Winchester Action on Climate Change

One of the principal assumptions behind the creation of WinACC is that it is possible through collective effort to make life in Winchester more enjoyable and fulfilling. These are some of the benefits that should arise from a well-planned concerted approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in and around Winchester:

• Living in warmer homes with lower heating bills (programmes of greatly improved insulation need to be accompanied by measures to tackle fuel poverty)
• More walking and cycling and improved public transport
• Safer roads and less traffic congestion
• Less obesity and fresher, healthier food
• Safer and healthier journeys to school and work
• New enterprises (and jobs) based on zero and low carbon technologies
• Direct benefits to existing businesses including cost savings, access to new markets, enhanced competitive edge
• Improved urban design in Winchester and market towns
• Stronger and safer local communities with more local cultural and recreational activities
• Less noise and waste
• Increased employment in horticulture and agriculture
• More and better local shops and markets
• Less stress
• More times for friends and family

In addition, by helping ourselves we will be helping others: climate change is an issue of social justice and the biggest single threat to economic development in the poorest countries; it could undo decades of progress in fighting poverty.