Our Research
Take a look at Bude Climate Partnership's ongoing projects and engagement work
Our research projects are the engine room of Bude Climate Partnership. They provide vital information to help us develop ways to future-proof Bude and adapt to the impacts of the climate and ecological crisis, especially sea-level rise. We are looking to create a clear picture of all aspects of our community’s carbon footprint and use it to steer us towards becoming carbon neutral by 2030, in line with Cornwall Council and Bude-Stratton Town Council's targets. Protecting our town, coastline, countryside and way of life is at the heart of these projects.
Sustainable Tourism Project
Tourism is massively important to Bude's economy so visitors are essential to our livelihoods – but they have a huge impact on our carbon footprint (which is unsurprising, considering more than a million visitor nights are spent in the area every year and most arrive by car). In the research phase, we looked at ways of promoting and developing Bude as a leading sustainability destination, capitalising on our wide-open beaches and untouched countryside, and this project has now become a key part of our work over the next five years. This is a wholly collaborative piece of work and we are working very closely with our delivery partner, Bude Area Tourist Board, and a host of other advisors, tourism businesses and visitors.
---
To find out more about our strategy and the reasons behind it, please download our Sustainable Tourism report.
Shoreline Engagement Project
We continue to work with the Environment Agency, Exeter University and Cornwall Council to assess and evaluate the impact of climate change on our coastline, our wider landscape, our town and surrounding villages. A large part of this work is offering the community a chance to have their say on how we respond to climate change impacts, particularly sea-level rise. We are hoping to run our first Citizens' Jury session in October 2023, which will investigate the different approaches we can use to help us adapt to the future. There will be more info on how to get involved very shortly. In the meantime, the links below make for interesting reading.
Energy Efficiency Project & Community Carbon Audit
We have now employed a full-time Low Carbon Energy Officer to move this project forward by offering FREE energy efficiency advice to residents and local businesses. Jon has a ton of tips on how you can save energy and money, including improvements to home insulation and switches to renewable heating systems.
​
​
The research phase of the project included a Bude Area Carbon Audit, resulting in a Climate Action Plan. This report highlights positive actions to reduce our carbon footprint and make Bude more resilient to climate-change challenges. You can read the reports below. Further audits will take place annually to track change.
The Library of Things
The Library of Things is one of our more practical projects, working together with Neetside Community Centre and the Repair Café. Instead of individual households filling their cupboards and sheds with rarely used items like sewing machines, carpet cleaners and pressure washers, we're looking at creating a loan system to borrow them when you need them. A Library of Things for the community will reduce our carbon footprint and help people who otherwise might not have access to such items. We're also looking at how to make our Library of Things mobile, delivering items where they're needed; a greener and more convenient system.
Coming soon, in 2024!
Storylines - Connecting with the Community
If we want to succeed in our mission to become carbon neutral by 2030, we've got to make sure that everyone knows what we're doing and what our strategies are. This means spreading the word with videos and podcasts, gatherings and events. It also means creating more structured learning resources in the form of 'toolkits' – packs that can be used by schools and community groups to provide easy-to-digest information on the impacts of climate change and what we can do about it. If we know what we're facing, we can turn worries into action. We've already put together a series of nine local stories, sharing our past and imagining a vision of the future so we can start creating the resilient and sustainable Bude we all want to see. We are working on a further six unique stories, focusing initially on young adults and their views on what the future holds for them and the community.
Transport Study
Bude's limited public transport provision means that for many people the only way to get around is by car. This project investigates the extent of our dependency on cars and explores alternative means of transport within the wider Bude area and beyond it for longer journeys. Some of the ideas that we're examining include an improved cycle network, community-led public transport and electric car-share schemes, reintroducing the railway and walking buses for the school run. Watch the short transport film we've made, which sums up the situation nicely.
Climate-Resilient Catchments Project
Led by Westcountry Rivers Trust, this project investigated nature-based responses to climate change in our local rivers and landscape. The result is a set of multi-layered maps that show the current condition of the landscape, identify where the vulnerabilities are located, and highlight where mitigation measures could be placed for maximum benefit. This will help us develop changes to land management, farming practices and re-wilding to improve carbon capture and increase our resilience to floods and droughts.
Go With the Flow
This fascinating short film shows how our local rivers and landscape can reduce climate change extremes across our remote corner of North Cornwall. It explains how nature-based solutions can protect us from intense but more sporadic rainfall creating floods and drought - and how we can trap more carbon in our soils and vegetation.
Community Climate Change Festival
Summer 2022 marked the end of the 18-month 'development phase' of Bude Climate Partnership's work, so we threw a party on the Castle grounds. This was an opportunity for the whole community to come together to enjoy a weekend of music, entertainment and eco-focused workshops and activities. BCP is nothing without you - our community - this festival was our way of saying thank you.
Returning in 2024!
Reaching Older Generations Study
Bude is a beautiful place for retirement, which is one reason why it has more people over the age of 65 than the national average. While retirees have the largest carbon footprint, they also have valuable skills and experiences to share with younger generations. We've worked with researchers and filmmakers to capture these make-do-and-mend skills and cultural memories through a series of stories that are specific to our area. These will help us find ways for all generations to develop greener ways of enjoying life together that will secure Bude’s future in the face of the challenges of climate change.