Council takes step forward in meeting sustainability pledge

14 February 2023

At the Cabinet meeting on Monday, 13 February, West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) presented its baseline emissions report for 2021-22; taking a step forward in meeting its sustainability goal to be net zero by 2030.

Sustainability is high on the agenda for WNC with work already underway to make West Northants a sustainable place to live. In response to the UN’s 2030 Sustainability agenda, the United Kingdom has adopted its own sustainability agenda. The Government called upon local authorities to support in delivering these targets.

This report provides a robust set of baseline CO2e emissions data for the Council’s first year, April 2021 – 31 March 2022 and outlines WNC’s intentions to eliminate or reduce these. Establishing the baseline for WNC emissions will enable the Council to develop a detailed emissions reduction plan and monitor progress towards our targets.

Publishing our emissions report is a pivotal step to ensuring we not only meet our target of being net zero by 2030 but go above and beyond this. To achieve our net zero goals will be challenging, and it will involve all of us across West Northants, nevertheless we’ve seen it as vital for the council to establish what it’s own current emissions are, so that we can monitor them and report reduction number to the public.

By understanding our current CO2e emissions, we can ensure that we take the right steps to reduce these and put measures in place to protect our environment for years to come. Whilst the emissions report is vital in tracking our environmental sustainability, a great deal of work is also being done to ensure future social and economic sustainability, for both present and future generations. 

We are embarking on a bold new approach to make West Northamptonshire a more sustainable place to live and work. Steps that the council is taking are many and varied, from having removed single single use cups in our offices, to increased solar energy, and considering how we can invest in electric powered waste vehicles to reduce our outputs. 

We would encourage residents, businesses and other organisations to visit our website and review the emissions report, and also make a pledge to live a more sustainable lifestyle, inspiring others to come on this journey with us.Councillor Jonathan Nunn, Leader of West Northamptonshire Council

There are three key Sustainability Pledges which outline WNC’s primary commitments, which are to:

• Net Zero the Council’s own emissions by 2030 and those of residents and businesses by 2045
• Take a community leadership role for Sustainability in West Northants
• Ensure all Council strategies and policies are aligned to and contribute to the delivery of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

View the emissions report, make your sustainability pledge, and find out more on our Sustainable West Northants page