Carbon Pledge 2020

In 2015 we launched the 2020 Carbon Pledge to reduce our carbon footprint by 15 per cent by 2020.

With the help of the Carbon Trust we created a Carbon Management Plan which included a number of measures to help cut the estimated 2,161 tonnes of C02 produced by our activities every year. This figure was based on information from 2012/13 and has been used as a baseline for this project.

The following projects have already been implemented.

• installed highly energy-efficient LED lighting and controls in Beehive Lane car park and communal areas of sheltered housing
• installed more energy-efficient heating systems in Charnwood Museum and Woodgate Chambers
• purchased four electric vehicles to replace diesel vehicles
• introduced a scheme to encourage staff to reduce energy use and waste

Carbon 2020 Pledge Monitoring Report for 2018/19

The Monitoring Report for 2018/19 will be the final monitoring report against the 2020 carbon management plan due to significantly exceeding the 15% target reduction.

A climate change notice of motion was approved by Full Council on 24 June 2019 to note the findings from the International Panel on Climate Change report published in October 2018. 

The report concluded that we have less than 12 years to act to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The notice of motion set an aspiration for the council to achieve carbon neutrality from its own operations by 2030. The Council also committed to work with residents, businesses and other public bodies across the borough and region to deliver this ambitious goal through all relevant technologies, strategies and plans.  

The Council is currently working on a plan to achieve carbon neutrality for its own operations by 2030.

Achievements

• Compared to 2017-18 a reduction of 95 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent has been achieved by Charnwood Borough Council. This represents a 7% decrease compared to 2017-18.
• In total, Charnwood Borough Council has seen a reduction of 787 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e), or 37%, compared to the 2012-13 baseline.
• Buildings have seen a reduction of 659 tCo₂e from 2012-13 to 2018-19, a reduction of 37%.
• Transport emissions have fallen by 128 tCo₂e, or 39%.
• Electricity has seen the largest reduction with a 14% reduction in usage compared to the 2012-13 baseline resulting in a 45% reduction in emissions.
• Total gas consumption has increased by 84,567 kWh (5%) compared to 2017-18. One driving force for the increase in gas is that the weather was generally colder compared to the previous year. At the same time, the impact of burning a single kWh of gas has decreased due to improvements in the emissions from the UK gas network. The net effect of this is an increase in emissions of 8% (23 tCO₂e) compared to 2017-18. In total, carbon emissions from gas usage have fallen by 49 tCO₂e, or 14%, from the 2012-3 baseline to 2018-19 with a 265,895 kWh (14%) reduction in energy consumption.
• Emissions from fleet use has reduced by 5% compared with the previous year and 45% against baseline

Read the full Carbon Management Plan 2015 - 2020 (PDF Document, 1.19 Mb)