Green House Gas Emissions

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Green House Gas Emissions

The following graph shows the annual Green House Gas footprint of County Durham from the baseline year of 2005, including the most recent data sets up to 2022. These figures are provided by the Government’s department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy, BEIS. The amounts given are in kilo-tonnes of carbon dioxide, ktCO2. The figures for 2022 show a 46% reduction from 2005 figures.  The data is further broken down into the constituent components of these emissions or carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane.

Climate Emergency

On 20 February 2019, Durham County Council declared a climate emergency. The targets that are being worked to are:

    • Council Emissions – achieve net zero by 2030 by retaining the 80% actual carbon reduction target for Council emissions by 2030 whilst offsetting or further reducing remaining emissions.
    • Countywide Emissions – net zero by 2045 for countywide emissions (improved from 2050).

Meeting these two Climate Emergency Targets is the overarching aim of all of the Council’s work on carbon reduction within the authority and across the county.

Further information is available on the Climate- County Durham website and the Durham County Council website on the Climate Change page.

Climate Emergency Response Plan

The third Climate Emergency Response Plan (CERP3) was submitted and approved by Cabinet on 10th July 2024 and can be downloaded from the Climate Emergency Response page on the Durham County Council website. The CERP is accompanied by actions to reduce the Council’s and County Durham’s carbon emissions and includes actions the Council and its partners are delivering. The actions are grouped under the following themes:

    • Energy and Buildings
    • Transport and Connectivity
    • Business, Green Economy and Skills
    • Waste and Resources
    • Agriculture and Food
    • Natural Environment
    • Adaptation
    • Engagement

Durham County Council Emissions

The following graph shows the annual carbon footprint of Durham County Council from the baseline year of 2008/09 to the most recent year, 2023/24. These years run from April to March, in line with our financial year. The figures are calculated by the council’s Low Carbon Economy Team using actual invoice data, consumption records, and other information such as business mileage claims. The amounts are shown in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, tCO2e. In 2023/24 a reduction of 64% from 2008/09 levels was achieved.

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