Agenda item

The report updates Cabinet on the progress made in tackling the Climate and Ecological Emergencies in 2024/25, both as a Council and as a wider district.

Cllr Sarah Warren, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Bath and North East Somerset, introduced the item, moved the officer recommendation and made the following points:

•   2024 saw record rises in atmospheric CO? and methane, intensifying global heating.

•   The UK experienced four heatwaves this year during its hottest summer on record.

•   The COP30 in Belem, Brazil highlights insufficient global commitments, risking 2.5°C warming.

•   The International Court of Justice suggests that climate reparations may be due from non-compliant nations.

·  Renewables are accelerating globally, but climate denial from major emitters like the US poses challenges.

  Bath & North East Somerset Council continues to lead among similar local authorities on climate and ecological action.

•   Carbon emissions in B&NES have halved per person over 20 years.

•   B&NES Council is ranked top among small provincial unitary authorities in the UK’s climate action scorecard.

·  The Council has added 15 electric vehicles to the council fleet; £10M has been budgeted for electric waste/recycling HGVs.

•   We have secured funding for the first new national forest in 30 years with Forest of Avon partners.

•   Rooftop solar panels have been installed on Bath Sports and Leisure Centre.

•   There are planned upgrades for Carrswood Adult Day Centre and Keynsham Civic Centre with solar/heat pumps.

·  Decarbonising buildings and transport remains a major challenge.

•   We are collaborating with the West of England Combined Authority to promote walking, cycling, and public transport.

•   We are supporting retrofitting of listed buildings via the Green Heritage Homes project.

·  £4M has been budgeted for further building decarbonisation.

•   We are exploring hydroelectricity at Pulteney Gate to power heat pumps in historic buildings.

•   There is a proposed increase in the Biodiversity Net Gain requirement from 10% to 20% in the new Local Plan.

Cllr Joel Hirst seconded the motion and made the following points:

·  The Council has developed strong partnerships and is taking action on the council-owned estate and vehicle fleet.

·  Across the authority emissions are down by 46% since 2005.

·  In B&NES we continue to have lower emissions per capita compared to the rest of the South West and England averages.

·  Decarbonising of transport remains one of our biggest challenges – we are slightly ahead in B&NES in Ultra Low Emission vehicles – but we need to do much more on EV chargers and more on supporting our bus network to get passenger numbers back to pre-Covid levels, with WECA support.

·  We need to deliver the new railway station at Saltford.

·  We are seeing high demand for cycle hangers, which are very popular across the authority.

·  In terms of the ecological emergency there is much to celebrate including:

o  The delivery in green infrastructure projects.

o  Tree planting in places like Rush Hill open spaces, Pennyquick.

o  The Bath River Line project.

o  The Somer Valley Rediscovered greenspaces.

Cllr Paul May welcomed the progress that has been made and the engagement of local communities in this work.

Cllr Matt McCabe highlighted the adaptions unit work and the installation of charging units so that the fleet can switch to electric vehicles.

Cllr Kevin Guy acknowledged the progress made and was pleased to note that the Council is a forerunner in this work.

RESOLVED (unanimously):

(1)  To note the progress made in tackling the Climate and Ecological Emergencies during 2024-25, as set out in the attachments to the report.

(2)  To approve the Annual Climate & Nature Progress Report before presentation of the report to Council on 20th November 2025.