Council approves plan to more than halve carbon emissions by 2025

Senior councillors have approved plans to cut the council’s carbon footprint by more than half following the local authority’s climate emergency declaration in March. 

The new proposals mean that Leeds City Council will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from 70,000 to 31,000 tonnes by 2025, in line with science-based carbon reduction targets.

The council hopes its bold plans will inspire individuals, businesses and central government to follow its lead by reducing their own carbon footprint.

According to findings from a four-month public consultation more than 97% of nearly 8,000 respondents believe that combating climate change and protecting biodiversity should be a priority for Leeds.

The Big Leeds Climate Conversation consultation—held in partnership with the independent Leeds Climate Commission—combined focus groups, questionnaires, face-to-face event engagement and a groundbreaking Citizens’ Jury to gather a diverse range of views on how the city should respond to climate change. 

Most residents agreed that both businesses and public sector organisations have a responsibility to reduce their own carbon footprints and to make it easier for individuals to make environmentally friendly choices. 

In a detailed report. discussed by the council's Climate Emergency Advisory Committee today, the council has revealed its plan for reducing its carbon emissions by 55%.

By purchasing electricity from renewable sources the local authority will reduce its carbon footprint by more than 30,000 tonnes. The commitment will also support jobs in the UK’s growing low-carbon sector which employs more than 430,000 people nationwide. 

Additionally, the council will work in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Vital Energi to double the number of properties receiving affordable, sustainable heat from the city’s district heating network over the next 12 months. Powered by waste from the city’s recycling and energy recovery facility (RERF), the Leeds PIPES district heating network will provide 8 major civic buildings and commercial properties plus 1,983 homes with low carbon heating and hot water by the end of 2020. Once fully built out the scheme is estimated to reduce the city’s carbon emissions by around 11,000 tonnes per year.

By more than doubling the council’s fleet of 95 electric vehicles—already the largest of any U.K. local authority—the council will further reduce its carbon footprint by another 1,000 tonnes. The switch to more zero-emission vehicles will also help tackle air pollution, protecting the health of everyone in Leeds. 

To help reduce food-related emissions and improve the health of pupils, the council’s school meals service Catering Leeds has introduced a delicious and healthy climate-friendly menu at 182 primary schools across the city. The menu exceeds the National School Food Standards and has been well received by school children. Almost nine out of ten respondents supported the proposal when asked as part of the Big Leeds Climate Conversation.

Cllr. Lisa Mulherin, Executive Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainable Development said:

“Just ten months after declaring a climate emergency, Leeds is setting a new gold standard for what can be achieved at a city level.

“Having held the Big Leeds Climate Conversation we know that there is widespread support from residents for tackling climate change and protecting biodiversity. We are taking immediate and transformative action to make Leeds a fairer, healthier and carbon-neutral city.

“These plans will cut our carbon emissions by more than half, meeting our science-based carbon reduction targets. But the same plans will also have many other benefits that are just as important: creating and sustaining green jobs and improving the health of everyone in the city. 

“Like most residents, we believe that all organisations and individuals have a responsibility to live and work more sustainably and I encourage others to follow our lead. We all have a carbon footprint. We all have a responsibility to act now. Every action counts.

Andy Gouldson, Chair of the Leeds Climate Commission said:

“The Climate Emergency puts an intense focus on all the actions we take as a city from here on. As our Leeds Climate Change Citizens’ Jury said in their recommendations, immediate and urgent action is required, and everyone from the council to businesses, organisations, community groups and individuals have their part to play.

“Leeds Climate Commission has been pleased to collaborate with the council to jointly host the Big Leeds Climate Conversation. The findings give a positive steer that the public is up for bold solutions, which is very encouraging. We welcome the council’s actions to help Leeds become a carbon-neutral city; this is the start of the step change required over the next decade and taking citizens with us on that journey is essential.”

Councillor Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council said:

“Tackling the climate emergency is one of the council’s key priorities and I am proud that this council is taking ambitious and necessary steps to make Leeds a more sustainable city and an even better place to live.

“However, we have always said that becoming a carbon neutral city won’t be possible without the support of the government. With additional powers and funding devolved from Westminster, the council and partners could radically improve the city’s housing stock and transport network to enable sustainable and inclusive economic growth. 

“Of course, Leeds City Council will continue to do everything we can to fight the climate emergency but until the additional powers and funding we need are devolved by central government to a local level, this city’s ability to tackle climate change will continue to be severely hindered.”

ENDS

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How will the council help reduce the city’s carbon emissions?

As part of its plans, Leeds City Council will help reduce the carbon footprint of the city by improving access to sustainable energy, housing and transport.

The council will carry out deep retrofit of 1,000 homes across the city to help tackle fuel poverty and make homes more energy efficient. With funding secured from the European Regional Development Fund, the council will install external wall insulation in 1000 council homes and install additional solar and battery technologies in 250 of these homes as part of an innovative trial.

To help local businesses reduce their own emissions from travel Leeds has partnered with Highways England to give West Yorkshire organisations the opportunity to trial electric vans free of charge for up to two months. Participating organisations will receive impartial and tailored advice to better understand the financial case for investing in a cleaner and greener fleet. Interested organisations are encouraged to find out more at a launch event for the scheme on January 23.

The council continues to work with partners to invest £270 million in schemes that will transform transport and travel as part of the Connecting Leeds strategy, working towards a vision of making Leeds a city where residents don’t need to use a car. This includes adding 2,000 additional park and ride spaces, new bus priority lanes to improve reliability, and more than 800 kilometres of new cycle network. The strategy has ambitious targets to reduce transport-related emissions by 27%.

Additionally, the council intends to work with central government to secure a significant increase in funding for regional transport. Therefore, a new draft transport strategy for investment in public transport and active travel will be shared later in the year.

How will the council help individuals reduce their emissions?

Over four months, the Big Leeds Climate Conversation found widespread support from residents that their individual actions could make a difference. Nine out of ten residents indicated that they will take action to reduce their own emissions. To make this easier the council has relaunched the Leeds By Example website to share simple tips and guidance on how to live more sustainably.

What is the council asking of government?

The council recognises that becoming a carbon-neutral city by 2030 will only be possible with greater support from central government. The report therefore sets out a number of key asks for the government covering a wide range of issues including waste management, aviation, planning policy, housing, green energy and devolution. A summary of government asks to support the city in achieving its net zero ambition has been published as an annex to the report.

Additional notes for editors:

• In summary, the council is investing more than £200 million in schemes directly linked to climate change over the next three years. This includes:

• • £84 million to alleviate the increasing risk of flooding;
  • £47 million to improve local air quality;
  • £16 million to improve the energy efficiency of council housing;
  • £36 million to install the city’s low carbon district heating network; £31 million to improve the efficiency of street lighting; and
  • £7.5 million to upgrade more of the council’s fleet to electric.
  • This excludes the council’s investment in sustainable travel and the council’s new house building programme investment, both of which have low carbon at their heart.

• Compared to 2005 levels, the projected carbon footprint of Leeds City Council in 2025 represents a 70% reduction in total.
• A summary of the Big Leeds Climate Conversation and its findings has been published as an annex to the report.