Politics & Council · Wiltshire-wide
Wiltshire Council facing climate target failure as carbon emissions rise
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
Wiltshire Council is falling behind its pledge to become carbon neutral by 2030, with a new report showing a rise in county-wide emissions and delays to internal reduction projects.
Wiltshire Council is at risk of missing its ambitious target to become carbon neutral by 2030, with a new update revealing that emissions across the county have risen for the first time in recent years. Councillors are set to review the findings next Thursday, which highlight a widening gap between the local authority's climate emergency commitments and the current reality.
Data within the report indicates that county-wide carbon emissions increased by 0.7 per cent in 2024. While overall emissions remain 44.5 per cent lower than they were in 2005, the council's official 'high-ambition' pathway required a much steeper decline. To stay on track for the 2030 target, the report suggests emissions should have fallen to 59 per cent of 2019 levels; instead, they currently stand at 87.1 per cent. Officers have warned that this puts the county significantly outside its planned trajectory.
The rise in emissions is attributed to increases in waste, domestic heating, and public sector activity. The council maintains that it only has direct control or influence over approximately 30 per cent of the emissions produced within the county, placing a heavy reliance on national government policy and funding to bridge the remaining gap.
Council decarbonisation projects stalled
Beyond the wider county figures, the council faces separate challenges regarding its own operational goal to be a carbon-neutral organisation by the end of the decade. Although the authority has achieved an 82 per cent reduction in its own emissions since 2019, progress has stalled recently.
The report highlights that emissions from council-owned buildings are 33.9 per cent higher than planned for the current year. This shortfall is largely due to a pause in decarbonisation works prompted by current budget pressures. The situation has been further complicated by the conclusion of the Government's Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, a funding stream that had previously been essential for supporting major energy-efficiency upgrades on council property.
Despite these setbacks, senior officials insist that the 2030 goal remains achievable. The council is currently developing a new programme focused on renewable energy projects, building insulation, and further energy-efficiency measures. Members are expected to debate how to fund these initiatives, with potential avenues including a mix of council investment, external grants, and new partnership models. The report concludes that while there has been significant progress in previous years, the scale of the remaining work is substantial.
Source: Wiltshire Times · View original