West Sussex council sets out its plans for carbon neutrality
Two years after it declared a climate emergency, Arun District Council has adopted an action plan to reach net zero carbon by 2030.
The council’s policy and finance committee approved a strategy for carbon neutrality in October last year, in addition to a £200,000 budget.
Now a 30-page document has set out how Arun will achieve its carbon goal.
It includes 60 different points of action to address the council’s carbon emissions of more than 20,000 tonnes – not including emissions generated from the council’s housing portfolio or the waste produced by residents and businesses.
The new action plan suggests the council would only achieve a 3.5 per cent reduction in emissions year on year if it adopted a ‘business-asusual approach’.
But if it adopts the action plan it could achieve its 2030 target, according to a report by its climate change and sustainability manager.
Members of the council’s policy and finance committee decided to adopt the plan at a meeting in February.
Council leader Shaun Gunner, said: “As a council, we can’t ask our residents to look at their own carbon footprint if we aren’t taking measures to reduce ours. This plan explains how serious we are about reducing our carbon emissions across all council departments."
Projects include reducing energy and water consumption in council buildings, installing solar panels and transitioning to electric fleets, including taxis and refuse lorries and working with suppliers and Freedom Leisure – which operates its leisure facilities – to address emissions.
So far, the council has committed to purchasing 100 per cent renewable electricity and has extended a food waste collection trial for some residents.
Over the next ten years, at least 33,000 trees will be planted across the district.
Carbon offsetting has not been ruled out but will only be used for emissions ‘which cannot be removed’, the council has confirmed.
Arun will also work with West Sussex County Council to install thousands of electric vehicle charging points for those who may not have off-road parking.