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STATES OF JERSEY
JERSEY YOUTH PARLIAMENT CLOSING REPORT – CLIMATE CHANGE (R.141/2022): RESPONSE OF THE MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Presented to the States on 2nd December 2022 by the Minister for the Environment
STATES GREFFE
2022 R.141 Res.
REPORT
JYP Eco-school recommendations:
• We recommend that recycling is embedded and equal across all school in Jersey and that the Government lead by example to refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle waste.
This recommendation is under active consideration.
All schools produce paper and cardboard waste and there is a centrally funded collection service available to any school. That service has been running since approximately 2006. There is no cost implication to schools which choose to participate in this service. Most schools have water fountains or taps to refill water bottles, something that has been done to keep children hydrated and reduce the number of single use plastic bottles.
Jersey's 12 parish authorities are responsible for operating their own collection services for municipal waste. The Waste Management (Jersey) Law 2005 states that household waste includes "waste from premises that are used wholly or partly for the purposes of a college, school or other educational establishment".
This means that waste from schools should be treated in the same way as any other household waste in that parish. As each parish acts as its own authority, it is its responsibility to determine how its collection services operate. That includes deciding how and what, if any, recycling they will collect separately from households. Some parishes with a kerbside household recycling service are collecting recycling for schools within their parish. Therefore, the responsibility for determining what recycling will be collected from a school sits with the Connétable s of the 12 parishes.
However, we take on board this recommendation and officers in CYPES and Infrastructure, Housing and Environment will seek to determine if a scheme similar to the existing paper and cardboard recycling service can be rolled out across all school for other materials. Work will need to be carried out to determine what types of waste are being produced and the volumes of this so that a costed scheme can be presented for inclusion in the 2023 Government Plan.
• Schools should have recycling bins for a variety of different materials around the site which are regularly emptied.
This recommendation is under active consideration.
It is important to establish what materials are in schools that may need recycling. There is an existing service for paper and card. Previously, schools sought to remove plastic bottles. The healthy lunch boxes initiative has resulted in schools not selling fizzy drinks and therefore they do not have metal cans in schools for recycling. It needs to be established if this remains the case.
Before providing schools with recycling bins, it is essential that there is a route for their recycling to be collected and taken for recycling. Putting bins in place before a scheme is set up would be counterproductive as there would be no outlet for the recycling and
it would possibly be disposed of in waste going to energy recovery. Schools with existing recycling services provided by their Parish should indeed have the appropriate bins correctly labelled for their collection service. As kerbside collection services vary in different parishes, schools must work with their parish to ensure they are collecting the correct materials in the correct way. However, if an Island-wide recycling service is implemented as per the point above then we take on board this recommendation and procuring suitable bins will be costed into the scheme to be presented for inclusion in the 2023 Government Plan.
• There should be an environmental club for students to get involved with, discussing measures for the school to take as well as raising the profile of the climate crisis around the school.
This recommendation is accepted.
The Ministers for Children, Education and Environment made a pledge at COP26 that the Government of Jersey will deliver the COP26 education pledge by embedding high quality climate education into education and learning. The Carbon Neutral Roadmap includes policy EN4 to deliver this pledge. The pledge acknowledges the importance of climate education and learning as being vital in our efforts to tackling climate change. It recognises the importance of the Jersey Youth Parliament and commits to working together to seek opportunities for embedding climate change education and sustainability into formal frameworks and linking these to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals.
The recent review of climate education carried out as part of delivering policy EN4 identified that many schools already offer environmental clubs. This is something that has been taken to Curriculum Council as a recommendation for all schools and educational establishments to develop.
• Schools could work on increasing biodiversity using wild' areas. Students could be involved in improving their own environment by planting trees onsite or cultivate flowers for bees and pollinators.
This recommendation is accepted.
