The council's latest greenhouse gas emissions report reveals this significant milestone, achieved through various initiatives including the use of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) in most waste collection vehicles, ongoing energy efficiency improvements in council buildings, and investment in renewable energy generation.
In the past year, the council developed a Climate Change Framework to guide climate action across its services and attained Silver Carbon Literate Organisation status, demonstrating a commitment to embedding climate awareness internally. The report also emphasises the importance of nature conservation, with activities such as supporting newly planted trees during hot weather and utilising the Local Nature Strategy for future habitat creation projects.
The Carbon Reduction Programme outlines key priorities for the upcoming year, including supporting the decarbonisation of community buildings, enhancing electric vehicle charging facilities, further reducing emissions from the council estate, and supporting the Eelscapes project to restore nature-rich wetlands along the river Severn.
“"A 49% reduction in our greenhouse gas emissions since 2019 is a significant achievement and reflects the commitment shown across the council to tackling climate change. While there is still much work to do, this report demonstrates that practical action is making a real difference. I’d like to thank everyone involved so far and I look forward to seeing further positive developments."
Furthermore, the council is collaborating with home energy retrofit specialist Furbnow as part of a county-wide initiative to offer residents a comprehensive service for improving home energy efficiency. This partnership has already provided advice on installing internal wall and floor insulation, ventilation, solar PV, and battery storage to make properties more energy-efficient and cost-effective.
