Borough Climate Change Strategy

In response to our declaration, we have developed this strategy to achieve the ambition of making Tunbridge Wells a 2030 Net Zero Compatible Borough. This strategy will provide ambitions and frameworks for delivering climate action by the Council, residents, businesses, communities, and wider stakeholders.

This strategy will not be delivered by the council alone and will not be a fixed course to Net Zero. We appreciate that there will be further developments in policy, understanding and technology that may impact the scope and delivery of this strategy in the future.

The strategy uses an evidence-based approach to develop the actions across all sectors, bringing in the views of all council departments and the public.

Net Zero compatibility refers to reducing direct emissions from the Council and wider borough to the point where national intervention must take over to help achieve full Net Zero. Achieving Net Zero compatibility requires immediate action across the borough, whilst accounting for the limited scopes of influence over several key emitting sources.

We have developed 24 ambitions across eight key themes for action, which highlight a vision for where we see our borough in 2030. These ambitions are reliant on us all taking action. It is therefore, essential that we engage with the public to further develop and shape these ambitions for our borough. Only together can we harness collective efforts and drive significant positive change across the Borough of Tunbridge Wells.

Phase 1: Drop In Sessions and Online Engagement

We held borough-wide drop in sessions throughout summer and autumn 2024. These sessions were a great opportunity to get out and about the borough, talking to residents and getting their views on climate action. We spoke to over 400 residents in person throughout phase 1, attending 17 drop in events.

We have also updated our TWBC Climate Action Website with lots of information about what you can do to tackle climate change. Check it our here!

Phase 2: Focus Groups

The sustainability team delivered 12 focus groups from August to October 2024, engaging with 71 residents in total. These focus groups gave residents the opportunity the discuss the strategy in detail with the Sustainability Team.

Phase 3: Statutory Online Consultation

Our online consultation concluded on the 18th October, receiving 72 responses, in addition to 215 responses to our short survey. We had over 1000 residents visit our consultation page, of which almost 700 downloaded the strategy.

Next steps are to review our consultation responses and start the process of redrafting the strategy.

Thank you to all the residents that engaged with us and shared their views!