Schools are able to improve their own environment and increase biodiversity. School grounds provide an ideal opportunity to introduce children to the natural environment and biodiversity. They offer a fantastic facility for outdoor education that can complement classroom-based activities. 'Wild' areas within a school's grounds can add greatly to this, such as wildflower areas for bees and pollinators, wildlife ponds, and planting trees and cultivating their own food. The vast majority of schools have a wild' space. These include pollinator patches, natural habitats and trees.
Support is available to schools through the Eco active Jersey Biodiversity Partnership. Non-Government Organisations such as the Jersey Biodiversity Centre and National Trust for Jersey support schools to develop what works best in their school grounds. Schools then take the responsibility for caring for their spaces – this could range from window boxes and pollinator patches right through to wooded areas.
• Schools must ensure that all new builds and extensions are built using green architecture techniques such as solar panels and methods to reduce heat loss, making them more energy efficient.
This recommendation is accepted.
The Carbon Neutral Roadmap has a focus on our buildings and includes policies to bring into force legislation that updates current building regulations and sets increased energy efficiency and carbon emission standards for new and existing domestic and commercial buildings. This includes prohibiting new fossil fuel boilers being installed in any property after 1 January 2026. This legislation will apply to schools, and all public buildings will be required to display an energy performance certificate by 2025.
The bridging Island Plan already requires new development to outperform the existing target energy rate by 20% through Policy ME1 – 20% reduction in target energy rate for new development.
Jersey's first Sustainable Construction Summit was convened by the Minister for the Environment in October 2022 as part of our commitment to working with the industry to drive-down the whole-life carbon impact of the Island's construction sector. Government will adopt higher construction standards for all public construction projects. Through policy EN1 – Decarbonising Government of Jersey – the Government of Jersey has committed to reducing its operational emissions in line with the Paris Agreement trajectory. This means a reduction of its greenhouse gas emissions by 68% by 2030; 78% by 2035 reaching net-zero by 2050.
• Schools should aim to reduce plastic in canteens (for example using plastic free packaging).
This recommendation is accepted.
• Schools should hold assemblies and lessons for students on how to be more eco- friendly in their personal lives.
This recommendation is accepted.
The COP26 pledge recognises that we must live within planetary boundaries and that learning for sustainability must commence in early childhood and carry right through higher and further education and as part of life-long learning. It is accepted that assemblies and lessons on low carbon lifestyles must form part of the delivery of this pledge.
• Encouraging greener methods of travel to school (ensuring there are enough bike racks/showers/changing rooms). This should be introduced in tandem with more cycle routes and increases to existing ones.
This recommendation is accepted.
As part of the Government's commitment to the sustainable transport policy, Officers are delivering a Safer Routes to School Programme'. This programme looks to identify
opportunities adjacent to school environments to improve sustainable transport accessibility and facilities.
As part of developing the evidence base for this work, audits of 16 schools have been undertaken which have identified both infrastructure schemes and behavioural change initiatives to support future improvements. The next phase of this programme to audit a further eight schools is currently being scoped.
Officers are additionally working with schools to support initiatives to make cycling and walking more attractive for their students. These initiatives are to be funded through an allocated budget within the Climate Emergency Fund.
Furthermore, a focused strategy of options for improving the safety of routes and crossings on the routes to school in the St Saviour's School Cluster is under development. Officers continue to engage with key stakeholders across government and other agencies such as Jersey Sport to support delivery of school assemblies on active travel and on safety when travelling to primary schools.
The pilot scheme for Under 19s to have free bus travel when they have purchased a pass for £20 is ongoing and will be reviewed in early 2023. The Government Plan for 2023 contains £1.2m per annum funding to continue the U19 bus pass scheme beyond the initial pilot.
The spatial strategy of the bridging Island Plan seeks to deliver the most sustainable pattern of development in the island and the development of any new schools will be directed to locations where they are easy to reach, where the need to travel is reduced, and where there is genuine access to sustainable transport modes.
