Decision details

The Cabinet will be asked to consider the final recommendations of the Environment and Climate Change Taskforce. The Taskforce was established to ensure that the Council uses the opportunity to review and assess its existing activities to reduce carbon emissions, whilst protecting and enhancing the environment. The list of recommendations sets out a range of initiatives as well as the timeframe for projects and programmes, which the Council could deliver alongside our partners and the community to achieve a net zero carbon district ambition. Some of the recommendations in relation to the aforementioned have budgetary implications and therefore the Cabinet will be asked to note these at the current time and consider them later as part of the budget setting process, as appropriate.

RESOLVED:

That:

1.       the Council be committed to working towards achieving net zero greenhouse gas (carbon) emissions by 2030 as set out in section 4 of Report No: CAB/WS/20/045; 

2.       the high-level road map to achieve net zero, be approved, as set out in section 4 and Appendix 2 noting it will need to develop as technologies and funding opportunities change;

3.       a carbon budgeting approach be introduced to support the net zero ambition, as set out in section 5; 

4.       the immediate actions the Council can take to support its journey to net zero, be agreed, as set out in section 3;

5.       the longer term actions the Council could consider as part of 2021/22 service and budget planning process, be noted, as set out in section 6; and

6.       the communications plan, be approved, as set out in section 7.