Climate change mitigation through strategic planning in local government : a technology approach

By strategically assessing the technology options that are available for the purpose of mitigating climate change, it is hypothesised that solutions may be found that not only provide good net emission reductions, but also reasonable economic returns. There are two primary objectives of the study. The first objective aims to assess the validity of the hypothesis that climate change mitigation can effectively be approached on the local or municipal level. The second aims to assess the technology options for climate change mitigation, with the intention of developing mitigation strategy for Brighton Council, exploring in detail a single cost-effective engineering solution that could result in signicant greenhouse gas emission reductions. The adopted methodology is designed to follow a logical progression. First, a base line data set is established; second, an assessment of the options is undertaken in relation to that data set; third, the most cost effective option is identied and considered in more detail. Using the Brighton municipality as a case study, a comprehensive inventory of greenhouse gas emissions is established for both the community and the council as a corporate entity. The inventory outputs are considered against the range of technology options and a triple bottom line assessment is made in order to identify opportunities for the council and its community. The main contribution of the thesis is the identication of green waste gasification as the most justified technology approach to climate change mitigation, for Brighton Council. Modeling of a system is undertaken to confirm the result. A preliminary look at the business case for such an initiative is provided. The modelled system is a circulating, fluidized bed arrangement that gasifies the chipped green waste for the production of electricity. It is noted that biochar can be produced through a similar process and therefore longer term strategy should be incorporated into the initiative to help the establishment of a new biochar market, thus leading to additional net emission reduction and revenue. Not only could this result provide real savings in emissions, as well as revenue for the council and its community, it would demonstrate to the wider community that through strategic consideration of the options, economic opportunity can be found in climate change mitigation. The results of the study demonstrate that climate change mitigation can effectively be approached on the local level. Additional questions are raised as to applicability of the study results for other councils and the wider community.