Oxford City Council cuts carbon emissions by 5% in a year

Oxford City Council achieved a five per cent yearly reduction in its carbon emissions in 2022/23.

The annual total of emissions for the council were shown to be 5,994 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) in its annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions report.

Each year, the council releases the report which measures the annual greenhouse gas emissions including energy and water use, fuel used in its fleet and emissions associated with business travel.

The council has a target to become net zero carbon across its own operations by 2030.

To do so, it aims to cut emissions by 10 per cent yearly, using the emissions levels of 2019/20 as a baseline.

Data gathered from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023, showed a five per cent fall in greenhouse gas emissions compared to those of 2021/22.

They fell from 6,314 tonnes in 2021/22 to 5,994 tonnes in 2022/23. This is up from a low of 4,985 in 2020/21, affected by the pandemic, but down from 7,425 in 2019/20 and 7,741 in 2018/19.

The council says it anticipates a "substantial" drop in greenhouse gas emissions for the 2023-24 year, owed to the installation of heat pumps at four of its leisure sites in 2023 - its highest energy users.

Councillor Anna Railton, deputy leader and cabinet member for zero carbon Oxford, said: "We are pleased with the steady progress we have made in reducing our emissions, but we acknowledge the challenges ahead.

Oxford city councillor Anna Railton (Image: Oxford City Council)

"We publish this annual data to be transparent and open about our journey to net zero and the work we are doing within our own organisation to address the climate emergency.

"Our commitment to achieving net zero by 2030 remains, and we are focusing on innovative projects and partnerships to accelerate our efforts."

The council is also continuing to utilise grants and schemes to enable carbon reduction measures to be installed across its buildings and estate.

By March 2025, five decarbonisation projects, funded by the Salix Recycling Fund, are planned to be completed at community and leisure centres and depots owned by the council.

The council said it will also continue to assess and review how it can further decarbonise heating across its sites.

In addition to striving to lower its own carbon imprint, Oxford City Council is working in close collaboration with businesses and organisations in the city through the Zero Carbon Oxford Partnership.

This network, including universities and hospitals, is working towards achieving net zero carbon emissions across the city as a whole by the year 2040 - 10 years ahead of the legal deadline set by government.