Falkirk Council members take a look at seven-year strategy to battle climate change

Setting out how the council will significantly reduce its carbon footprint and become a greener local authority, the Climate Change Strategy 2023-2030 also highlights ways it will meet organisational, national and legal carbon emission targets.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adapting to the effects of climate change and securing a just transition and green economic recovery are the central themes

underpinning the strategy.

A Falkirk Council spokesperson said: "The council recognises achieving a net zero carbon position by 2030 with the financial challenges it faces will be significant,

however, officers will continue to take all necessary steps in working towards this ambitious local target.

“The far-reaching strategy sets out several approaches the council should take in order to reduce carbon emissions locally while supporting global efforts to tackle climate change.

"These include reducing emissions in operational council buildings and supporting residents in the Falkirk area to reduce their energy related emissions, decarbonising

the council fleet and encouraging residents to choose more sustainable travel choices.

"It also looks to support the reduction in waste sent to landfill in line with national policy.”

Since the last climate emergency update in 2022, work has gone in to quantify the council’s position in terms of progress toward the organisational 2030 net zero target

and the national emissions reduction target of 75 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030.

This year, Falkirk Council’s emissions were seven per cent lower than they were in 2021/22 – the largest annual reduction achieved since the Council started reporting on emissions in 2013/14, contributing to an overall 25 per cent reduction in that time.

An estimated 19,522 tonnes of carbon equivalent savings have been identified through actions such as the Non-Domestic Energy Efficiency project, alternative fuel

sources such as hydrogenated vegetable oil, electrification of the council fleet, and a visionary new project converting the council’s residual waste to energy.

At Tuesday’s meeting councillors will hear how the estimated carbon emissions saving from these projects equates to the electricity consumption emissions of more t

han 34,000 households in the UK, based on average energy usage figures from Ofgem.