Under Policy TT1 – integrated safe and inclusive travel – developments that are capable of generating significant amounts of movement, such as schools, require a travel plan to demonstrate how a development proposal, in its design and long-term use, has responded to sustainable transport principles and how it will promote and encourage more sustainable travel in the island.
Policy TT2 – Active travel – the bridging Island Plan requires development to make walking and cycling more attractive, especially for travelling to school, and development proposals must demonstrate that provision for walking and cycling has been prioritised in the design of proposals. This should include provision of accessible, secure and convenient cycle parking and facilities including showers, drying facilities, changing rooms and lockers.
Also under Policy TT2, where required, development proposals will be expected to deliver or contribute to improvements to the strategic and local walking and cycle network, or to enhancements to the public realm, including support for the delivery of the concepts and proposals of the St Helier Public Realm and Movement Strategy, where they are located within town; the Eastern Cycle Route Network, where they are within 1.5km of planned provision, as defined on the proposals map; or the active travel network, to be defined through the provision of supplementary planning guidance.
JYP environmental education recommendations:
• There should be a detailed and in-depth climate curriculum that focuses on the current problems. It should be solution focused, and opportunistic, whilst giving a large sense of urgency.
This recommendation is accepted.
The Minister for Children and Education and the Minister for the Environment made a climate education pledge at COP26. Through the Carbon Neutral Roadmap policy EN4
– delivering the COP26 education pledge – the Government of Jersey will embed high quality climate education into education and learning. In delivering this pledge, the policy objectives include delivering an education review regarding the quality and effectiveness of climate change education across all educational settings at all key stages. This review has been completed and the Curriculum Council is considering options for embedding high quality climate education. It is unlikely that climate change will be introduced as a new curriculum area as it is an underlying theme throughout the existing curriculum. Instead, focus is currently on setting an overarching CYPES sustainability and climate change policy that will include clarity regarding expectations for delivering climate change education. This will include mapping out the existing curriculum to provide clear links to climate change delivery.
• The government should also embed into other parts of the curriculum education focusing on the value of raw materials, supply chains and skills to reuse and repair to change consumer culture.
This recommendation is partially accepted.
The initial curriculum review has revealed that this is already being taught in many schools to some extent, but that the links to climate change should be made more explicit. This is especially evident in subjects such as design and technology and art.
JYP active travel recommendations:
• Continue to widen existing cycle routes and remove obstacles. Car parking along the avenue should be removed, and the space gained used to widen the path. Separate cyclists and pedestrians' routes in the town area.
This recommendation is partially accepted.
Work is currently ongoing to understand how we can prioritise cycling and walking routes through St Helier, with specific focus on the infrastructure within the ring road. This work forms part of our wider cycling and walking investment strategy workstream which will identify priority routes for cycling and walking across the island. This will raise awareness of routes that have been audited with specific cycling and walking requirements at the heart of decision making for prioritised future infrastructure investment.
• Cycle routes should be expanded throughout the island to create a large, interconnected network of traffic free or green lane cycle routes. For example, along St Ouen's Bay a cycle route should be constructed alongside the road or the sea wall. It must be wide enough for multiple cyclists to use. Currently cycle
routes are well connected in the West but not the East. We need to expand cycle provisions up through town, to the schools, and through the east and north of the island. Everyone should be able to safely cycle to school, with the minimum amount of diversions, hills and traffic.
This recommendation is partially accepted.
Our published active travel primary evidence base is a substantial step forward in understanding cycling and walking demand throughout the island and has been used to underpin our developing cycling and walking infrastructure strategy. The primary evidence base establishes the desire lines' of travel – where Islanders want to travel from and to, over distances that might be suited to walking, cycling or other active modes of travel. This establishes the demand that a future Island-wide active travel network would need to meet and gives us a data-led approach to identifying active travel initiatives to support further use of the road network for these modes of travel. This will raise awareness of routes that have been audited with specific cycling and walking requirements at the heart of decision making for prioritised future infrastructure investment.
