PEOPLE across Devon will have the opportunity to be involved in the development of a countywide Carbon Plan, the Devon Climate Emergency Response Group (DCERG) agreed at its meeting held on Wednesday, June 26.

Proposals to establish a Devon Carbon Plan have been endorsed by members of DCERG, who have given their backing for a Net Zero Task Force to be appointed to develop the plan.

This Task Force will consist of 12 people with expertise in areas relevant to carbon reduction – drawing them from economic, environmental, health and academic organisations, and chaired by a leading climate expert.

A series of hearings will be delivered by the Task Force where experts will be invited to answer questions to determine the barriers and opportunities of tackling carbon dioxide emissions in specific areas such as transport, new development, waste, and agriculture.

The hearings will identify if any additional research is necessary before putting forward potential policy options for inclusion in the Devon Carbon Plan.

Options drawn up by the Task Force will be tested and refined at a series of citizens’ assembly meetings, which will be scheduled to take place next Spring in order to help inform the content of the plan.

A full public consultation will then be held on the draft plan, with the aim of the DCERG adopting the final plan by the end of 2020.

Dr Phil Norrey, Chairman of the Devon Climate Emergency Response Group and Chief Executive of Devon County Council, said: “The Response Group has given its full backing to the development of a fully transparent Devon Carbon Plan which will provide the opportunity not only for collaboration and expert input, but also direct involvement from people across Devon and the chance for everybody to submit their views.”

An initial review of climate-related community risks will also be carried out after the response group approved proposals to establish a task and finish “Climate Impacts Group”.

This will examine the risks currently identified by the Local Resilience Forum (LRF) to assess the risks of climate impact during the next 10 to 20 years.

The Devon Climate Emergency Response Group is made up of around 25 organisations including councils, emergency services, businesses and voluntary organisations from across Devon. It has been set up to co-ordinate a collaborative response to the climate emergency.

All of the organisations involved in the response group are being asked to sign up to the Devon Climate Declaration that will commit them to reducing their organisation’s carbon emissions.