Our long-term efforts to reduce carbon emissions are continuing to pay off after the latest figures show that we are ahead of schedule in our goal to reduce our emissions by 70 per cent by 2030.
The latest report on our carbon footprint shows that emissions continue to decline.
The total level of emissions we produced in 2022/23 was 19,400 tonnes (of carbon dioxide equivalent), a 56 per cent fall when compared to the 43,826 tonnes in our baseline year of 2012/13.
The figures take into account emissions created in areas such as our vehicle fleet, school transport and buildings.
Street lighting is one of our main sources of emissions and the latest figures show that these emissions fell by almost a quarter in 2022/23 when compared with 2021/22 (4,576 tonnes falling to 3,465 tonnes).
This is largely due to the project to convert all of Devon’s 79,000 streetlights and highways signals to LED lightbulbs and to put in better controls so that lights can be dimmed. This project is in its final stages and 90 per cent complete.
We have also completed retrofitting nine council buildings, increased the number of electric vehicles in our fleet while staff are travelling less when compared to pre-Covid and moved to agile working and video conferencing.
Other contributory factors that have reduced our carbon footprint include the reduced carbon intensity of the grid electricity we use.
More than half of the grid electricity we use in the UK now comes from non-fossil fuel sources.
Councillor Andrea Davis, DCC’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport said:
“I’m pleased to say that we are continuing to reduce emissions but more needs to be done if we are to achieve our target.
“Climate change is affecting our communities now; last winter was the wettest since records began, so it is therefore more important than ever that we continue to reduce emissions.
“We are updating our 2020 Carbon Reduction Plan with measures to ensure that we meet our ambitious target.
“For example, we propose to retrofit another 10 council buildings, maximise renewables on our estate and add more EVs to our fleet.
“We will look to offset the remainder of our emissions from 2030/31 from a variety of sources.
“We have already bought some carbon credits arising from tree planting certified to the Woodland Carbon Code and this year invested in credits from projects to reduce and sequester carbon from soils based on the UK Carbon Code of Conduct (UKCCC).
“We are pleased to be working with Nature Broking, and their partners UKCCC and Beyond Zero, and plan to explore how we can support land managers and farmers in Devon to capitalise on this potential source of income.”
Luke Baldwin, CEO of Nature Broking, said:
“We are delighted to be working with such a forward-thinking authority such as Devon County Council.
“They are leading the way in carbon reduction and unavoidable emissions mitigation.
“The UK Carbon Code of Conduct credit not only removes carbon from the atmosphere and restores habitat to improve outcomes for our UK wildlife, but also keeps farmers farming productively.
“The UKCCC and our partners, Beyond Zero, project developer to the sites focus on creating high-integrity local carbon offsetting projects that promote nature regeneration programs, with a goal to have a project in each county.
“Nature Broking is happy that DCC is highlighting our aim to help local authorities engage with carbon removals, whilst restoring nature on their own patch and, at the same time showcasing how the public sector can take the lead in stimulating private investment in nature.”
1 Devon and Cornwall water situation report April 2024 (publishing.service.gov.uk)