• Speed limits must be lowered to increase safety. The national speed limit should be set to 20mph although there will be some exceptions such as Victoria Avenue where it could be reduced to 30mph. Roads that are currently green lanes must stay at 15mph, and roads that are currently 20mph needs to be converted into a green lane.
Since 2016 the Government and Parishes, as the Island's Highway Authorities, have in place an agreed speed limit framework. Working with each Parish authority in turn, the Government (under the Minister for Infrastructure) is undertaking a road by road' review of speed limits taking account of known road safety issues.
Additionally, the Government is currently considering adoption of the Safe System Approach to Road Safety which, if adopted, will move the focus towards assessing speed limits in a more stringent manner, having regard for the specific road environment and the need to mitigate the effects of any crash. This will likely lead to a greater number of lower speed limits.
As part of the above, the Government will examine more effective methods of speed enforcement, including legislative change and a collaborative approach that brings together speed limit setting and enforcement.
JYP active travel recommendations:
• We recommend that laws are enforced to increase the safety of cycling and active travel on roads using Jersey's Carbon Neutral Roadmap funding.
This recommendation is partially accepted.
We agree that laws should be enforced and indeed are enforced. The Honorary Police (Jersey) Law 1974 and the States of Jersey Police Force Law 2012 afford the Honorary Police and States of Jersey Police the authority to enforce Jersey's laws. Through the Carbon Neutral Roadmap policy TR6 – Roads Law Review – the Government of Jersey
will review the legal framework for Jersey's highways to ensure they are fit to safely enable low-carbon, sustainable and modern travel and transport.
However, we reject the suggestion that funding for the enforcement of laws to increase safety of cycling and active travel should come from the Climate Emergency Fund.
• Attitudes must be changed from roads being for cars, motorbikes, buses etc. to roads being for all users, motorised, pedal power or animal powered.
This recommendation is accepted.
The Carbon Neutral Roadmap, the bridging Island Plan and the Sustainable Transport Policy seek to deliver on this recommendation. An Active Travel Plan is being developed as required by the Sustainable Transport Policy and will be published in 2022. That Plan will provide a blueprint for the Island's future active travel network and associated policies and investment. In advance of this, interim funding is provided to continue the delivery of key projects.
The St Helier Public Realm and Movement Strategy has reviewed the use of road space and looked at the issues and challenges that are presented for movement into and around the town of St Helier, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists. It has identified opportunities to improve the use of the public realm and to enhance the quality of the place, whilst supporting the economic vitality and viability of St Helier's core. It proposes a fundamental re-prioritisation of road space based around four key concepts of bridging the Ring Road; an active travel network; growing a vibrant core; and creating liveable neighbourhoods.
Through the Carbon Neutral Roadmap policy TR10 – Active Travel – the Government of Jersey will implement further active travel initiatives in 2022, ahead of development of the full Jersey Transport Preferred Strategy. This includes a commitment to additional active travel projects that will be identified and implemented utilising the additional £1,500,000 funding allocation agreed in the amendment brought forward by Deputy Robert Ward .
Officers are currently working up an active travel engagement plan for 2023 and are in the process of recruiting to a new fixed-term position for an active travel engagement officer.
• Electric cars to be subsidised and encouraged, but preference should be given to expanding cycle infrastructure and making the island more friendly to cyclists.
This recommendation is accepted.
The Carbon Neutral Roadmap includes policy TR1 – speeding up the adoption of electric vehicles – and that policy includes incentives to purchase electric vehicles and electric vehicle chargers and their installation. We currently offer subsidised public parking for electric vehicles and this is set to continue until a new parking plan is in place (as required by the Sustainable Transport Policy). Electric vehicles are exempt from planned increases in vehicle emissions duty.
The Minister for the Environment is developing supplementary planning guidance which will support electric vehicles and cycles by requiring the provision of appropriate electric charging infrastructure in association with the provision of parking spaces for all types of development, including residential, in accordance with adopted standards.
