27.08.19
Herefordshire Council hits 2020 carbon reduction target early
Reducing carbon emissions has been a key talking point for councils in recent months and years, with ambitious targets having been set out going forwards.
Councils and other public sector organisations have made huge strides in attempting to cut down their harmful greenhouse emissions. One such local government body, Herefordshire Council, to have set a forward-thinking, CO2 reduction target has in fact already hit its 2020 carbon reduction target early.
According to the latest Greenhouse Gas Report (2018/19), Herefordshire Council has delivered a 43% reduction in CO2 emissions. Initially, the council had outlined an aspiration of 40% reduction by the end of 2020, a goal they achieved and exceeded more than a year early.
The council achieved this reduction through a number of ‘invest to save’ projects, including LED lighting, renewable energy generation and use, greener vehicles and wider energy efficiency projects.
Herefordshire Council is seeking to be carbon neutral by 2030.
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Councillor Trish Marsh, cabinet member for environment, economy and skills, said: “Herefordshire Council is committed to leading a local reduction in carbon emissions.
“As a Local Authority, delivering a wide variety of services across the county, our carbon emissions come from many sources including running council buildings, contractor fleets, street lighting, staff travel at work and schools' gas and electricity. This presents many opportunities to deliver reductions in our carbon emissions.
“Projects such as the solar PV at the HARC and LED street lighting are great examples of projects that both deliver environmental benefits and help to reduce the council’s running costs. I am delighted to see such excellent progress to date and look forward to addressing the significant but exciting challenges posed by our latest aspirational target of being carbon neutral by 2030.”