Green fleet of vehicles helps Falkirk Council cut its carbon emissions by a third

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A report to the forthcoming meeting of Falkirk Council's executive highlights how it achieved its record 33 per cent reduction in carbon footprint over the last year.

The is the largest annual decrease in emissions since reporting began back in 2013/14, there was a lot of different factors which contributed to the council cutting its total emissions from 36,963 tonnes of CO2 last year to just 24,647 tonnes in 2024.

One of the primary contributors to this reduction – as councillors at the Thursday, October 10 meeting of the executive will hear – has been the council’s Waste to Energy contract, which replaced landfill with safe incineration to convert residual waste into energy, reducing emissions by approximately 95 per cent.

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Paul Kettrick, the council’s head of investment, assets, and climate, said: “The Waste to Energy project has delivered a significant reduction in emissions, helping us to make steady progress towards our long-term climate goals.

The council's ever growing green fleet of environmentally friendly vehicles was one of the major factors in it cutting down on carbon emissions (Picture: Submitted)The council's ever growing green fleet of environmentally friendly vehicles was one of the major factors in it cutting down on carbon emissions (Picture: Submitted)
The council's ever growing green fleet of environmentally friendly vehicles was one of the major factors in it cutting down on carbon emissions (Picture: Submitted)

“The report goes into detail of the many other actions we are taking and we are optimistic that elected members will welcome this progress during their discussions."

Falkirk Council is currently working towards a 75 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, in line with Scottish Government targets.

According to the latest figures, the council is 92 per cent of the way towards achieving this target, with several ongoing projects expected to help close the remaining gap.

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The report also points to the council’s investment in greening its fleet and improving energy efficiency in public buildings.

In 2024/25, the council allocated £3.2 million to purchase around 80 electric vehicles to help reduce emissions from council operations and support the transition to a lower-carbon transport system.

In line with the Scottish Government’s goals to decarbonise public buildings by 2038, energy efficiency improvements are ongoing across the council’s estate, including upgrades to heating systems and the installation of renewable energy technologies.

The report also seeks approval for £45,000 in funding over the next three years to support the Forth Climate Forest (FCF), which, since its launch in 2023, aims to plant 16 million trees across the Forth Valley area, offsetting carbon emissions and mitigating flood risks.

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