A draft report on the action being taken by Bath & North East Somerset Council to tackle the ongoing Climate Emergency has revealed that carbon emissions in the area are reducing.
Emissions from the local authority’s buildings and operations have been cut by two thirds (66%) compared to the baseline year of 2009.
This has been achieved through a range of measures, including changes to street lighting, technology upgrades, greater efficiency and renewable energy installation.
The latest data provided by the government has shown emissions across Bath and North East Somerset have dropped to 671.3 kt CO2.
The draft report will go before the council’s Climate Emergency and Sustainability Corporate Policy and Development Scrutiny Panel on Monday 24th January for review, before being presented in March.
Councillor Sarah Warren, deputy leader and cabinet member for Climate and Sustainable Travel said: “When we declared a Climate Emergency in 2019, we committed to provide leadership to enable Bath and North East Somerset to achieve net zero by 2030.
“As part of that commitment, we agreed to provide regular progress reports to the council. An immense amount of work has been carried out over the past two years and we are having an impact, we must continue to work at pace with our communities, partners, local, regional and national government to deliver our climate priorities if the area is to reach the target of net zero 2030 .”
The report highlights actions taken by the council over the past year, including:
- Changing planning policy to require developers to build to higher levels of energy efficiency.
- Introducing the first charging Clean Air Zone outside London to improve air quality.
- Developing an environmentally sustainable approach to purchasing goods and services.
- Developing a new Transport Strategy ‘Journey to Zero’ setting out the changes needed to the way people move around to reduce transport emissions.
- Planting more trees.
- Buying 100% renewable energy for council-managed buildings.
- Delivering low-energy new housing and retrofitting council-owned residential properties.
Among the measures to encourage more community action to reduce carbon emissions, the council has:
- Set up the Zero Carbon Nature Positive Network website to help people share ideas.
- Held a series of Climate Emergency related events including the Inaugural Climate and Biodiversity Festival in the run up to COP26.
- A series of community tree planting events throughout the planting season.
The council is currently putting together an updated Climate Emergency Action Plan for 2022/23. This includes:
- Working with WECA and West of England councils on a regional Climate Emergency Action Plan
- Launching a One Shared Vision partnership with key stakeholders to drive coordinated action to respond to the Climate Emergency
- Addressing skills, supply chain and delivery issues to speed up retrofit
- Supporting businesses to decarbonise and transition to a low carbon economy
- Delivering the first Liveable Neighbourhood schemes
- Implementing of the Journey to Net Zero plan
- Installing solar panels on Council property, including two more care homes
- Helping to accelerate renewable energy delivery
- Building a state-of-the-art, low carbon Recycling Hub in Keynsham
You can view the draft report to the Climate Emergency and Sustainability Corporate Policy and Development Scrutiny Panel here.
Following review, it will be presented to the council on 24th March.