Tackling climate change

Our track record

We have a good track record of reducing our impact on climate change and have been monitoring this since 2010.

Tackling climate change while protecting and improving our environment is a priority for West Suffolk Council. A summary of our approach can be found in our Environmental Policy Statement

West Suffolk Council declared a climate change and biodiversity emergency and in 2019 established a task force The taskforce produced a road map of around 50 initiatives and each year publishes an environmental statement on progress West Suffolk Council Environmental Statement 2022-23. This includes carbon budgeting to measure progress.

The initiatives focus on things we can achieve:

• through direct control
• through working in partnership
• through lobbying central Government for change.

In June 2023 a Sustainability and Environment Working Group was set up to review the council’s progress on its action. Its report and updated plan, that was approved by Cabinet, West Suffolk Environment and Sustainability Working Group 2023 Report September 2023 -  Environment and Climate Change Action Plan Update 2023

Following the introduction of the Environment Act 2021, West Suffolk Council as a public authority must consider how to conserve and enhance biodiversity in the area. This ‘biodiversity duty’ requires West Suffolk Council to:

• consider what we can do to conserve and enhance biodiversity
• agree policies and specific objectives based on our consideration
• act to deliver these policies and achieve our objectives.

More information on this requirement can be viewed at: West Suffolk Council Complying with the biodiversity duty