Senior councillors updated on big green steps taken toward net zero goal

The UK climate continues to break records, with the summer of 2025 being the warmest summer on record.

Leeds City Council, as part of its new Leeds Ambitions roadmap, is working towards becoming the UK’s first net zero and nature positive city, rapidly reducing carbon emissions and restoring nature, and supporting people and businesses to make increasingly sustainable choices.

The report to the council’s executive board outlines how Leeds’ contribution to climate change has decreased by 38% since 2005, from 6.3 to 3.9million tonnes of carbon. The council’s own carbon footprint has shrunk by nearly two thirds (65%) over a similar period.

Even as the population of Leeds increases, the emissions per capita have kept decreasing.

The council continues to make progress in making homes easier and more affordable to heat, in turn reducing carbon emissions as well as fuel poverty and cold-related illness. In 2025, work began on bringing energy efficiency upgrades to 100 back-to-back homes in Armley.

A programme to invest £100m in improving council homes’ energy efficiency is also beyond its halfway milestone, with more than £60m worth of projects completed, benefitting thousands of residents.

Through the rapidly expanding Leeds PIPES heating network, more than 4,000 homes and over 70 buildings across Leeds are provided with more affordable and lower carbon heating. The heat is recovered from the city’s non-recyclable domestic waste plant and then supplied to residents and businesses through underground pipes.

Emissions from public sector buildings are also being reduced through the government-funded Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. Over £50m worth of funding has been secured for Leeds to upgrade heating systems to low-carbon alternatives. To date, 75 buildings have been upgraded with many benefiting from off gas heating and solar panels. Pudsey leisure centre is the first leisure centre in the city to be totally powered by electricity.  

Leeds City Council is believed to have the largest zero emission fleet of any local authority in the country, made up of 332 vehicles. As the council now has significant in-house data to accurately measure the running costs of electric vans it can confirm that these are 40% cheaper than internal combustion engines vans to maintain.

The electric charge infrastructure in the city has also continued to grow, and by the end of 2025 Leeds will have its first on street charging point installed. Public charging points make it easier for people to switch to electric vehicles by providing accessible charging for residents who don’t have an adjoining driveway.

Restoring nature is also part of the council’s ambitions, for example through its woodland creation scheme which continues to increase tree canopy cover and establishing new woodlands. Wild spaces are being created across the city where butterflies and moths can thrive and complete their life cycle.

Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space, said: “The impact of climate change can be noticed more and more in Leeds and the surrounding area, an example being the wildfires to hit the wider region in summer this year, with a damaging impact on biodiversity and nature.

“As part of the Leeds Ambitions launched earlier this year, we have stated our aim to become the UK’s first net zero and nature positive city.

“This annual report outlines the great steps that the council have already taken towards achieving that goal, and we are very proud of all the work that has been done, not only by the local authority but other organisations we work with in the city.

“We recognise that becoming the UK's first net zero and nature friendly city cannot be achieved on our own. I'd like to thank the climate commissions, third sector, private sector and anchor organisations for the continued work and contribution they do to address the changing climate.”

The full report can be found at Council and democracy.

ENDS