• Efficient, responsible use of planes and carbon offsetting
This recommendation is partially accepted.
Through the Carbon Neutral Roadmap policy TR11– Emissions from aviation and maritime Transport – the Government of Jersey is working with Ports of Jersey to reduce emissions from aviation and marine transport, in line with the Jet Zero scenario 2 emissions targets and obligations under the MARPOL treaty.
With regard to offsetting, strategic policy 5 of the Carbon Neutral Roadmap and the Carbon Neutral Roadmap Preferred Strategy explain that international markets in offsets are still evolving, and the costs, potential benefits and availability of offsets that would fulfil local aspirations are currently uncertain. Through the Roadmap we have committed to a science-led emissions trajectory. Becoming carbon neutral in 2030 (or at a different date) remains a legitimate step on the pathway to net-zero. Through delivery of policy EN6 – Carbon offset purchasing strategy – the Government of Jersey will undertake the necessary work to ensure Jersey can become carbon neutral by 2030, through the delivery of ambitious carbon reduction policies, balanced with purchased offsets and sequestration. A decision on purchasing carbon offsets will be taken no later than 2028. However, individuals and businesses may choose to buy offsets whenever they wish. We recognise that decarbonising air travel requires global coordination and action. Most commercial airlines flying in and out of Jersey currently operate their own carbon offsetting schemes and the cost of this is factored into airline tickets. Ports of Jersey has launched the Carbon Pass to help passengers to understand how much carbon dioxide a journey will emit and the cost to balance it, with all money going to Durrell's Rewild Carbon programme.
JYP energy recommendations:
• The government must endeavour to ensure that our energy use and sources are efficient, sustainable and secure, whilst respecting natural habitats.
This recommendation is accepted.
The Preferred Strategy for the Carbon Neutral Roadmap Strategic Policy 2: Island energy market details our future energy choices and the shape of the market. It sets out the need to balance sustainability; security and resilience; affordability and availability.
The bridging Island Plan establishes a policy framework, under policies MER5 and ME6, to enable the development of both on- and offshore utility-scale renewable energy proposals, where their environmental impact is considered to be acceptable.
Some renewable micro-generation already benefits from permitted development rights.
• The government needs to subsidise on-island microgeneration, especially solar power. This should be done by making JEC increase the buyback rate to be higher, on a similar price level to the electricity from France, and by subsidising the installation of solar panels.
This recommendation is partially accepted.
The buyback price offered by Jersey Electricity is roughly equal to the price paid for nuclear energy from France. It is currently one of the highest buy back prices offered in Europe.
Through Policy HT1 – Supporting low carbon heating systems and home insulation – the Government will provide a subsidy to enable both householders and commercial businesses to transition to low carbon heating systems. Recognising that avoiding energy use is important to minimise costs to customers from energy, energy efficiency measures will also be eligible for funding under the domestic scheme.
• It should be mandatory to install solar panels or super insulation (whichever would reduce energy usage by the most on a case by case basis) on every new building or extension in Jersey. The installation costs are a lot cheaper when they are installed during construction, meaning that this is an efficient way to increase the energy efficiency of the island.
This recommendation is partially accepted.
Volume 3 of the bridging Island Plan – managing emissions – utilises planning to reduce our scope 1 emissions by ensuring new development is built to the highest standards, being thermally efficient and achieving high standards for energy performance. It also plans to reduce scope 2 emissions by incorporating renewable energy generation at a micro-scale into new development, reducing the demand on our currently imported energy supply, whilst providing Islanders and businesses with energy independence. The way buildings are designed has a significant influence over how much energy they consume, and their whole-life carbon impact. To address this, the bridging Island Plan is targeting specific ways in which higher-performing development standards for new development can be achieved, depending on the development type and its impact.
