Clear About Carbon to Continue Until 2013

Great news – the Clear About Carbon project has been given an extension until 2013.  The team is now gearing up for a fourth year of activity around measuring and raising carbon literacy in Cornwall’s private and public sector.

We were delighted to receive official notification from ITM, the fund managers for European Social Funded projects in the UK, that the project’s application for an extension was approved, giving a revised end date of 31 March 2013. This will allow us to continue working on our existing projects and kick-start a new set of projects for the coming year.

What do we have planned for 2012?

The key themes for the next 12 months of the project are training, information resources, research, events and dissemination and below are a few examples of what we have planned:

• Organise a processor buyer-supplier knowledge exchange with the aim of developing ideas and creating a management plan to benefit both parties
• Pilot the e-learning tool with 2 educational establishments
• Design and produce information sheets on the low carbon agenda
• A range of case studies on business engagement and implementation of the low carbon agenda, and low carbon procurement and supply chains
• Organise ‘Master Class’ events to promote and highlight changes and opportunities in the low carbon economy

So what have we achieved so far?

Clear About Carbon started a little under 3 years ago, during which time we have grown in many respects including the recruitment of 3 more members of staff.  We were voted joint winner of the 2011 ESF Sustainable Development Specialist Project Leader Awards and continue to be nominated for other awards.  The partners have developed transnational relationships and partnership with Ecoinstitut Barcelona, Agrovast , and Sweden’s Association of Local Authorities in Skaraborg.  The partnership with Skaraborg enabled Duchy College Rural Business School to lead a visit to Sweden with representatives from Cornish dairy producers Rodda’s , to learn about anaerobic digestion and low-carbon agriculture [see image of their trip to the right].

In 2011 we hosted events in and around Cornwall, including:

• Green Build – Cornwall’s first sustainable construction conference
• Carbon Matters – bite-sized presentations offering guidance and inspiration to business on low carbon opportunities
• Future of Food and Farming – with a food and farming sector focus on how to capitalise on becoming a low-carbon business

Online, the project has developed useful resources on carbon such as the Carbon Jargon Buster, the Show me the Carbon tool as well an e-learning tool.  Developed with Defra, the Department of Health, and NHS bodies as part of the Defra-led National Sustainable Public Procurement, the free Carbon literacy e-learning tool has had over 200 completions to date. We have also orchestrated buyer, supplier and manufacturer engagements in the form of roundtable discussion groups, training events and one-to-one consultations.

Finally, a big thank you to everyone for all their hard work, and here’s to another successful year!