Bristol City Council smashes carbon target two years early

Bristol City Council will soon set new climate-related mitigation goals, after surpassing a target to reduce carbon emissions by two-thirds two years ahead of schedule.


Bristol City Council smashes carbon target two years early

Bristol is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

Bristol City Council has recorded a 71% reduction in carbon emissions from its direct activities against a 2005 baseline, surpassing a target to reduce emissions by 65% by 2020. The council will soon propose new targets in due course.

Councillor Kye Dudd, Cabinet Member for Energy and Transport said: “This is the second time the council has hit its carbon reduction target well ahead of schedule and is a clear marker for our continued commitment to build a carbon neutral Bristol.

“We’re incredibly proud of our energy projects and our ever-growing reputation as a leading energy city. I’d like to thank officers across a number of teams for all their hard work in achieving this target and for continuing to strive for further carbon reductions.”

Green growth

The council sourced 21GWh of energy generation from solar, wind and biomass in 2018, enough to power 24,000 homes for a month.

Projects including street lighting upgrades, increasing renewable energy stocks, implementing energy efficiency measures and closing certain corporate estate buildings all contributed to the achievement.

Bristol City Council is also rolling out city-wide projects to assist with wider carbon reductions outside of its direct impact. Heat networks and a City Leap initiative to transform the city’s energy infrastructure and ecosystem have been introduced.

The former European green capital has already connected its first private housing development to the heat network, and has saved more than £1m from street light upgrades.

The University of Bristol, meanwhile, has launched an employee engagement scheme to encourage staff to improve sustainability and wellbeing both on campus and at home.

It is hoped these innovations will drive the city towards its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030 – 20 years ahead of the original target set in 2015.

Matt Mace

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