MEMBERS of Derbyshire County Council have approved a new Carbon Reduction Plan, which details how the council will take action to reduce emissions from their own buildings, street lighting and fleet of vehicles.
This is to achieve the pledges made by councillors in May this year to reduce carbon and take action on climate change.
Actions to be taken include:
- more than 300 energy audits carried out on businesses across the county, with more than 110 businesses accessing funding for low carbon projects resulting in 860 tonnes of carbon being saved
- reduced carbon emissions from the council’s buildings by 48% (when compared with 2010 levels)
- planning to install 39 fast and 11 rapid electric vehicle charge points in public areas across the county.
- installed five dual electric vehicle charge points at the council offices, and plans to buy electric vehicles for council use
- developed the commitment to minimise and eliminate single use plastics wherever possible
- shared best practice with counterparts in China on coalfield regeneration and renovation to help reduce the impact of climate change.
Councillor Tony King, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, said: “Since pledging to take action on climate change earlier this year, Derbyshire has been at the sharp end of extreme weather events and we need to be at the sharp end when it comes to policy making too.
“We know that climate change is an important issue for many of our residents and I’m pleased to see that progress is being made on the pledges we made to take action and cut emissions.”
Councillors also approved the Environment and Climate Change Framework, a document which sets out how the County Council will work with other councils in Derbyshire to deliver on the 2015 Paris Agreement which the UK signed to help limit global warming.
The council also asked officers to look at introducing a new grant scheme to support local communities to take action on climate change.
Councillor King added: “These two new documents are incredibly important in setting out how the council will take a strategic leadership role in bringing together partners across the county to tackle this issue.
“We want to take a leadership role and inspire other councils, businesses and the public to do all they can to make a difference and reduce their carbon footprint and we’ll be looking into the potential for a new grant scheme which supports communities to do just that.”
