14466 National Trust (Annual Report 2022) ARTWORK2

35 Our Climate Strategy As a result of climate change featuring as the most significant risk on the National Trust risk register, the organisation has set climate action as one of two cross-cutting strategic priorities (the other being Everyone Welcome see page 6 of this report). The strategic priority is made up of four objectives that we describe as our urgent climate RACE (reduce, adapt, capture, engage). We will reduce our carbon emissions from all of our activities, to be carbon net zero by 2030 We will aim to be resilient and adaptable to a changing climate in every choice we make We will capture more carbon from our land, to be carbon net zero by 2030 We will engage others - telling our story widely to inspire action from supporters and policymakers Our climate RACE will address both the transitional and physical risks facing the organisation. These four objectives are being translated into work programmes that will be embedded in the Trust’s business and financial plans. Low-carbon transitional risks and opportunities Our strategy to address our low carbon transitional risks and opportunities is reflected in our overall carbon target. This is to be carbon net zero by 2030, against a 2019-20 baseline, and to follow an emissions reduction pathway which is aligned with a 1.5°C warming scenario (we are currently exploring whether we can get this target verified with the Science Based Targets Initiative). We aim to neutralise the remaining emissions in our account through, primarily, nature-based solutions on our own land. Our carbon net zero target is an evolution of our previous ten- year energy strategy (2010-2020). This year, with a slight delay due to Covid, we hit our target of generating 50% of our energy use from our own renewable sources. Our carbon net zero plan represents considerable opportunity to deliver our core purpose, to protect places of beauty, nature and history. We know that many of the actions required to reduce agricultural emissions and increase the potential of our land to capture and store carbon will also deliver against our nature ambition to create and restore important UK habitats, alongside other public benefits such as providing accessible spaces for people to enjoy. Managing land for nature, climate and people at Wallington Wallington in Northumberland, the National Trust’s largest estate, has undergone a programme of works over the winter of 2021-22 to ensure it is able to deliver nature-rich historic landscapes that are climate resilient. The team have established over 75,000 trees and 7.3km of hedgerow – important measures to ensure our land is removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, as well as providing new habitats that join up with existing ones. Wetlands have been established which slow the flow of water in the RiverWansbeck, helping to prevent flooding in downstream communities. Funding was received from Defra’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund. The Wansbeck valley before restoration A visualisation of the nature-rich wetlands that will slow the flow of the River Wansbeck