Through the Carbon Neutral Roadmap policy HT2 – update building bye-laws – the Government of Jersey will bring into force legislation that updates current building regulations and sets increased energy efficiency and carbon emission standards of new and existing domestic and commercial buildings and prohibits new fossil fuel boilers being installed in any property after 1 January 2026. The review of current building regulations aims to identify how best to increase the energy efficiency of existing properties given that the majority of buildings that will exist in 2050 already exist today and it is these existing buildings that make the biggest contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. There are key points in the lifetime of a property where it is possible to mandate that energy efficiency or carbon emission levels are improved. These include: the point of sale or rental and at the point of having renovation work that requires planning permission/building permits. From this review it is likely that we will:
• increase minimum energy efficiency/carbon standards in new builds in line with the zero-carbon homes standard by 2025,
• increase the energy efficiency/carbon standards for existing properties at the point of key changes to the building fabric.
The bridging Island Plan introduces a 20% reduction in Target Energy Rate beyond existing building bye-laws, as an interim measure whilst formal changes to the building bye-laws are developed, under Policy ME1.
• Campaigns should be launched to try and reduce the amount of energy used in workplaces, homes, and anywhere else.
This recommendation is accepted.
The eco active programme supports businesses to better understand their energy use. It also provides campaigns to support Islanders to reduce the amount of energy they use at home. Through the development of the Net Zero Network, further campaigns will be run to tackle energy use across the Island.
Government funding is available to support Islanders in having a Home Energy Audit. This is a survey carried out by a qualified assessor which details how energy efficient a home is and provides a copy of recommendations. Training for commercial energy assessors took place in September 2022 so this scheme is about to be extended to the commercial sector.
JYP sustainable lifestyles recommendation:
• A transportation tariff should be implemented, paid by the producers and the delivery companies, equal to the amount needed to offset the emissions released by the transport of the package. The tariff could be reduced for companies who meet human rights and environment credentials. This would shift consumer behaviour into companies that are better for the environment.
This recommendation will be considered in the medium to long term.
This is part of the financing strategy set out in the Carbon Neutral Roadmap – strategic policy 3. In the medium term, the government will bring forward proposals for new economic instruments that generate income ring-fenced to the Climate Emergency Fund (in whole or in part) in the following areas:
• Road user charges
• Reinvestigation of commercial solid waste charges
• Car parking charges
• Travel duty
In the long term, the government will bring forward a long-term financing strategy that considers all available options to continue to fund the decarbonisation of the economy
at the pace required to achieve the emissions trajectory established in Carbon Neutral Roadmap – strategic policy 1.
JYP green architecture recommendations:
• We believe that green architecture should be looked into more, with the possible goal of making it a requirement for planning permission.
This recommendation is partially accepted.
To address the challenges of climate change, there is a need to look at the overall sustainability of new development. The bridging Island Plan seeks to do this in a number of ways, as set out in Policy SP1 – Responding to climate change.
To promote and achieve a meaningful and long-term reduction in carbon emissions and to mitigate against and adapt to the impact of climate change, the bridging Island Plan will:
- direct growth to areas of previously developed land, or locations which minimise the need to travel by private vehicle;
- secure improvements to walking, cycling, public transport and active travel networks and promote the use of sustainable forms of transport;
- direct growth to areas which are least vulnerable to the long-term impacts of climate change, including flood risk;
- support the retention and appropriate re-use and retrofitting of existing buildings;
- ensure building design and the public realm is resilient and adaptable;
- reduce the carbon impact of new development by requiring development to optimise land use through efficient forms of development which minimises energy demand, maximises energy efficiency and which utilises renewable forms of energy and the use of renewable and recyclable construction materials;
- support the delivery of renewable and low carbon energy schemes and innovative forms of infrastructure and land use which aid a transition to carbon neutrality; and
- better protect and improve the island's green infrastructure to maintain and promote climate regulation.
• Planning permission should be stricter in regard to developments around the island, and especially around the coast.
This recommendation is partially accepted.
