs to widen inequalities. There must be an equity focus as well as a harm reduction and mitigation focus on interventions and strategies to reduce the effects of climate change.

Marmots ‘sustainable health equity’: Achieving a net zero UK Advisory Group Report for the UK Committee on Climate Change 2020 highlights that‘ Factoring the health equity effects into policies requires a more nuanced approach to mitigation and adaptation: for example, home energy efficiency measures must also benefit indoor air quality and temperature, and reach those most exposed to temperature extremes and indoor air pollution; reducing meat and dairy consumption needs to involve substitution with healthy, lower carbon alternatives that are affordable and accessible; and decarbonisation of transport must involve low pollution and safe forms of transport that are preferably active and, at the very least, accessible to all.’

Coventry residents and businesses are now facing some of the greatest challenges in the history of the city which are impacting upon sustainability, contributing to climate change and the quality of life of its citizens especially those who are the least well-off in society. Climate change, pollution and other impacts on the environment affect us across the city, our quality of life, health, and wellbeing. Coventry’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy recognises the need to address inequities where those families from the lowest incomes are facing the greatest challenges including environmental changes, poorer air quality, rising fuel costs and inflationary rises in food prices are impacting significantly.

What we know

There are a number of programmes of work and interventions that support the pursue of environmental sustainability & health equity recommendation to:

  • Provide access to a safe, sustainable, equitable and resilient transport system the social gradient and opportunities for active travel.
  • Create good quality biodiverse green spaces that are accessible locally.
  • Maximise opportunities to improve the safety, security, quality, ventilation, and energy efficiency of housing to an EPC (Energy Performance Certificates) rating of C or above wherever possible across the social gradient.
  • Reduce Coventry City Council's carbon footprint.
  • Increase natural resources and biodiversity.

Legislation, Government guidance that support the pursue environmental sustainability & health equity recommendation:

Links to service developments and strategies to support this recommendation:

Indicators

  • Air quality breaches
  • Access to open space
  • Sustainable Food Places status (a national recognised awards scheme currently aiming for bronze standard)
  • Properties benefiting from rises in EPC ratings for homes

Programmes and activities

  • Business Sustain
  • Business Energy Advice Service (BEAS) programme
  • Coventry Food Charter
  • Climate Change Board
  • Coventry Skills Strategy Action Group 4 - Supporting businesses, social value, and sustainability
  • ECO4 Programme
  • ECO4 Flex Programme
  • Enforcement of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEEs)
  • Five Pathway Groups
  • Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2 
  • Keeping Coventry Warm
  • Natural resources and biodiversity
  • Parks Green Flags Award
  • Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) Wave 2.1
  • Strategic Energy Partnership
  • Waste and recycling Programmes
  • UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), Decarbonisation Net Zero programme

Delivery partners

  • Act on Energy
  • Coventry City Council
  • Coventry University Enterprises Limited
  • Coventry University
  • EON
  • Midlands Engine
  • Property Licensing and Housing Enforcement
  • Public Health Team CCC
  • University of Warwick

How we will measure progress

  • Household survey - Transport to work / transport to education and escorting children to school
  • Cordon count* Cycling only
  • Nos of Air Quality Breaches
  • Access to open space indicators
  • Sustainable Food Places status (a national recognised awards scheme currently aiming for bronze standard)
  • Number of properties benefiting from rises in EPC ratings for homes.
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