Renfrewshire Council has launched the first phase of its Plan for Net Zero which sets out how the area will work towards its ambitious aim of net zero emissions by 2030.
Working to five key themes of clean energy, sustainable transport, circular economy, connected communities and resilient place, the Council will play a leadership role by striving to become a net zero organisation while working closely with businesses, partners and stakeholders to make radical, but essential, changes.
Though Council-led, Renfrewshire’s Plan for Net Zero has been created collaboratively with local communities through regular meetings of the Renfrewshire Climate Panel, as well as surveying local businesses to identify how to make immediate and future change possible for the business sector.
Independent research was also commissioned into the area’s current emissions which showed transport was responsible for 34% and both commercial and residential energy usage contributed 29% respectively – meaning these three areas are responsible for 92% of Renfrewshire total emissions.
The research also outlined that the Council contributes only 2.5% of all emissions in Renfrewshire, reaffirming the Council’s leadership approach as it cannot tackle climate change with solely internal transformation.
In order to lead and enable the transition to net zero, Renfrewshire Council has committed to a number of internal and external actions under each theme, including exploring options for public bike share and electric vehicle car club schemes, creating a one-stop information service in partnership with local organisations, and working with education providers to ensure courses and training are available to allow access to the sustainable jobs which will be created in the coming years.
As an organisation, the Council will undertake a strategic review of all council-owned buildings to ensure they are energy-efficient, remove the need for petrol or diesel vehicles in the Council’s fleet by 2030 and identify how it can store more carbon on council land.
Councillor Jim Paterson, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Planning and Climate Change Policy Board, said: “A lot of work has already been done over recent years to work towards our ambitious council target of net zero emissions by 2030 and the work this plan sets out will ensure our future plans achieve maximum impact and create opportunities for a greener, fairer and sustainable way of life for all our residents, communities and businesses.
“By working with local businesses and communities, we can identify and understand barriers to change so we can help find solutions to support the significant changes that are needed to protect our environment right now and for future generations.
“As a Council, we are a low contributor to the overall emissions output, but we want to lead by example by considering climate change in every decision we take as we strive towards becoming a net zero organisation.
“We all have a part to play – from large scale businesses to each individual, and I strongly encourage everyone to engage with us, seek the support you need and reduce your emissions wherever possible, and this Council will do all it can to reach our ambitious net zero target by 2030.”
While implementing the first phase of the plan, the Council will continue work on Phase 2 and this will include a detailed road map setting out the area’s targets, quantified delivery plans, an emissions modelling tool, a carbon budget for Renfrewshire and an adaptation plan that will outline a programme of priority actions to respond to the impacts of climate change.
Already in place is a £1million Climate Change Action Fund which has supported 14 innovative projects and initiatives being developed by Council services in response to the climate emergency, including electric vehicles for the Council fleet, town centre climate resilience research, net zero grants for businesses, and feasibility studies into peatland restoration.
For more information on how Renfrewshire is tackling climate change and to see the Plan for Net Zero, visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/climatechange.