Falkirk Council has announced a new sustainable development and climate change action plan, to be carried out over the next two years.

The 'Sustainable Development and Climate Change 2013-15' scheme has been conceived with the aim of making Falkirk a more energy-efficient community.

Falkirk Council says it is working with other, local organisations to improve sustainability; including businesses, community groups and individuals.

The Environment and Community Safety Committee has approved the two year Sustainable Development Action Plan, which includes climate change in its remit for the first time.

Projects in the two year plan cover travel, managing resources, purchasing, coping with climate change and cutting energy use.

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Some of the aims include:

- Falkirk Council’s Carbon Management Plan - 38 carbon and energy reduction actions to reduce C02 emissions

- The Helix Beekeepers, a fully sustainable project which will see the production of local honey

- The roll out of a programme of community and householder education on waste by April 2015

- Maintaining over 250km of core path network

- A bike library in Grangemouth

- Design and construction of 180 new sustainable council owned homes

Work has already started on collecting information about new projects.

Progress will be reported to the Committee once a year, accompanied by a newly revised action plan.

Councillor Doctor Craig R Martin, Convener of Environment and Community Safety said: "This plan shows how large public sector organisations can work alongside small groups and businesses to collectively tackle climate change and improve the Falkirk Council area for the better.

"It’s evident that more businesses, organisations and local groups are building sustainability into their work helping to create thriving communities across the Falkirk Council area more than ever.

"The Action Plan lists a wide range of projects to get underway over the next two years which will surely make a huge impact in terms of sustainable development and tackling the very real threat of climate change."

(IT)