Low Carbon Communities Challenge
The Low Carbon Communities Challenge (LCCC) programme follows the 2009 ‘Big Energy Shift’, which suggested households could benefit significantly from joined-up ‘packages’ of support, delivered locally in the community to help them reduce home energy consumption and make deep cuts in their carbon emissions.
By offering financial and advisory support to 22 test-bed communities, DECC can test different delivery packages as well as capture the learning from this.
As the lead department and core sponsor, DECC has the following objectives for the LCCC:
- to understand the role of communities and community support packages in delivering carbon budgets and renewable energy targets
- to understand the efficacy of different forms of area-bases community initiatives in leading the transition to a low-carbon society
- to understand the broader social, environmental and economic impacts
- to stimulate active involvement from people living, working and visiting the 22 communities as part of project development and delivery
- to generate a sense of momentum and ‘buzz’ so commentators and opinion formers outside the 22 communities express the desire for wider delivery of carbon emission reduction plans.