Bristol council meet carbon emissions goal two years ahead of schedule

Bristol City Council has achieved a target to reduce carbon emissions by 65% two years ahead of their 2020 goal.

The council achieved a 71% reduction of carbon emissions in 2017/18 (against a 2005 baseline).

The council has released an environmental performance report, detailing its carbon, energy, travel and water performance for the 2017/18 period which can be read here. They say they will soon be proposing a new target to cut ‘even more’ carbon emissions from its direct activities.

Cllr Kye Dudd, cabinet member for Energy and Transport said ‘This is the second time the council has hit its carbon reduction target well ahead of schedule and is a clear marker for our continued commitment to build a carbon neutral Bristol.

‘We’re incredibly proud of our energy projects and our ever-growing reputation as a leading energy city. I’d like to thank officers across a number of teams for all their hard work in achieving this target and for continuing to strive for further carbon reductions.

‘The council is willing and able to offer its expertise to support other organisations to reduce their carbon emissions and improve their overall environmental performance and it’s a great thing for us to be leading by example.’

Meanwhile, the council has been criticised for their handling of a government air quality directive to set out how they will comply with legal limits for nitrogen dioxide.

Last month, Defra minister Therese Coffey threatened them with legal action after missing two deadlines to produce an Outline Business Case for a Clean Air Zone in the city.

Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees expressed regret at missing the deadline saying it was ‘unavoidable’ because the council’s own modelling indicated the measures would have ‘significant adverse impacts’ on some of the poorest people in the region.