Council commits to reducing its carbon footprint

Councillors at Wednesday’s cabinet meeting are set to welcome a report into how the Council might consider a number of measures to reduce its impact on the environment.

The city council has adopted ambitious climate change targets including an aim to be a carbon neutral authority by 2030 with a goal for the whole of Gloucester to be carbon neutral by 2050.

It is estimated that Gloucester City Council emits approximately 3,400 tonnes of Carbon a year while the city as a whole emits around 434,000 tonnes of carbon annually.

Although the city council only uses less than one percent of Gloucester’s carbon through its buildings, venues and transport; councillors are hoping to lead the change and set an example.  

The report focuses on the 2030 target of reducing the city council emissions, a further report later in the year will look at the city as a whole and how its emissions can be brought down.

Ideas presented to the Council in the report included generating low carbon energy by installing solar panels on the Council’s buildings, installing heat pumps and potentially investing in renewable energy locally.

Other ideas to reduce the impact of vehicles owned by the council and it partners include investing in electric, introducing e-bikes and vehicle management such as driver training and more efficient tyres.

Councillor Richard Cook, Leader of Gloucester City Council, said: “We are committed to doing everything we can to meet our target to be carbon neutral by 2030. It will be quite a challenge but reducing our carbon footprint is something that the council has a responsibility to do, for current and for future generations.”