- What is Government doing?
- Policies by department
- Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF)
Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF)
The Children's Plan commits the DCSF to making this "the best place in the world for our children and young people to grow up".
It is important that young people are heard. We know that they want action to ensure the world becomes a better place to be and the future of their planet is secure.
SDAP
DCSF's Sustainable Development Action Plan (SDAP) is underpinned by ‘live’ delivery plans that commit the Department to the principles of sustainable development in its operations, sustainable schools, and children and young people's wellbeing. Full details can be found at:
www.dfes.gov.uk/aboutus/sd/docs/SustainableDevActionPlan2.pdf
Internal Building (operations)
New buildings planned to replace our Sheffield and Darlington offices will be costed for carbon emissions to ensure that we pursue the most efficient options available and do not inadvertently increase the Department’s carbon footprint. We aim that these new buildings should be built to BREEAM “excellent” standard.
Sustainable School
The Sustainable Schools strategy is overarching, drawing together policies that cover the curriculum, the operation of school buildings, food, travel, and how the school links with the local community and wider world. This is not new, but requires us all to seriously think about what we do and make our future plans with sustainable development as an underpinning foundation.
Carbon Neutral Schools
DCSF is providing additional funding to over 230 new schools being built in Building Schools for the Future (BSF) and the Academies programme to enable them to invest in measures to meet a reduction in carbon emissions of 60%.
We want to offset the remaining 40% of emissions through regulated schemes, enabling the aim of carbon neutral schools to be achieved. The cost of the offset will depend on the cost of carbon credits at the time of purchase. Our earlier estimate of £10m was based on 200 schools and an assumption that offset would be procured at £10 / tonne CO2. We are now funding over 230 schools and the cost of purchasing carbon credits has increased and is expected to do so again. The cost of the overall investment in carbon offsetting will therefore rise to nearer £23m.
Internal Communications
We hope to expand on a dedicated space for a sustainable development message within each edition of the ‘in house magazine ‘Feedback’ and encourage not only Ministers to travel by car / air less but staff also.
Consideration is being given to a communications campaign within the Department to:
- Raise awareness of sustainable operations and practice
- Reduce energy and water usage across the Department
- Have a positive impact on our SOGE return for 2008/09.
Colleagues within our Estates and Facilities Management Team will be running sustainable workshops tailored to operations on each dedicated site from the summer onwards. These will build on the 7 steps to sustainability messages outlined by one of our Ministers in an in-house video presentation, increasing awareness of sustainable operation across the DCSF estate
Updated: 23 July 2008