Council's Climate Change Duties

Councillors on the city’s Climate, Environment and Biodiversity Committee are to be asked to note Dundee City Council’s Public Bodies Climate Change Duties Annual Report for 2023/24.

The latest analysis has found that the Council’s total organisational emissions have reduced by 51.8% since 2007/2008.

In 2014, the Scottish Government announced its intention to use powers in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 to introduce annual Public Bodies Climate Change Duties reporting. The Council continues to report yearly on this duty.

Committee Convener Cllr Heather Anderson said: “As a Council, we’ve seen an overall reduction of 51.5% in our total carbon emissions since the baseline of 2007/2008, which is a significant achievement. Unfortunately, we always suspected that our emissions would increase again post Covid and they have. Whilst last year’s increase is deeply disappointing, we are still down on pre-pandemic levels and remain committed to continuing the decarbonisation of our public assets and energy use.

“In the last year we have collaboratively developed and published our Net Zero Transition Plan and the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy. These documents clarify the actions we must now take to ensure we both reduce emissions and move to a clean, non-fossil fuel energy source and our focus must now shift to larger scale delivery.”

Fair Work, Economic Growth & Infrastructure Convener Cllr Steven Rome added: “The findings and annual reporting allow us to garner a greater understanding of what is having a beneficial impact.

“Latest findings suggest further investment in energy efficiency retrofit measures as well as the transition away from natural gas towards low or zero carbon heating in the Council’s building stock will have the greatest impact in reducing energy consumption in buildings and subsequent carbon emissions that arise.”

The Climate, Environment & Biodiversity Committee will meet on Monday 18th November 2024.