In 2018, One Planet Oxfordshire has brought together a wide range of local councils, organisations, businesses, schools and community groups from across the county to collaboratively create a ‘shared vision’ for a better, more sustainable future.

The vision is structured using Bioregional’s One Planet Living® framework. These ten simple principles – from health and happiness and sustainable food to zero carbon energy – provide a common language to talk about sustainability and to drive positive change.

Oxfordshire’s shared vision (see below) outlines the ‘outcomes’ we want to achieve – what will the future of Oxfordshire look like?

With these outlined, the initiative is now inviting individual organisations to join together and take create their own One Planet Action Plans to achieve this vision and help us all become a One Planet County.

This is part of Bioregional’s One Planet Cities project funded by the KR Foundation.

How was the vision created?

We used a four-step process to create Oxfordshire's shared vision:

• Understanding the context: We carried out a mapping exercise and ecological footprinting analysis to answer questions like: What’s Oxfordshire’s current impact on the planet? Are local people happy and healthy?
• Creating a vision: We asked: “what would One Planet Living look like in Oxfordshire?” More than 90 people and organisations joined us at our One Planet Oxfordshire workshop in November 2018. Together we co-created a shared vision for the county and a set of outcomes to achieve that vision.
• Being inspired: We drew on inspirational One Planet Living stories from around the world to see what else we could be doing.
• Action planning: Collaborating through large participatory workshops, and individually with stakeholder organisations, we are creating action plans for the county council, businesses, schools, community groups and even individual citizens. We are connecting all these actions back to the shared vision so everyone can see how we are working together towards One Planet Living.

How will the plan be implemented?

Individual organisations are already implementing their actions. Many others are joining in the process.

No one organisation can be responsible for delivering the whole plan; instead each participating organisation or individual will deliver their own actions.

A collaborative partnership, led by Bioregional, the County Council and others, will track our collective progress over the coming years and coordinate events and shared resources, looking out for opportunities to help the joint effort or unblock barriers.

The vision and One Planet Action Plan will be a resource and a reference for everyone to use – a picture of a future we are all working towards.

Get involved in making Oxfordshire truly sustainable

• Create your own action plan using our Goals and guidance for your company, your neighbourhood, your local school or just for yourself
• Read the Shared Vision and get in touch with the Bioregional Oxfordshire team if you have an idea for how to help or with any comments
• Join Oxfordshire Greentech and network with businesses and social enterprises who are delivering the low carbon One Planet Living future we need
• Access locally distributed Oxfordshire funding for some of your actions, through Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment and Oxfutures GreenFund
• Find out more about One Planet Living
• Sign up for CPD-accredited training in One Planet Living (30 Oxfordshire participants have already received One Planet Integrator training).

Benefits of being involved

• Help achieve our Shared Vision by creating an action plan and demonstrate leadership on sustainability
• Meet other organisations committed to creating a healthier, happier Oxfordshire
• Save money and boost employee morale by using One Planet Living at your organisation.

Who is involved?

Bioregional Oxfordshire and Oxfordshire County Council are leading One Planet Oxfordshire, with support from Oxford City Council, Cherwell District Council and the CAG Network.

The One Planet Oxfordshire network – participating organisations

Good Food Oxford, Oxford Strategic Partnership, Oxford Brookes University, University of Oxford, Community First Oxfordshire, Low Carbon West Oxford, Gagle Brook Primary School – Part of The White Horse Federation, Transition by Design, Blenheim Palace, Cherwell District Council, TED Studio Ltd, OxLEP, Oxford City Council, Cambridge Cleantech, Marston Community Gardening, Elementa Consulting, Cosy Homes Oxfordshire, Thalia Carr Coaching, University of Oxford Value Based Healthcare Programme, The CAG Project, Resource Futures, Oxford City Housing Company, Rose Hill and Iffley Low Carbon (RHILC), Oxfordshire County Council, Low Carbon Hub, Seacourt, OxGROW, Environmental Information Exchange (EiE), Lady Margaret Hall College (University of Oxford), Sustainable Wantage, Oxfordshire Greentech, Oxford Bioregion Forum, Oxford Wood Recycling, Hook Norton Low Carbon, EV Carshop, Organic Deli Café, Network Rail, Ecosync Energy, Catalyst Housing Association, Sustainable Charlbury, Collective Intelligence plc, GI Energy, Greencore Construction, Energy Local, Southill Community Energy, Zeta, Origen Power, Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment, Farmer Gows, Ecomorph, CPRE Oxfordshire, West Oxfordshire District Council, Bicester Chamber of Commerce, Berks, Bucks, and Oxon Wildlife Trust, Campaign Against Climate Change, Oak Grove Associates, Power Progress, Oxford Advanced Living, Oxford Liveable Streets, Centre for Sustainable Healthcare, Oxford University Hospitals, The Wychwood Project, Sylva Foundation, FCB Studios, Esri UK, Simply Planning, Bothy Vineyard, Levelise, University of Oxford Environmental Change Institute, Oxfordshire Mind, South Oxfordshire District Council, LMH, OxWash, Cycle.land, Empathy Sustainability, PfT Planning, Carphone Warehouse, Green Savvy, Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre, Launton Settlement Trust, Sandford Hydro CIC, Thames Headwaters Bioregion Forum, Incredible Edible Oxford, RSA Thame, Abingdon Carbon Cutters, Spark Assessment Services Ltd, Nexans, Wild Oxfordshire, Local Environmental Action Florence Park, LCMB Building Performance, Cheney School, Jessop and Cook Architects, Renovate Green, Bright Green Studio, Low Carbon East Oxford, Oxford Community Land Trust, Thames Water, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Earth Trust, Envision Sustainability, Westmill Solar Co-op, Grassroots Bicester, Sumatran Orangutan Society, Lexington W. Holdings Ltd, Vitality Farm, 3LM, PSI, Climate Outreach, Relove, Diversity Football League, QSA Partners.