Carbon management

The council's target is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from its operations by 30% over five years from 2007 levels. The way we will achieve this is set out in our Carbon Management Plan which is available to download here. Our Carbon Management Plan sets out our baseline emissions and lists the practical projects that we have identified to meet our target. To date the council has implemented a number of projects to reduce the amount of energy and fuel it uses to deliver its services.  These include:

• new joint waste management contract with the Vale of White Horse District Council using more efficient vehicles, fuels and routes
• staff energy awareness campaign at the council offices
• business mileage reduction
• improvements to leisure centre equipment, including more efficient lighting and pumps
• increased insulation in the council offices.

In 2010/11 the council successfully reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by 10%.

Greenhouse gas emissions

From 2011 onwards, the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) requires local authorities to measure and report their greenhouse gas emissions from their own estate and operations in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, an internationally recognised method for measuring greenhouse gas emissions.  A copy of the 2010/11 annual greenhouse gas emissions report is available to download here.  the report shows that between 2009/10 and 2010/11 council greeenhouse gas emissions fell by 5 per cent.