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A draft plan to become a net zero organisation by 2030 has been revealed by the City of Edinburgh Council.
Councillors will consider a draft report outlining some of the first steps the Council could take in its own operations, to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change.
The draft plan commits the Council to:
• Ensuring that all new council operational buildings are constructed to the highest energy criteria and using alternatives to gas boilers for heat as a standard
• A £0.6million investment in scoping and planning for the retrofit of existing Council buildings so they can meet the highest energy efficiency standards.
• A plan for electrifying all Council car and van fleets
• An immediate improvement to school recycling facilities
• Investing in the organisations funding capacity and expertise
• Investing in a programme of staff training to develop climate knowledge and skills.
The draft Council Emissions Reduction Plan follows on from the Council signing the Edinburgh Climate Commission's Climate Compact in December 2020 where it committed to make changes to its operations, transport and buildings to reduce its emissions footprint and support the city’s target of net zero by 2030.
Councillor Adam McVey, City of Edinburgh Council Leader said: "The Council's carbon emissions have fallen by 62% since 2005/06, well above the 42% target we were aiming to hit by 2021. We’ve made particular progress in recent years, with a 51% reduction since 2017/18.
"This ambitious plan aims to build on that success and sets out some of the first steps we’ll need to take across our major emissions sources, to become a net zero organisation by 2030.
"Although the Council's own emissions only account for 3% of Edinburgh's total emissions, we need to lead by example in our own work to show others what’s possible.
"The journey to net zero emissions will undoubtedly be difficult, but we have a track record of delivery and firm commitment to deliver on our responsivities to future generations.
"By taking action on climate change and committing to a 10-year strategic approach to deliver a net zero organisation, we’ll not only deliver environmental benefits but deliver wider health, economic and welling benefits for the whole city."
