The Cornwall Council Cabinet member for climate change says that Cornwall should be aiming to become the Clean Green Peninsula.

Edwina Hannaford said that she was “honoured and privileged” to have been given the new responsibility to lead on climate change by council leader Julian German.

He created the new responsibility, to go with Edwina’s role in charge of neighbourhoods and localism, following the council’s declaration of a climate emergency earlier this year.

And as the council prepares to put its climate change action plan before the Cabinet next week the Local Democracy Reporting Service spoke to Edwina about what the authority is doing.

She said that while the plans for a Forest for Cornwall had been highlighted as the council’s flagship project as part of the climate change action plan it was actually a small part of a much wider plan.

“It is one of the biggest transformation projects we have had to deal with, but it is not just about environmental problems. We are doing whole home retrofitting for our own stock, that may affect carbon but it is also cheaper for people to live in so that is addressing fuel poverty.

“Social justice is really important and is a theme that cuts across all of it. Climate change should not just be the preserve of the wealthy.”

The Looe councillor said that one of the things which has to happen in order to enable projects that address climate change and environmental improvements to work is for people to change their mindset and behaviour.

But she said that this was already starting to happen: “Last year in my own division there were people saying “why haven’t they cut the verges” – this year they are saying “don’t cut the verges, help the insects”.

“It is amazing how quickly things have turned on their head – that is awareness rising and people starting to realise that we need to start doing something.

“Education is really important and explaining the facts to people so that they understand what needs to be done and why.

“We can’t just say to people “you need to get rid of your gas boiler” or “you can’t use your car anymore” we need to make sure that there are things in place to help people to change and that they know why.

“We have got to win the hearts and minds of the people in Cornwall and help them to make those changes.”

On the subject of gas boilers Edwina explained that Cornwall Council would be looking to stop using them in houses build for the authority.

“One of the things we are doing at Langarth and other sites where the council wants to build homes is to stop using gas boilers.

“We are not designing the homes with gas boilers but with different heating systems such as ground source and other things. The Government has said we should be doing that by 2025 but we are being more ambitious and doing that now.”

Edwina is also keen to press that while the council can make some changes “we can’t do it on our own”.

She said that they were talking to Cornwall’s MPs to put pressure on the government to provide more support for climate change initiatives and to change policy to help local authorities.

This could cover issues such as subsidies for renewable energy schemes and increasing capacity on the national grid to ensure Cornwall can help produce the maximum level of renewable energy.

The Liberal Democrat councillor said: “We are going to have to promote more renewable energy in Cornwall, we are already one of the best in the country but we know that we can do more.

“That doesn’t just mean on shore wind it will include anaerobic digestion, biomass, offshore wind, solar farms, ground source and also new technologies which have not yet been developed.

“We already have solar panels on County Hall – and have done for many years – and we want to get more on other buildings.”

The 63-page climate change action plan which is going to the council’s Cabinet next week is only the start point for what the authority wants to do. The document is going to continue to evolve as new ideas and initiatives come forward.

Edwina said: “It is really exciting – ultimately we want to save the planet for our children and we want a fairer society. It is good for the economy, well being, health and the environment.

“The action plan is really comprehensive, especially considering the short period of time that staff have had to produce it.”

Asked if the council should set up a dedicated climate change department Edwina said that it could happen but also stressed that the issue was one which cut across every single part of the council and should not be limited to one area.

“We are not coming to this from a standing start. We can learn from what we have done already and use that to move us forward.

“We were ahead of the game with renewables in Cornwall, way before anywhere else and we want to continue to be at the forefront.

“Elsewhere in the country there is the Northern Powerhouse and the Midlands Engine – we want to be the Clean Green Peninsula.”