MALVERN Hills District Council says it is on track with its plan to reduce its own carbon emissions and achieve net zero by 2030.
During the authority’s last Executive Committee meeting last month, a progress report of the Destination Zero Plan was put forward, as well as an update on the achievements during 2021/22.
In 2019, MHDC approved a motion to declare a climate emergency and adopted the plan which set out the aim of achieving net-zero carbon emissions for the council’s own operations by 2030, as well as leading the district to be net zero by 2050 at the very latest.
The latest data shows MHDC’s own emissions for 2021/22 were 1,550 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (CO2e) – an 11 per cent reduction on the 2018/19 baseline when the Destination Zero plan was adopted.
Monitoring has revealed the council’s emissions are steadily falling, broadly in line with a trajectory to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030.
The latest available data shows that emissions in the overall Malvern Hills District in 2020 were 345.8 ktCO2e which equates to a 33 per cent decrease on the 2005 baseline.
The progress report also set out some key projects which developed last year.
The most notable included the launching of the Destination Zero crowdfunding programme to help community organisations reduce their carbon emissions, tackle climate change and improve the natural environment.
Funding was also provided to the Malvern Hills Car Club to set up satellite car clubs around the district and an online booking system. Membership was also promoted and vehicles were upgraded to EV cars.
A total of £545,000 of Government funding was successfully bid for through Phase 2 of the Green Homes Grant Local Delivery Scheme. This money is being used to provide energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades to households in the district.
Energy efficiency improvements were implemented to Malvern Theatres after the council successfully bid for £147,000 from the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.
And work has started on restoring 45 acres of council-owned land at Hallow to a species-rich wildflower flood meadow. The council is tracking progress to 2030 and beyond with ongoing monitoring and this month nearly 100 soil core samples were taken across the site.
Coun Beverley Nielsen, Malvern Hills District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Environmental Services, said the Hallow plan not only enabled the authority to become guardians of the land but also to deliver a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) offset income of between £600,000 and £1million which could then be invested in other local nature recovery projects.
“We are making important steps towards creating a greener and more sustainable district for years to come and will be monitoring progress by partners in receipt of funding too,” she added.
Visit the website at www.malvernhills.gov.uk/about-your-council/tackling-climate-change for more information.
