Climate action and what we are doing
We have declared a climate and ecological emergency and made a pledge to become a carbon-neutral council by 2030. In early 2020, we published a report on Climate Action for West Oxfordshire to set out a proposed framework for:
- developing a Carbon Action Plan to deliver our carbon-neutral commitment
- developing a Climate Change Strategy for West Oxfordshire
Climate Action For West Oxfordshire - pdf - 512 Kb
Nature recovery plan
In June 2019, West Oxfordshire District Council passed a motion to declare a climate and ecological emergency, leading to the development of the Council's Climate Change Strategy. A key theme within this strategy is the protection and restoration of natural ecosystems.
The Nature Recovery Plan aims to take forward and expand on the Climate Change Strategy's objectives and outline the specific objectives and actions the council will take to support nature recovery across the district to 2030. The Plan also sets out the Council’s policies and objectives for the statutory biodiversity duty under Section 40 of the natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, which was strengthened by the Environment Act 2021.
Biodiversity Duty Report
Biodiversity refers to the variety of all life forms, including plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms. A landscape that is rich in biodiversity provides the essential necessities for the survival of humans, including fresh water, clean air, climate regulation, food and medicines. It also contributes towards our physical and mental wellbeing. The benefits of conserving and enhancing biodiversity are therefore well known. For example, the planting of more trees and the restoration of grassland areas can not only lead to the sequestration of more carbon but can also mitigate against flooding events . Every wetland restored, every hedge planted, every soil improved, and every river reconnected delivers simultaneous climate and biodiversity benefits.
West Oxfordshire is rich in biodiversity, and its diverse habitats include ancient woodland, hedgerows, species-rich grasslands, ponds, lowland fens, rivers and streams, urban green spaces and gardens.
In line with the statutory biodiversity duty, the Council is required to publish a report in March 2026 to explain what it has achieved over the last 2 years and what it will be doing to conserve and enhance biodiversity in the next 5 years (until the next report is due). All public authorities are required to publish a report, and these will be used by Defra to collate information about biodiversity and nature recovery across England to update the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan. More information can be found on the government website.
The report provides useful context, describes current and future actions for biodiversity (in line with the Council’s Nature Recovery Plan 2024-2030), and provides key data on the implementation of statutory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) as part of the planning process, which will help us keep track of biodiversity losses and gains due to new development.
You can find more information on BNG here.
Here are a few examples of how we’re supporting biodiversity in West Oxfordshire:
- Working in partnership to collaborate with other organisations and groups for nature recovery, e.g. the Oxfordshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy
- Employing a team of ecologists to provide expert advice to all council departments with a particular focus on planning and implementing the Nature Recovery Plan
- Ensuring compliance with national and local planning policies to protect important wildlife sites, habitats and species, and secure biodiversity enhancements such as bird and bat boxes, hedgehog highways and wildlife-friendly planting
- 3-year service level agreements with Wild Oxfordshire, Wychwood Forest and Evenlode Catchment Partnership to support action for nature recovery
- Participating in a 12-month pilot scheme for species compensation to secure better outcomes for skylark, linnet, yellowhammer and hedgehog from developments through NatureSpace
- Managing council-owned and managed green spaces for biodiversity
- Installing wildlife features at the Council offices on New Yatt Road, Woodgreen, Witney, including bird, bat and bee boxes, wildflower meadows, bulbs, lavender and hedgerows
- Reducing use of herbicides and stopping the use of peat products
- Leading and supporting conservation volunteer groups such as the one at Kilkenny Lane Country Park and the Friends of North Leigh Common
- Supporting and advising town and parish councils/meetings and community groups to implement actions for nature recovery.
The Oxfordshire Food Strategy
Alongside environmental and health drivers, the stresses placed on local communities and businesses through global events - COVID, Brexit, the war in Ukraine, rising fuel, food, and other living costs - have highlighted the need to re-evaluate the entire food system and take action.
The Oxfordshire Food Strategy was developed by a multi-stakeholder partnership led by Good Food Oxfordshire, including county and district councils, community groups, local food producers, retail and hospitality businesses, and major institutions.
It is a first step towards drawing together the many strands of work that are already happening across the county and seeing them as a coherent whole.
Part one of this strategy, identifies priority areas of action, links to existing initiatives and policy, and showcases some examples of excellence that we can learn from and build on.
Part two embeds the strategy in existing programmes and plans, including the Food Action Plan for West Oxfordshire.
Keep up to date
To help keep you informed on what we are doing we have launched a quarterly newsletter.
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