matthew mainstream thomson environmental co ......our vision is that in 2065, cornwall’s...

Our Vision is that in 2065, Cornwall’s environment will be naturally diverse, beautiful and healthy, supporting a thriving society, prosperous economy and abundance of wildlife.

Matthew Thomsonco-chair

(with Prof. Kevin Gaston and Rachael Bice)

MAINSTREAMENVIRONMENTAL GROWTH!!

Broadening the narrative and empowering positive action in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly

the Cornwall model

Local Enterprise Partnership

Local Nature Partnership

Health & Wellbeing Board

Partnership in Cornwall & Scilly

ENVIRONMENT

ECONOMY

SOCIETY

People – Place - Prosperity

Leadership Board combined authority approach

Achieving more working together • Advocating for Environmental Growth

regionally and nationally

• Cornwall’s & Isles of Scilly Growth Programmes & Industrial Strategies

• Environmental crime: policing & enforcement

• Empowering town & parish councils to deliver environmental growth

• Health and wellbeing services supported by connection to Nature and physical activity outside.

• Incorporate Global Sustainable Development Goals in our overall framework for progress -> inside Raworth’s Doughnut / Lifebelt

Environmental growth is good for business

Securing our natural heritage & enhancing it through better management

Increasing our natural capital by increasing the size, numberand connectedness of areas where nature thrives

Designing existing activities & new developments to enhance& support our natural systems

Environmental Growth is the Net Gain of our natural systems, achieved

by:

Growth need NOT be a dirty word: Reclaim it!

Vision 2030 indicator:Area of land managed for environmental growth

Cornwall: Approx 18%Cornwall and Isles of Scilly: Approx 19%

Major developments delivering biodiversity outcomes in

CornwallApprox: 60%

Key Indicators for Cornwall (and Scilly)

Area of Cornwall & IoS managed positively for

heritageApprox: 29.6%

Target:

Area of land managed for environmental growth to be

30% by 2030 and 50% by 2050 –approximately 1% per year increase.

28,000 houses already at flood risk or coastal risk

10 Nitrate Vulnerable Zones

9 places failing national air quality standards

4,888 hectares of derelict land, where 80% are mining spoil heaps

37% of SSSIs are not in favourable condition

No river in Cornwall is classed as having high water quality

No protection for County Wildlife Sites

Invasive species

Only 5% of Cornwall has protection for conservation purposes

Farm run off

Tree cover below the national average

Requirement to deliver 52,500 more houses

20cm of sea level rise since 1920

Cornwall under pressureDevelopment ….Climate Change…..Brexit….

What needs doing?

• Cornwall’s environmental responsibilities need to be better shared

• Our natural capital needs to grow

• Economic investment and public sector cuts both need to be managed to optimise natural assets

• Costly environmental conflicts need to be prevented

• Wide range of actors need to work together in partnership

Priority 1

Facilitate Agreement on the optimum use of environmental assets to realise their local, national and global potential

Priority 2

Build Environmental Skills, knowledge and understanding to increase the value of the environment in local communities and the economy

Priority 3

Connect People, processes and communications to improve decision making, efficacy and behaviours with respect to the environment

Priority 4

Grow the Natural environment responsibly as a key economic asset, boosting biodiversity and increasing ecosystem goods and services

Vision 5050Evolving our strategies:

• Strategic Resilience – WEF nexus

• Plastics Free Action Plan

• Pollinator Action Plan

• Canopy Action Plan

• Inclusion & Accessibility

• Heritage

• County Farms

• Maritime

• Transport

• Health & Wellbeing

• Evidence

• Investment

How?

• Evidence Partnership & State of Nature reporting

• Priority & opportunity mapping

• Climate modelling – niches and changes

Review & approvalsDevelopment time

Developing the future county farms strategyWhere are we in the process?

01.03

01.04

04.04

w/c 29.04

07.06

24.07

Project board mobilised

Stakeholder awareness/ signposting communication

issued

Workstream lead workshop 1

Review phase 1 report with CDT

Cabinet decision

on phase 1 report

18.07

Draft phase 1 report

Project team mobilised

Workstream lead workshop 2

Workstreamspecific

workshops/ meetings with partners, SMEs

etc

w/c 20.05

18.07

Public engagement event x 2 (adults +

Young people)

Review phase 1 report with IPHB

Review phase 1 report with NOSC

Mobilise

Carbon inventory and forecast trajectory to

2030 completed

Trees, Woods and Hedges:

A Canopy Action Plan for Cornwall – production is underway, working with partners. Stakeholder event planned for National Tree Week in November

Cornwall Maritime Strategy

Strategy has been refreshed to bring it up to date with the latest policy context, forthcoming trends and Cornwall Council priorities for next 5 years

Environmental Growth Investment Projects

• Water For Growth• Green Infrastructure for Growth• Tevi: Environmental Growth for Business• STARR: St Austell Resilient Regeneration• Long Rock – Coastal Armour• Rail signalisation – increase frequency• Green Dualling of A30• A391 upgrade

Protected areas: ‘no-go’

Opportunities

Risks

Deliverability

Priority

areas

Up to 50 businesses receiving environmental

advice and potential access to ERDF grants

Enhancing our agricultural practices

More precision agriculture and enhancing soil health

Reducing waste – industrial symbiosisDeveloping our Circular Economy

Improving land managementLand use – less monocultures more multiple benefits

How to create more green energy than our total energy consumption

The Long Rock public Exhibition was undertaken in September, with over 150 in attendance

Long Rock

Public consultation was taken on board and this fed the planning application for the Rock Armour

GI4G – Making Space for Nature

Yellow Rattle Harvesting

“Since the flowers have been planted there has been a big increase in the number of bees and butterflies in the area which is fantastic. Not only does this make the playing field a more usable place it has increased the wildlife seen throughout the estate which is truly wonderful.”Trenoweth Resident

Completed Site: Bay View, Hayle

Ambitions• Environmental Growth at

scale

• Increase in 3D complexity

• A focus on native species and carefully increasing diversity

• Reintroductions

• Substantial space that is rewilded

Preserving - keeping what we have nowRestoring – heritage-led changeEnhancing - incremental environmental growthTransforming - radical environmental growth

Mainstreaming

• Environmental Growth Strategy has set direction of travel

• Now creating the foundations for change through policy development and demonstrator projects

• To achieve 50% by 2050 we have to mainstream environmental growth

• The level of engagement and challenging discussions this will require needs all of us to find a new level of leadership in our communities……