Earth Day 2022 - It's time to thrive

The theme of the 2022 Earth Day is invest in our planet and it's timely that I have just been reading about the progress of Local Government Pension Funds in setting a date for their decarbonisation, be it from fossil fuel divestment or a full net zero agenda.

When as local politicians we asked our pension fund to divest back in 2019 we were warned that the primary goal of a pension fund was to protect the assets of the current and future pensioner and that to divest or to decarbonise would present a huge risk. Now we are seeing dirty assets being stranded and ESG funds growing at a much faster rate than general funds and our calls for decarbonisation have become mainstream.

We have a brief and rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change April 2022

This was the finding of the most recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and should set the tone for how we act as individuals, businesses and nations. Shifting our investments away from fossil fuel extraction and into finding sustainable ways to power and heat our communities, pushing research towards innovation to extract carbon and thinking about how nature can be part of the solution EVERY time.

I attended a webinar by Unlock Net Zero this morning about Biodiversity and Green Placemaking where simple changes can make a huge difference. We heard that there is evidence people spend less time in hospital where their room overlooks a green space and that people are willing to walk further where their route is lined with trees or other nature which seems blindingly obvious when you think about it but we still aren't doing it enough.

We have seen protests about the retrofitting of cycle lanes and low traffic neighbourhoods but we have to be brave and bold, investing public money in low cost public transport with linked up pleasant walking routes that reach all the way to people's homes and buses that actually carry your bike.

We need to design all new homes with decent outdoor space, either private or better still shared - be it between the buildings, on rooftops or as part of vertical gardens, these should not be the preserve of the elite but standard in all new homes with the investment to maintain them for residents and visitors alike.

Our local plans should protect the right to green space, our design codes should expect not just tree-lined streets but balconies with real plants, running water, beehives, roof meadows and parks that combine wildflower and spring planting with natural play and recreation for everyone. The cost of living crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic have taken their toll on our mental health, climate-change induced conflict, migration and disruption are likely to impact us for much longer so now really is the time to act.

It's no longer enough to recycle, or switch off the lights when we leave a room (though these things are crucial) we need to proactively invest in the planet by changing the way we live and the way we design our homes and communities for the future. As householders we need to demand net zero new homes and action to retrofit the homes we have so we can reduce our impact on the planet and protect future generations.

Those pension funds are now typically pooled across regions of the country and councils are proactively seeking ways to fund energy generation - now would be a good time to make sure the legislation enables them to lead the way in investing in our communities, after all those future pensioners are today's workers so this would be a win-win.

Find out what you could change this Earth Day and let's invest in our planet.