Responding to the climate emergency The States Assembly have agreed that a climate emergency exists and is likely to have profound effects in Jersey.
In response to the climate emergency, the States Assembly voted unanimously to approve the amended Carbon Neutral Strategy . The carbon neutral strategy responds to the requirement from the States Assembly to bring forward a plan to aim to be carbon neutral by 2030. The carbon neutral strategy builds on the progress made through the Pathway 2050: an Energy Plan for Jersey and sets out a strategic framework of principles and a central planning scenario. The strategy sets out a ‘people-powered’ approach to give Islanders a real say over when and how Jersey should become carbon neutral which includes a call for a Citizens’ Assembly on climate change.
Exactly what actions we need to take will depend on when and how Jersey becomes carbon neutral. It is already agreed that Jersey will at least become carbon neutral in line with international legal obligations which is set for 2050. These reports give further detail about the possible ways in which Jersey could become carbon neutral:
Carbon Neutrality by 2030 and its
Quantative Analysis .
The States Assembly has also voted to approve the amended Sustainable Transport Policy . Transport accounts for 51% of Jersey's on island carbon emissions so will have an impact on our aim to be carbon neutral.
Help Jersey to become carbon neutral To become carbon neutral Jersey will have to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases we produce to a much lower level than today and balance our remaining unavoidable emissions by absorbing the same amount from the atmosphere. The actions required to do this will change the way we heat our homes, how we travel, our diets, what we buy, the taxes we pay and many other aspects of our lives.
Exactly what actions we need to take will depend on when and how Jersey becomes carbon neutral. It is already agreed that Jersey will at least become carbon neutral in line with international legal obligations which is set for 2050.
Jersey Climate Conversation Jersey's Climate Conversation is your chance to influence change. By joining together Jersey has the chance to do something different, to show the world what can be achieved with peope power, and to create an ambitious vision for our low carbon Island.
Find out more about how to join on the Jersey Climate Conversation website .
Jersey Citizens' Assembly on Climate Change
Everyone in a household that has received this invitation can register their interest to be part of the citizens’ assembly as long as they:
live in a household that has received an invitation are 16 or over and have lived in Jersey for either: the last 2 years, or the last 6 months plus any other period(s) which total five years then, regardless of your nationality, you can register your interest A maximum of one person from any single household will be selected to participate.
The States Assembly have invited the citizens’ assembly to make any recommendations it sees fit but have asked that the assembly consider how we become carbon neutral, including when, and what happens after this point.
Find out more about the Jersey Citizens' Assembly on the Jersey Climate Conversation website .
What you can do at home In the meantime, check our energy saving advice for simple ways to save energy and reduce your carbon footprint.
You can also have a
Home Energy Audit carried out on your home to tell you how to make your home more energy efficient.
What you can do at work Find out how your business can save energy and reduce its carbon footprint and sign up to the eco active business network for more information and support. See the eco active business energy monitoring spreadsheet to identify what energy your business uses and by extension the associated carbon emissions.
Opportunities to have your say will be coming soon. You can email the Climate Emergency team to be kept informed about these opportunities.
We'll also post any updates on social media:
Watch a briefing to learn more You're invited to watch a briefing on our carbon neutral strategy and sustainable transport policy to learn more about what the States Assembly has agreed to deliver.
VIDEO
Climate Stripes for Jersey The Climate Stripes for Jersey is a visual representation of how the annual average air temperature in Jersey has changed over time.
Each one of the 126 stripes represents one year from 1894 through to 2019 and is coloured and shaded depending on how much cooler or warmer the annual average air temperature was, when compared to the 30 year average air temperature taken from the years 1971 to 2000 (11.785°C).
The Climate Stripes design principle was first created by Ed Hawkins in 2017 as part of #ShowYourStripes. Ed Hawkins is a Climate scientist at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) at the University of Reading.
While the visual image is simple in design the key is in the detail. We can see the change from blue to red and deeper colours as we look through the 126 years of temperature records from the local weather observatory. During the most recent 30 year period, red is the dominant colour, with shading showing the increase in annual average air temperature.
Maison St. Louis Observatory in Jersey is the Islands’ official recording site for air temperature and rainfall records., and has been since 1894.