Council announces plan to achieve net zero carbon by 2030
One of eight electric vehicles that will drive North Norfolk District Council's daily street cleaning operations. - Credit: North Norfolk District Council
A council has set out an "ambitious" three-phase plan to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) presented its carbon reduction strategy at the Greenbuild festival, the region's biggest green lifestyle event, which ran virtually this year from November 1 to 12.
More than 600 households - with some from as far away as Australia - tuned in to the showcase which coincided with the Cop26 summit on climate change in Glasgow.
North Norfolk District Council's Greenbuild festival coincided with the Cop26 summit in Glasgow. - Credit: Archant
The council's environment forum, working with Net Zero East, outlined how it is planning to fulfil its commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030 with a three-phase plan.
Phase one involves the council looking at how it will decarbonize its own operations and estates and phase two will seek to lead the wider decarbonization agenda across the district.
Phase three will then look at how the organisation can empower others to reduce their carbon footprint.
The work will involve collaboration with private and public sectors.
In 2018/19, the authority's carbon emissions were 6,633 tonnes, equivalent to each NNDC staff member taking four round-trips to Sydney every year.
The figures place the council, which in 2019 was one of the first local authorities in Norfolk to declare a climate emergency, roughly in the middle among other councils in the UK.
Chris Packham spoke as part of North Norfolk District Council's online Greenbuild festival. - Credit: Sarah Lucy Brown
The Greenbuild Festival also saw TV presenter Chris Packham give a talk in which he said that closing some car parks could be one way of limiting negative effects on environmentally sensitive areas such as north Norfolk.
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Councillor Nigel Lloyd, NNDC’s portfolio holder for environmental services, climate change and environment, said: "Greenbuild was a truly brilliant event that allowed us to shine a light on a range of climate change and environmental issues, where we asked big questions like ‘what does the future hold for north Norfolk?' to smaller, yet pertinent discussions such as ‘What can I do to reduce my own impact on the environment?'
Nigel Lloyd, NNDC's portfolio holder for environmental services. - Credit: Nicholas Manthorpe
"The events were thought provoking and helped us collectively to understand what a brighter, greener more sustainable North Norfolk might look like."
