Aim

The Peak District National Park is more resilient and net-zero by 2040 through its exemplary response to climate change.

Global warming, its causes and consequences have become an indisputable fact in recent years. Never has there been a greater collective focus on what and how action can be taken to reduce, mitigate and adapt to it. Although the Peak District National Park covers a small part of the UK spatially, its importance in the climate change agenda is disproportionately large, as it offers opportunities to lead on reducing greenhouse gases through how we live, work and play, but also on actions to protect its fragile biodiversity.

Climate change is the greatest long-term threat to our upland landscapes. It has the potential to change the features that make up the National Park’s natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage. Climate change will modify the Peak District National Park’s special qualities and alter the opportunities for the public to enjoy them. It will also alter the benefits the Peak District National Park provides. Responsible and inventive management can help to mitigate the effects of climate change by creating and maintaining resilient landscapes. Resilient landscapes consist of fully functioning ecosystems that allow nature and people to adapt to climate change. This will aid wildlife and communities within the Peak District National Park, as well as those that feel a knock-on impact - regionally, nationally and even globally. The challenge is twofold. We must balance the need to actively manage our contribution to climate change with the desire to conserve and enhance the special qualities.

This aim considers measures to reduce, mitigate and adapt to global warming, but each of these is also fundamental in shaping objectives relating to landscape and nature recovery, land management, visitor management, sustainable transport, thriving communities and the local economy.

There are three objectives focussed on delivering our climate change aim. These focus on achieving carbon net zero by reducing emissions as quickly as possible through influencing the largest emitters, ensuring we take carbon out of the atmosphere and reversing the current impacts of climate change. The emitters that are in scope are ones that partners are able to mitigate through the Management Plan. As such, emissions within the remit of national or international decision-making are excluded. The three largest emitters within our influence are land management, energy for premises and road travel – these will be our focus over the next five years.

Objective 1: To lower greenhouse gas emissions significantly, focussing on the largest emitters within our influence

Target

By 2028 there will be a 25% reduction in total greenhouse emissions in the Peak District National Park.

Headline delivery for land management

By 2028 we will have reduced net carbon emissions from land management by focussing on the following.

• Working with land owners, managers and farmers to mobilise opportunities to positively influence land management practices across the National Park.
• Influencing future schemes and incentives for the delivery of carbon friendly land management.
• Sharing carbon management tools and best practice case studies.

Headline delivery for energy for premises

For energy for premises we will have undertaken the following.

• Implementing at least one pilot project in carbon reduction in a traditional or listed building.
• Encouraging and enabling individuals and communities to make informed choices to reduce energy use, make buildings more efficient and switch to renewable energy.
• Developing and implementing Local Plan policies that strengthen carbon reduction in new builds and refurbishments.

Headline delivery for road travel

To decrease emissions from road travel we will have developed a National Park sustainable travel framework that delivers the following.

• Reducing greenhouse gases.
• Developing an approach to travel that promotes a more sustainable visitor economy.
• Supporting sustainable communities by improving connection to services.

Our initial focus will be on developing a robust evidence base and seeking funding and partner support for the study and implementation of travel options.

Objective 2: To sequester and store substantially more carbon while contributing to nature recovery

Target

By 2028 there will be a 2,878 tonnes net decrease in carbon emissions from moorlands.

Headline delivery

By 2028 we will have enabled implementation of nature-based solutions for climate change through the following.

• Improving the condition of upland habitats, particularly moorland and blanket bog, to store more carbon.
• Optimising carbon and water storage by enhancing land management practices to ensure soils are healthy and resilient.
• Increasing appropriate tree cover across the National Park to lock in carbon.
• Restoring and creating additional species rich grassland to lock in and store more carbon.

Objective 3: To reverse damage to nature, biodiversity, cultural heritage and in particular built environments caused by a changing climate

Target

By 2028 we will secure funding for four measures that increase the resilience of existing habitats and species, cultural heritage and the built environment.

Headline delivery

By 2028 we will have increased the resilience of the National Park to climate change by undertaking the following.

• Improving water management resulting in better downstream river quality and natural flood management.
• Implementing the recommendations for key habitats as outlined in the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment 2020.
• Developing and implementing the One Peak District Nature Recovery Plan.
• Actively managing the prevention and mitigation of uncontrolled fires on moorland.