With 261 local authorities now declaring a climate emergency, the race is on to push them to greater efforts to cut carbon emissions. Friends of the Earth has collected data on key climate indicators and compared Lewes against similar local authority areas. How does Lewes measure up?

The Friends of the Earth league table assesses renewable energy, public transport, lift-sharing, energy efficiency at home, waste recycling and tree cover. Lewes is assessed overall as average compared to other market towns like Totnes and Dudley. Only a third of homes in Lewes are well insulated, although this is a problem across the country. In 2017 we had 22 MegaWatts of renewable energy, while others where solar farms have been built have up to 140 MW. A third of commuter journeys are made by public transport, walking or cycling, and this could be ripe for increase given Lewes’ excellent public transport links and walkability.

Of course it’s possible to argue that this research doesn’t present a full picture of activity across the council, or that some issues such as the amount of tree cover are not in the hands of the council, but the Friends of the Earth research shows where Lewes needs to improve the most.

Friends of the Earth has collected data about the country’s performance on key issues impacting our climate. Find our how your area measures up.
friendsoftheearth.uk

Kirsten Firth, TTL