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 strategic priority for West Suffolk Council and further details can be found on the council's Strategic priorities webpage. 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. Since then the task force has become the Environment and Sustainability Reference Group, that reviews the progress of around 50 key tasks detailed within Environment and Climate Change Action Plan and the Annual Environmental Statement. The council's environmental sustainability work is also monitored by the Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee.

In May 2025 the council published its net zero roadmap which is a new full-costed timeline for achieving net zero. An infographic below contains key interventions against each milestone. Full details of the net zero roadmap can be found in the cabinet report Achieving Net Zero and in Appendix A: 2039 Net Zero Trajectory Modelling.

West Suffolk published their biodiversity duty report in March 2026, which outlines the policies and actions the council has taken to meet its biodiversity duties and have a positive impact on local biodiversity. The biodiversity report meets statutory duty under the Environment Act 2021 and sets out how we will continue to protect our natural environment across the district. Further information in relation to biodiversity can be found on the councils biodiversity webpage.

Download a screen reader accessible PDF of the West Suffolk Council Net Zero Roadmap

West Suffolk Council Net Zero Roadmap