Mid Sussex District Council sets targets to become carbon neutral by 2050
An plan of action will now be prepared
Mid Sussex District Council has set its net zero targets mostly in line with those of the government – to be carbon neutral by 2050.
But an earlier target of 2040 has been set for emissions which the council can directly control, such as the energy and utilities used in its properties.
This adds up to just 2.6 per cent of the council’s emissions and 0.03 per cent of emissions across the district.
The targets were approved during a meeting of the full council on Tuesday (November 2) and an action plan will now be prepared.
When asked by a member of the public why the council had not copied many other local authorities and set targets of 2030, Stephen Hillier, cabinet member for economic growth & net zero, said the 2040/2050 targets were ‘more responsible’.
He added: “The net zero targets are based on significant evidence prepared by industry experts.
“We are proposing to set a more challenging target for emissions in our direct control as we can actively influence the achievement of this target.
“However, it is more difficult to set realistic and achievable targets in respect to the emissions the council cannot directly control.
“In this case, we are heavily reliant on the implementation of national legislation and policy to secure reductions in carbon emissions – for example ensuring our energy supplies are carbon zero.
“Therefore, we consider it responsible to align our target to the national target. Currently the national target is to achieve net zero in the UK by 2050.
“Councils have adopted different net zero targets. Unfortunately, not all of them are evidence-based and, in my view, may not be deliverable.
“In fact, I think I heard that something like 57 per cent of chief executives are not confident they are going to hit their targets, which is worrying for us all.”
Work on the net zero carbon programme has been carried out by specialist consultants Ricardo.
The firm worked out how much carbon was being emitted and from where, how feasible it would be to transition to carbon net zero, and by when.
It will now produce a plan laying out the action required to meet the targets.
The council paid £50,940 for these services, with another £11,015 to be paid for a deep-dive analysis of the council’s emissions and how the authority can most effectively influence its supply chain.
Mr Hillier said: “I would like this council to proceed as quickly as reasonably possible to reduce emissions as soon as possible, as the benefits of those savings will be felt by our environment for every year they are achieved.”
He told councillors they could do their bit ‘to inform communities about what they can do to bring them with us as enthusiastic partners on this most important of journeys’.