It is recognised that it is an important part of the planning process to protect the intrinsic value of the island's countryside, coast and marine environment. The bridging Island Plan, which was approved by the States Assembly in March 2022, sets out an enhanced planning policy regime to better protect the island's most sensitive and valuable
landscapes around the coast. Coastal and rural development opportunity will be most limited in the Protected Coastal Area, which has been established in the bridging Island Plan, to protect its important and sensitive landscape and seascape character. Jersey's Coastal National Park, which sits within and is a subset of the Protected Coastal Area, is primarily a designation to protect its outstanding landscape and seascape character, along with its special heritage and biodiversity value.
The bridging Island Plan also needs to make provision for the community's development needs – for homes, economic development, and community infrastructure, such as schools and hospitals – over the plan period. The bridging Island Plan seeks to balance a response to environmental challenges, whilst meeting the community's economic and social needs through development and the use of land.
• Planning processes should make solar panels mandatory for all new builds and extensions.
This recommendation is repeated from a previous recommendation.
• Planning must ensure that 30% of every parish is natural environment, and make sure that the urban environment doesn't cover more than 30% of any parish or the whole island. An exemption could be made for St. Helier which is already urbanised.
This recommendation is partially accepted.
To help deliver the most sustainable pattern of development in the island, and to promote the most efficient use of land and buildings, the bridging Island Plan's spatial strategy focuses much of the development activity over the plan period in the island's existing built-up areas. Significant development and growth should be focused on those locations in the island which are, or can be made, sustainable and which are, or can be made, resilient to the impacts of climate change. This will be where there exists a greater range of facilities and services, limiting the need to travel, whilst offering genuine access to sustainable transport modes.
The town of St Helier will continue to provide land and development opportunities to meet much of the island's development needs over the plan period. It will be the focus for new high quality residential and commercial development which provides an opportunity to make better use of already developed land, whilst creating better and more sustainable urban neighbourhoods and communities through improvements to the public realm and community infrastructure.
We must ensure that new development not only provides us with buildings, spaces and the essential community infrastructure that we need, but that it also helps to create a sustainable, attractive and safe environment from which we can all benefit.
Placemaking is fundamental to this. It is a process and way of thinking aimed at achieving better quality places as the physical setting for life in our urban and rural environments. It requires development to respond to the context of a place, through an understanding of its evolution, functionality and character; the needs of the local community; and the impact that it has on everything that surrounds it. Ultimately, good
placemaking helps to ensure that we can provide a high-quality environment for everyone, promoting health, happiness and wellbeing, whilst creating opportunity for sustainable economic activity, attracting residents, visitors and investment, and better managing our natural environment and resources.
Policy SP3 – Placemaking – seeks to ensure that new development contributes to the creation of aesthetically pleasing, safe and durable places that positively influence community health and wellbeing outcomes.
JYP biodiversity recommendations:
• Protect and increase the natural environment from 20% to at least 30% in Jersey for the future and ensure these areas are connected by corridors for wildlife.
This recommendation is partially accepted.
The bridging Island Plan volume 3: Natural environment seeks to protect Jersey's rich and diverse habitats, recognising the importance of habitats such as the important role our wetlands play in carbon sequestration. Sites of Special Interest (SSI) are formally designated under Planning and Building (Jersey) Law for their special ecological, zoological, botanical, scientific or geological value, or a combination of these. The impact of development on biodiversity and geodiversity is an important consideration in the determination of planning applications. This includes development both within and outside of protected sites.
The wider countryside, along with the buildings and gardens of the island's built-up areas, provides increasingly important habitats, roosting and nesting places for animals and birds, including protected species as identified in the Wildlife (Jersey) Law (2021). Where proposals would result in the harm to, loss or partial loss of sites and areas of biodiversity and geodiversity interest, evidence will be required as part of the application to demonstrate that there are overriding public benefits or needs to justify, and outweigh, any adverse impact on the natural environment; and that there are no other mechanisms for supporting the retention of its environmental value. Bridging Island Plan Policy NE1 – Protection and improvement of biodiversity and geodiversity
– states that development must protect or improve biodiversity and geodiversity. All development must ensure that the importance of habitats, designated sites and species is taken into account and should seek to improve biodiversity and geodiversity value and, where possible, deliver biodiversity net gain.
