Lewes District reports a 15% cut in carbon emissions

In its latest update on its climate change and sustainability strategy, Lewes District Council reports that there has been a 15% reduction in carbon emissions across the district since 2018, while council emissions have fallen 9.5%.

However, the council admits that Lewes district should be aiming for a year-on-year reduction of 13.3% to stay within its targeted carbon budget for 2020-2100

Actions to date to address emissions include the installation of 161 solar panels as part of the Solar Together scheme (which are forecast to reduce carbon emissions by almost 3,000 tonnes of carbon in their lifetime), procurement of a supplier for electric vehicle charge points and vehicle anti-idling campaigns at local schools.

Plans for 2023/24 include a focus on the installation of electric vehicle charging points across the district, (with the district on course to have 58 EV charge points in 10 car parks by early 2023), funding to help set up two car clubs in Seaford and Newhaven, and supporting Ouse Valley Climate Action, which recently received £2 million in funding from the National Lottery.

Lewes District Council is also one of the first six councils in England and Wales to pledge its support for a local climate bonds campaign to fund green projects. Local climate bonds would allow the council to raise money through crowdfunding, with residents able to invest from as little as £5. The council aims to issue its first bond in 2023.

To tackle the council’s own emissions, a fleet decarbonisation pathway is on track to reduce LDC vehicle fleet direct fossil fuel use by up to 90% by 2025 and create a zero-carbon fleet by 2030. A project to decarbonise the council’s housing stock in partnership with Brighton University is being progressed. Funding has also been earmarked to allow detailed energy surveys of council buildings, including leisure centres, to identify measures to make them more efficient.

Read the council’s full update here.