Reducing carbon emissions

Reducing carbon emissions is important. Bedford Borough has led on this in many respects, and indeed won awards. We need to do more and we need to do it quickly.

It is clear to see why action needs to be taken, we have all seen the fantastic David Attenborough documentaries and most nights the news tells us about this latest climate horror stories facing our planet. We, in Bedford Borough, need to play our part.

Back in 2011, Mayor Dave Hodgson announced our target to reduce the council's carbon emissions by 40 per cent, via our bold Carbon Management Plan. We sometimes referred to it as an 'aspirational' target, and certainly if felt daunting at the time. We have so far reduced carbon emissions in council buildings by 62%!

Mayor Dave and his team have supported a wide range of energy-saving, carbon-cutting projects from solar panels on village hall roofs to insulated doors at a church to upgraded heating systems in schools. We have recently relaunched the Climate Change Fund to enable us to continue supporting similar projects.

Our new Climate Change Committee has recently agreed the baseline for our carbon emissions of 7,276 tonnes for 2018/19. We are committed to reducing this to net carbon neutral by 2030.

Bedford Borough Council has already undertaken a number of renewable energy generation projects such as solar panels on council building and the Archimedes screw on the River Great Ouse and have replaced our street lighting with LEDs. The Council has also planted a record number of trees in both the previous two years.

At the most recent meeting of the Climate Change Committee it was agreed to switch to a renewable electricity contract and that the Council will not purchase any more fossil fuel vans (under 3.5t) and will replace our fleet with electric vehicles over the coming years. The Council is also looking at increasing our generation of renewable energy and looking at funding opportunities to achieve this on a large scale.

Mayor Dave said "I am keenly aware reducing the council's emissions is only part of the solution and we will be working with local business, charities and the voluntary sector as well as local residents to help encourage everyone to reduce emissions. To this end, I am asking you if you have any ideas - big or small - on how we can reduce emissions, please do send me your suggestions to Dave@MayorDave.org.uk