Blenheim Declares Climate Emergency
Blenheim is revolutionising the way it operates and its relationship with local communities as part of a radical response to the urgent threat posed by climate change.
Among its far-reaching commitments is to become carbon negative within five years.
The Oxfordshire UNESCO World Heritage Site’s ‘green’ manifesto is being championed by CEO Dominic Hare, who believes global warming is the single biggest threat to Blenheim’s long-term survival.
“Climate change and the dangers it brings are self-evident. The real question now is what we can do to lessen its impact,” said Dominic.
“As a major legacy land-owner, a multi-million pound business and a world-renowned visitor attraction we have both a significant responsibility to help, and an opportunity to make a real difference.
“All businesses will have to respond to climate change and make significant changes which reflect a full understanding of the price we extract from the planet each time we transact.
“This is something we are taking incredibly seriously and it will define our approach to all elements of the business going forward,” he added.
By 2025 as part of achieving carbon negative status, Blenheim intends to have 50% of its visitors arrive in a carbon friendly way, generate double the energy it consumes through renewable production, reduce the carbon footprint of its current buildings by 25% and construct all new buildings to EPC Grade A rating.
Blenheim will also build shared work and social facilities in its communities and join those communities up with a network of cycle and pedestrian routes across its land.
They will create a web of open sensor and data stations, allowing residents, schools and organisations to monitor and manage the impact of climate change on their communities and build an interactive natural capital model, which they will share with other large landowners.
“All of this will require significant investment and a real sea-change in all of our working practices, however we are now facing a stark choice – if we do not act now the consequences will be much, much worse,” he added.
Blenheim is working with a number of outside experts, including Oxford University, to help measure and certify their environmental initiatives.