Leaving a smaller carbon footprint

A recent carbon emissions audit carried out for the Council showed a 43 per cent reduction in its total carbon emissions in 2018/19 compared with the figure for 2013/14.

In July 2019 the Council declared a climate emergency and set an ambition to become carbon neutral by 2030. It also commissioned an audit of the Council’s own operations, services, and buildings to quantify the existing carbon emissions and identify the level of carbon reduction required.

The results of the audit were presented to a recent meeting of the Communities and Economic Development Cabinet Advisory Board. The Board heard that the Council had already made substantial carbon savings from measure including the installation of solar PV panels, lighting changes and other building improvements including more efficient heating boilers.

Cllr Matthew Bailey, Portfolio Holder for Sustainability said: ‘It's very encouraging that the Council's carbon emissions have fallen by more than 40% over the last five years. This is a fantastic achievement and a real benefit to the environment.

‘But there is much more to do. The Council’s ambition to become carbon neutral by 2030 remains a key objective despite the immediate challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

‘We will be introducing more carbon saving measures over the coming years and hope to report more good news about our carbon footprint as these measures take effect.’