Our progress in tackling climate change
Since 2019, West Sussex County Council has commenced a journey towards being a carbon neutral and climate resilient organisation by 2030.
From the baseline year of 2019/20, until 2022/23, West Sussex County Council reduced its carbon emissions 19%.
In 2023/2024, West Sussex County Council updated the scope of its emissions baseline and reporting which better reflects the council’s responsibilities.
With this new baseline, West Sussex County Council aim to reduce its carbon emissions by 36% by 2026/27.
All directorates within the council are taking action and understand their role in reducing our impact on climate change. Here are some examples of key projects that West Sussex County Council has completed to date:
- decarbonised key council assets across West Sussex, including fire stations, libraries and an adult day care centre
- generating renewable energy on West Sussex County Council assets including two scale large solar farms and 80 schools
- invested in 43 low carbon hydrogen buses for West Sussex and surrounding areas
- installed 21 cycling infrastructure schemes, totalling 21.7km, and 36km of footpaths
- supported businesses in West Sussex to transition to a low carbon economy via the Low Carbon Across the South and East (LoCASE) programme. 84 grants, totalling £698,762, were awarded throughout the programme
- prevented over 37 tonnes of food going to waste and provided food to over 11,000 people
- supporting local communities by funding over 400 flooding projects to a value in excess of £4m and working with nearly 150 groups
Linked strategies, policies and plans
- Our Council Plan 2021 - 25
- West Sussex County Council Economy Reset Plan 2020-2024
- 2030 Energy Strategy
- Breathing Better – Air quality plan (updated September 2023)
- Electric Vehicle Strategy 2019 - 2030
- West Sussex Waste Local Plan
- West Sussex Joint Minerals Plan – (partial review March 2021)
- West Sussex Transport Plan 2022-2036
- West Sussex Tree Plan
- Local Nature Recovery
- Ash Dieback Action Plan
- Water Neutrality
- West Sussex Recycles