Councillors to get update on progress towards net zero carbon

The county council's environmental policy that was agreed by Full Council in November 2019 commits the authority to an ambitious target of achieving net zero carbon by 2030.

Since then officers have been working on a wide range of carbon cutting and environmentally friendly improvements including progress towards decarbonising council owned buildings, installation of a further 44 electric vehicle charge-points at County Hall, and development of strategies to boost cycling and walking in King's Lynn, Great Yarmouth and Norwich.

Now councillors will also be considering a proposal to commission a Climate Action Plan to help make sure residents, businesses and county councillors can get involved and help shape this broad programme of activity in the months and years ahead.

Cllr Andy Grant, Cabinet Member for Environment and Waste, said: "We're working towards a goal of the county council achieving net zero carbon by 2030. This is an ambitious target and requires improvements and actions to be taken across every department.

"Significant progress has already been made and our ambitions are already embedded into our work, from the local transport plan to the creation of the fascinating Norfolk Trees and Hedges Map, which is a first-of-its-kind interactive tool that will be used to identify areas of the large County Farms estate that can be enhanced to create biodiversity corridors."

As part of work already underway more Roadside Nature Reserves will be created, and a Pollinator Action Plan has seen a new pollinator-friendly verge cutting approach adopted as part of the countywide Natural Norfolk programme.

The wide ranging report also highlights that Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service is planning to move parts of its fleet across to electric and hybrid vehicles this year as part of Norfolk County Council's commitment to reduce carbon emissions.

The service will shortly be leasing 35 plug-in hybrid vehicles for officer emergency response vehicles. The leasing contract will allow for early exchange if the charging infrastructure is in place over the next couple of years to allow for full electric vehicles. The service is also planning for six full electric vehicles and a further 10 which will be either electric or hybrid. There are also plans to add 15 fully-electric vans to the fleet.

Cabinet will consider the report when it meets at 10am on Monday 4 April. Watch the meeting, live or afterwards .