Introduction

Decarbonisation and Climate Change Adaptation in Gloucester

As Gloucester City Council Cabinet Member for Environment, I am only too aware of the gravity of the climate crisis, the urgency required to address it, and the appetite of the city’s Councillors and residents to see action at both the level of the council and the wider district. That is why we have committed to delivering Net Zero emissions across the council’s functions by 2030 – having brought the target forward five years – and to do everything within the council’s powers to achieve carbon neutrality across the wider district by 2045, in line with the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 1.5C report. While the council recognises the scale of the challenge presented by global warming, we also believe the transition to a low carbon society presents huge opportunities to upskill Gloucester’s workforce as we transform the energy system, increase the energy efficiency of our buildings, grow the circular economy, and improve local air quality.

By supporting the rollout of electric vehicle charge points across the district, consuming 100% renewable electricity, helping residents to maintain high recycling rates, pursuing ambitious urban greening programme, and through water course naturalisation, Gloucester City Council is already demonstrating its appetite for practical and effective climate action, but we understand that there is so much more we need to do.

We, as a Council, cannot deliver a ‘green transition’ alone – for that, we need to work with businesses, our ambitious higher education sector, and the people of Gloucester – but we can show leadership by reducing our own carbon footprint; through working with other districts and the county council to increase the impact of these measures; and by improving Gloucester’s preparedness to climate change.

For more information about the city council’s work in this area, please take a look at the tabs above, which provide summaries of, and links to, all of the Council’s strategic environmental documents, and to other useful resources.