Bridging Island Plan Policy NE2 – Green infrastructure and networks – requires new development to protect and improve existing green infrastructure assets and contribute towards the delivery of new green infrastructure assets and wider green infrastructure networks.
With regards to increasing the natural environment, Proposal 12 – Biodiversity net gain
– commits the Minister for the Environment to undertake further studies to determine how the concept of biodiversity net gain and an urban greening factor could be developed and implemented as part of the legal framework in Jersey, and how it could be measured and monitored to ensure its application through the planning process. This work will inform policies in the next iteration of the Island Plan.
• You must create many no motor-craft, fishing and trawling zones in places important for aquatic biodiversity, in some places closer to the shore.
This recommendation is partially accepted.
Jersey already has a large area of no trawling zones at Les Minquiers and Les Écréhous and around Jersey's own coast, roughly 7% of our territorial seas. Portelet Bay is Britain's fifth no-take zone and there is an advisory restricted boating zone around the puffin breeding sites at Plémont.
Jersey's marine environment has an incredibly rich biodiversity value of international significance which is represented by four designated Ramsar sites and three marine protection areas (MPA). The purpose of Ramsar sites is the conservation of wetlands considered to be of international importance and for the wise sustainable use of their resources. Jersey's designated Ramsar sites cover a total of around 190km2 of the island's most valuable wetlands at:
• South East coast of Jersey;
• Les Écréhous and Les Dirouilles;
• Les Minquiers; and
• Les Pierres de Lecq (the Paternosters).
The purpose of marine protected areas is to protect marine species and habitats considered to be of international importance from potentially destructive fishing practices. There are three MPAs in Jersey waters, covering an area of around 150km2, where such practices are prohibited under Sea Fisheries Law at:
• Les Minquiers;
• Les Écréhous; and
• Inshore waters.
Through the Carbon Neutral Roadmap policy EN5 – Blue carbon, biodiversity and sequestration – the Government of Jersey will promote Jersey as a centre of excellence for blue carbon sequestration, with an ambition to double the extent of sea grass beds and to recognise the importance of tackling the climate emergency by using nature- based solutions that also address the biodiversity crisis and provide multiple benefits for our land, air and sea.
Further opportunities to manage our marine resources will come about as part of the Marine Spatial Plan process taking place over the next two years. The public will have the opportunity to have its say, with the voice of Islanders and young people, including the Jersey Youth Parliament, an important part of this process.
• All exemptions to the 5 knots nautical speed limit should be cancelled, to reduce noise pollution and to increase the safety of our seas.
Responsibility for addressing this does not sit with the government.
• Further reviews into biodiversity protection should be made, aiming for long lasting protection of all Jersey's wonderful biodiversity.
This recommendation is accepted.
The bridging Island Plan has enhanced protection for biodiversity where it is affected by development. Policy NE1 – Protection and improvement of biodiversity and geodiversity – requires new development to protect or improve biodiversity and geodiversity. All development must ensure that the importance of habitats, designated sites and species is taken into account and should seek to improve biodiversity and geodiversity value and, where possible, deliver biodiversity net gain. The highest level of protection will be given to sites of special interest; marine protected areas and Ramsar sites.
Further work is to be undertaken to examine how biodiversity net gain might be developed and implemented as part of the legal framework in Jersey, and how it could be measured and monitored to ensure its application through the planning process. This work will inform policies in the next iteration of the Island Plan.
JYP recycling recommendations:
• We recommend that an island wide recycling system is implemented based on efficiency and cooperation.
This recommendation has been addressed earlier in this response.