Council accelerates fight against climate change

Wyre Forest District Council is set to cut carbon emissions and reduce energy bills by joining the Carbon Trust's Public Sector Carbon Management (PSCM) programme.

Wyre Forest District Council is one of 20 organisations participating in this phase of the Carbon Trust's programme. The 247 organisations who have participated on the first eight phases of the programme, have already implemented projects that over their lifetime are expected to save more than 3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide and over £100 million (net), with many more projects in the pipeline. 

The Carbon Trust has now worked with nearly half of England's local authorities through their Carbon Management programme, which provides public sector organisations with practical advice on cutting their carbon footprint and reducing energy costs. In the last phase of the programme, organisations on average committed to reduce their identified carbon emissions by 28% over five years.

Larissa Lockwood, Public Sector Manager at the Carbon Trust, said,

"Climate change is the biggest environmental threat facing the UK and the reduction of carbon emissions should now be a key priority for all public sector organisations. Improving energy efficiency, and therefore reducing energy bills, is crucial if local authorities are to make best use of tax payer's money.

 "Given the success of the previous phases of our Carbon Management programme, we're excited to be working with twenty more organisations, including Wyre Forest District Council, to establish good carbon management practice. The carbon and energy savings made so far as a result of the programme have been great, and we're looking forward to building on these achievements with the new participants."

Councillor Julian Phillips, Wyre Forest District Council's Cabinet Member for Place -Shaping, whose responsibilities include sustainability, said,

"Our participation in this programme, together with the construction of our new, highly energy efficient headquarters will enable us to plan and deliver carbon emission reductions and energy savings across our entire estate."

He added,

"The buildings currently occupied by the council are not energy efficient and this results in cost to the tax payer. The move to the new headquarters next year will prevent further unnecessary burdens to the council tax payer on simple things like excessive levels of heating during winter and electricity for cooling during summer."

The Public Sector Carbon Management programme is designed to help organisations embed carbon management into day-to-day business, and so reduce emissions under their direct control such as from buildings, vehicle fleets and street-lighting.  It provides practical support to help identify carbon saving opportunities, providing tools to analyse energy consumption and workshops for staff and senior managers to enable them to mainstream carbon management. 

Date of issue - 23rd June 2011