Environmental policy

Devon County Council’s Environmental Policy was adopted by Cabinet in June 2022. The Policy is implemented through a set of themed action plans.

Environmental Policy

We all rely on the environment for our health, wellbeing and economic prosperity. For example, it provides clean air and water, regulates global climate, ensures nutrients and pollinators are available to grow food, gives us energy resources and processes waste. Its heritage and cultural assets offer a sense of belonging and a connection to our past which, combined with access to beautiful landscapes and wild open spaces, provide opportunities for recreation and tourism.

Demonstrated by the priorities of its 2021 – 2025 Strategic Plan, Devon County Council (DCC) understands its responsibility to play its part in addressing the global climate and ecological emergency declared locally. The Authority aims to be net-zero carbon by 2030.

This Environmental Policy summarises how DCC will continue to lead by example to minimise the impact of its own operations and its supply chain on the environment and encourage others to do the same.

Devon County Council will…

Our Culture

Operate impact assessment processes that require decision makers to consider the environmental implications and opportunities of policies, projects and working practices.

Encourage environmental best practice and innovation among staff and school communities.

Purchasing

Work with services, communities, external partners and supply markets to show leadership, improve standards & practices and enable investments which support environmental sustainability priorities.

Promote local service delivery, reduce road miles and help the supply chain achieve net-zero carbon.

Travelling

Enable staff to minimise their need to commute and travel for business by working flexibly and embracing technology to meet business needs.

Help staff and school communities to minimise the environmental impact of necessary commuting and business travel by providing support to use active, shared and low-carbon, clean transport.

Transition its vehicle fleet to low-carbon and clean alternatives.

Using Water

Monitor and reduce its use of fresh water by cutting demand and improving efficiency in existing and new buildings.

Ensure waste water is disposed of appropriately.

Environmental Risk

Meet the requirements of relevant legislation and guidance, and develop a culture of reporting near-misses and incidents.

Suitably store, use and dispose of wastes and hazardous materials.

Only use pesticides if absolutely necessary where practical alternatives are not available.

Ensure its services are resilient to extreme weather and are adapting to the  changing climate.

Countryside, Coast and Heritage

Through its estate (including buildings, land assets and county farms), activities and its work with others:

  • Conserve and enhance biodiversity, air quality, soils & minerals, freshwater resources and estuarine & coastal waters to achieve a net-gain for the environment and to restore natural processes to provide services such as carbon storage and flood mitigation.
  • Conserve and enhance the natural beauty of landscapes and the quality and distinctiveness of built environment, cultural and historic interests.
  • Plan positively to landscape changes arising from the climate & ecological emergency and socioeconomic pressures to help deliver sustainable development and land management.
  • Reduce light pollution to reclaim dark skies by using new technology, dimming and removing lighting through public consultation.
  • Demonstrate new management practices.

Energy

Reduce its demand for energy, improve its energy efficiency and source 30% of its energy needs from renewable technologies by 2030 whilst enhancing air quality.

Use its demand for energy to stimulate new, locally-owned energy generation and storage infrastructure.

Waste & Resources

Ensure its activities minimise waste and the consumption of single-use plastics by encouraging and enabling staff and suppliers to design-out waste and reuse resources.

Contribute to creating a circular economy by recycling & composting and where appropriate specifying second-hand goods or recycled materials.

Community Leadership

Set an example by continually improving the authority’s environmental performance.

Use its powers, responsibility and influence to:

  • Facilitate greater understanding and appreciation of the county’s rich environment and improve access to it for recreation and learning.
  • Help communities and individuals improve their awareness about how they can help Devon respond to the climate and ecological emergency and enable them to act.
  • Help test emerging green finance and business models.
  • Play its part in developing and delivering environment-related strategies and plans led by partner bodies.