The Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the Council’s progress towards reducing its emissions of greenhouse gases by 50% by 2020 and to zero carbon by 2050.  The report showed that the Council has continued to make reductions of carbon emissions and had exceeded its 2020 target three years early, with a 16.1% reduction in corporate emissions and a 13.1% reduction in emissions within the wider influence of the Council against the previous year’s levels (2016/17). 

The report explained that the 2017/18 carbon footprint for the Council’s corporate activities was 53.9% lower than the baseline emissions in 2008/09, exceeding the 2020 target.  The total renewably generated energy in 2017/18 had been equivalent to 6.1% of energy used in buildings.  The slow progress had primarily been due to national policy changes but also due to the challenges associated with providing renewable heat.  In addition, Reading Transport Ltd continued to invest in its bus fleet to reduce the impact on the environment and improve its efficiency.

The report stated that on-going and new initiatives would support further reductions; these included investments in energy efficient technologies in buildings programmes such as the town hall, leisure sites and the Bennet Road depot.  A coordinated energy awareness and training programme and sustained improvements in data capture and analysis would also play an important part.  A number of renewable energy and storage technologies would be tested in a new EU match funded project for which the Council was awaiting confirmation of funding.

The full Reading Borough Council Greenhouse Gas Protocol Report 2017-18 was provided in Appendix 1 of the report.

Resolved –

(1)        That the continued reduction of carbon emissions for 2017/18, with the emissions from the Council’s corporate activities 53.9% lower than the baseline emissions in 2008/09, exceeding the 2020 target by 3.9% three years ahead of scheduled be noted.  The emissions from the Council’s wider activities (including schools and managed services) being 38.1% lower than the baseline emissions in 2008/09;

(2)        That the total renewably generated energy in 2017/18 was equivalent to 4.5% of the total energy use of the Council, or 6.1% of energy used in buildings, be noted.  In addition, it was recognised that the 2020 renewable energy target continued to be challenging following the significant changes to the ‘Feed in Tariff’ incentive scheme made by the government in 2015/16, and its forthcoming withdrawal in April 2019;

(3)        That the delivery of the carbon plan by resourcing ongoing investment in low carbon technologies and initiatives to recue energy costs and the carbon footprint of Council operations subject to budget approvals, continue to be supported.