Our strategy and commitment
“The scale of the challenges we face in tackling and adapting to climate change is really substantial, new territory and cannot be under-estimated. It will require radical transformation in how we all work, live and play. Its importance is reflected in the cross cutting theme that underpins everything in Our Council Plan and in our detailed Climate Change Strategy.”
Net zero carbon emissions by 2030
In April 2019, the County Council passed a motion pledging to try to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
Net zero means finding a balance between the greenhouse gases that an individual or organisation puts into the atmosphere, and those that are ‘taken out’.
Achieving net zero is necessary if we are to tackle climate change and protect people, the planet, and our natural world.
Climate Change Strategy
Climate change is the cross-cutting theme underpinning everything in Our Council Plan, the corporate strategy that was approved in 2021 to give direction for the council for the next four years.
In July 2020, we published our Climate Change Strategy. This strategy sets our five priority commitments.
We will:
- mitigate the effects of climate change by reducing carbon emissions (aligning with our ambitious target to be net zero by 2030)
- adapt and be resilient to a changing climate
- source and use resources sustainably
- support and grow our local green economy
- transform how we work.
The strategy is supported by a delivery plan, which gives a summary of the priority actions the County Council is taking over the next two years.
Watch our video explaining our approach to tackling the climate challenge
Steve Read, Director of Environment and Public Protection
5 mins