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Carbon Neutral Nottingham launches website to make the City more sustainable by 2028

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International Girl Child Day, African Girl and Education

Girl Day is celebrated every year on October 11 as an opportunity to raise awareness about the unique challenges faced by girls around the world, especially in Africa, and the importance of providing them with quality education. In this article, we explore the Day's importance in the context of education in Africa, the challenges faced by girls, and initiatives aimed at improving their access to education. Education is a human right and the basis of personal and social development. However, African girls often face many barriers that prevent them from accessing education. These issues may be cultural, economic or political, but they all contribute to gender inequality in education. Girls' Day provides an opportunity to address these issues and work for gender equality in education.One of the most important problems faced by girls in Africa is early marriage and pregnancy. Cultural norms in many African societies dictate that girls should marry at a young age, often forcing them to drop out of school. Additionally, the lack of comprehensive sex education can lead to unintended pregnancies, further hindering their educational progress. Initiatives that raise awareness about the importance of delaying marriage and pregnancy until after completing their education are crucial.Another major obstacle is poverty. Many families in Africa struggle to meet basic needs, and education can be costly due to expenses like uniforms, books, and transportation. Girls are often the first to be withdrawn from school when a family faces financial constraints. To address this issue, scholarships, school donation programs, and affordable school supplies can help reduce the financial burden on families and support girls' education.Additionally, especially in rural areas, the distance to school will prevent girls from going to school. Unsafe travel and long distances can put them at risk. Building more schools and providing transportation closer to communities could help solve this problem. In many African countries, boys are expected to be encouraged in education and girls are expected to work within the family. It is important to change these attitudes and promote the value of girls' education. Social awareness programs and inclusive education programs that challenge stereotypes can play a key role.Child labor is another problem affecting girls. Many girls have to work to support their families, leaving little time for education. Government policies and international organizations can work to eliminate child labor and ensure girls have the opportunity to go to school.Unfortunately, conflicts and conflict in many parts of Africa have disrupted education and made it difficult for girls to access education. Efforts to build peace and improve education in post-conflict regions are critical to providing girls with a stable and safe learning environment.One of the best ways to improve educational opportunities for girls in Africa is to support and train female teachers. Many female teachers can act as role models and make it easier for girls to stay in school by creating an inclusive environment.Investing in girls' education in Africa has many long-term benefits. It can break the cycle of poverty, improve women's health, and promote gender equality. Girls who receive an education are more likely to make informed decisions about their health, family, and career. They are also more likely to become financially independent and contribute to their communities and economies. Several organizations, both local and international, are actively working to improve the education of girls in Africa. Plan International, UNICEF, and the Malala Fund are just a few examples. They provide resources, advocacy, and support to ensure that girls have equal access to quality education.In conclusion, Girl Child Day serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by girls in Africa when it comes to education. The challenges they face are many and include cultural barriers, financial constraints, and gender stereotypes. But through a combination of advocacy, policy change, and organizational efforts, progress can be made to ensure that girls receive a quality education just like boys. Investing in girls' education is not only a human rights issue but also a key driver of economic growth in Africa. This is something worth celebrating and encouraging on Girls' Day and every day.

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 A new website has been launched by Nottingham City Council to support Nottingham’s ambition to be the first carbon neutral city in the UK by 2028.

The Carbon Neutral Nottingham website brings together in one place a range of information about what is happening to make the city more sustainable.

The website aims to offer practical advice and opportunities for residents to reduce their own carbon footprints. There are dedicated sections for each of the nine key themes of the city’s Carbon Neutral Action Plan – Buildings, Energy, Transport, Waste, Water, Stuff, Protecting the City, Nature, and Removing Carbon from the Atmosphere.

Councillor David Mellen, Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Carbon Neutral Nottingham said: “The Carbon Neutral Nottingham website is a fantastic resource. Explaining the city’s ambition and getting people in Nottingham involved is a key part of our plan.” 

Mr. Mellen said the site will make it easy for people to understand why reducing the city’s carbon emissions is important and how they can get involved.

Said Mr. Mellen “We’re making progress on delivering the actions set out in our Carbon Neutral Action Plan, but we need to get everyone involved in taking steps to reduce their own environmental impact if we’re to achieve our target of becoming a carbon neutral city by 2028. 

“Everyone’s actions make a difference, no matter how big or small.”

Tackling the climate crisis is one of Nottingham City Council’s key priorities. The Earth’s average temperature has increased dramatically over the past 100 years, and 2022 was the UK’s hottest year on record. 

“I hope that bringing information from across the city together into one place helps people to understand how their actions will make a difference and motivates them to do what they can to reduce their emissions.

During the heatwave in July 2022, temperatures reached 40.3 degrees Celsius in neighbouring Lincolnshire, which is the highest temperature recorded in the UK.

Our changing climate is largely driven by the burning of fossil fuels – for example when we drive petrol or diesel vehicles, fly in planes and heat our homes using gas. 

These activities increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and cause the planet to warm – the Council is directly responsible for just 3% of Nottingham’s carbon dioxide emissions – so it is vital that everyone in the city does what they can to reduce their environmental impact. 

Reducing emissions to zero

Nottingham is on track to become Carbon Neutral by 2028. That would make us the first city in the UK to achieve that goal.
But what does that actually mean?

Climate change has become a cause for concern across the world.

The last 4-year period has been the warmest on record, extreme weather events are becoming more severe and common, where July 2019 recorded the highest UK temperature of 38.7°C.

A big factor in the change in our climate is the impact of gases, mainly CO2, in trapping heat in the atmosphere.

This has led to over 300 local authorities declaring climate emergencies and the realisation of the need to rapidly reduce carbon emissions to zero.

Carbon neutral 2028 Plan

The Carbon Neutral Action Plan sets out high-level objectives to achieve a resilient and sustainable carbon-neutral Nottingham by 2028.

The document is broken down into four main sections, covering a range of themes: Carbon Reduction Measures (including transport, the built environment, energy generation, waste and water, and consumption), Carbon Removal. Resilience and Adaption and Ecology and Biodiversity.

This 251-point plan sets out where we in Nottingham need to go and focuses on the actions the council and others can take now.

“Together we can make Nottingham the UK’s first carbon-neutral city, bringing benefits to all,” said Councillor Mellen.

“The Carbon Neutral Nottingham website is a fantastic resource.” 

Councillor David Mellen
Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Carbon Neutral Nottingham

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