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City among worst polluters in UK

WINCHESTER has again been rated one of the most polluting places in the UK.

Research has revealed city households on average produce 26.39 tonnes of CO2, ranking it 10th in the list of the Britain’s worst offenders.

It comes less than two years after a survey highlighted Winchester as the worst-polluting city in the UK.

The story is little better in outlying areas of the Winchester district— nine were among the UK’s 1,000 most polluting postcodes.

Otterbourne, Compton & Hursley (SO21 2**) was the worst offender, with average households producing 30.61 tonnes of CO2, closely followed by Ropley, Cheriton & Bramdean (SO24 0**), 30.28, and Swanmore & Waltham Chase (SO32 2**), 29.88.

“We should face up to the facts and not to try to duck them,” said Robert Hutchinson, chairman of Winchester Action on Climate Change (WinACC).

“We’re a wealthy area, we have got lots of resources to move to a low carbon economy quickly.

“I don’t think we’re necessarily the worst, but we’re certainly among a group of areas where the carbon footprint is well above average.”

Mr Hutchinson said he hoped to agree an action plan with civic chiefs in September that would target cutting the city’s carbon footprint by 20 per cent in three years, and a third by 2015.

Asked about progress made since the WWF report in 2007, he added: “One of the things that we have changed is that people are at least aware, and I think the local authorities are beginning to take serious action but we need to accelerate that.

“Winchester has not done enough, but it is at least facing up to this in a serious way, so that’s encouraging.”

The survey — produced by global think tank The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and Experian — concluded wealthy areas are the worst polluters.

It said such places had a high concentration of ‘eco-evangelists’ — those that are most likely to support green causes, but who live alongside some of the country’s highest polluters.

“We know the SEI methodology to be quite complex and therefore difficult to draw meaningful comparisons from,” said a spokeswoman for Winchester City Council.

“However, we understand and take seriously the impact that the residents and organisations in the district have on the environment, and tackling climate change is a priority for the city council.

“We believe that progress has been made over the last two years, but more needs to be done and we are now in a position as a district to make significant reductions.

“This has led to the Winchester District Strategic Partnership setting a reduction target of 20 per cent between now and 2012.

“This cannot be done by the council alone, and commitment to change by residents, organisations and businesses is crucial in making a difference.”

FACT FILE The following were among the 1,000 most polluting postcodes in the country (Rickmansworth, Herts, with 36.42 tons of CO2 per household,was the worst): SO21 2** Otterbourne, Compton & Hursley: 30.61 SO24 0** Ropley, Cheriton & Bramdean: 30.28 SO32 2** Swanmore & Waltham Chase: 29.88 SO22 5** Winchester (incl. Fulflood, Pitt & Sparsholt): 29.67 SO21 3** South Wonston & Sutton Scotney: 29.06 SO21 1** Colden Common, Twyford & Owslebury: 27.99 SO20 6** Kings Somborne & Chilbolton: 27.77 SO20 8** Broughton & Middle Wallop: 27.18 SO24 9** Alresford (incl. Old Alresford): 26.44 SO22 6** Winchester (incl. Littleton & Headbourne Worthy): 26.32