Positive environmental progress marks strong step towards carbon reduction

22 Jan 2026

West Suffolk Council’s latest environmental performance report reveals continued progress toward reducing carbon emissions and enhancing sustainability efforts.

The data for 2024 to 2025 shows that there has been a 34 per cent reduction in the council’s own carbon emissions since 2010, even though the council’s operations have grown. As well as emissions in buildings, this progress includes the benefits of replacing some smaller fleet vehicles with electric alternatives.

Alongside this, there has been an increase in the council’s generation of renewable energy of 8 per cent in just one year, due to the success of installing additional solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on council buildings and leisure centres during 2023 to 2024. The council’s continued efforts to decarbonise its buildings has led to West Suffolk Council being named the top performing district council in the buildings and heating category of the environmental scorecard issued by Climate Emergency UK.

The importance of the council’s continued investment in parks towards delivering its ambition for a thriving West Suffolk, has been recognised again with the retention of Green Flag status for Aspal Close Nature Reserve in Beck Row, Brandon Country Park, East Town Park in Haverhill, Nowton Park and the Abbey Gardens in Bury St Edmunds, and West Stow Country Park.

Environmental work is not just limited to West Suffolk parks; over 160 trees were planted on council land during 2024 to 2025. Planting more trees, such as the black poplar tree planted at No Man’s Meadow in Bury St Edmunds, increases the biodiversity of an area by providing a wildlife habitat, enhancing green spaces, supporting the local ecosystems and absorbing carbon dioxide.

While, through wider environmental initiatives, the council already saves more carbon indirectly than it emits directly, new demands mean the authority’s own target to achieve net zero has been moved back to the more realistic date of 2039. For example, government-led initiatives such as Better Recycling, increase the demand for new waste collecting vehicles at a time when alternative technology is not yet practical to operate in large rural areas. However, while this temporarily increases emissions association with delivering key services, it will have immediate net benefits in terms of a higher recycling rate.

Wider energy efficiency improvements such as converting streetlights to light emitting diode (LED) lanterns through the council’s own Decarbonisation Initiative Fund (DIF) have played a major role in reducing carbon dioxide emissions. West Suffolk Council worked alongside parish and town councils to convert approximately 1,600 streetlights using the DIF. The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) saved from the conversion is the equivalent of removing approximately 138 cars from the road each year. 

Offering convenient, accessible charging options for electrical vehicle (EV) drivers is part of the council’s ongoing commitment to promote sustainable transport growth. With new chargers installed across West Suffolk in public car parks such as The Guineas Shopping Centre in Newmarket, the amount of energy delivered to drivers has powered approximately 546,241 miles. 

Cllr Gerald Kelly, Cabinet Member for Governance, Regulatory and Environment, said: “The results from the past year have clearly shown that we are moving in the right direction towards our long-term goal of reducing carbon emissions and increasing our environmental resilience as an organisation.

“We are proud of the progress made, but we also recognise that this is just a small part of what is needed to secure a sustainable future for West Suffolk as a whole. For this reason, the council will continue to work with its partners through the Suffolk Change Partnership to support individuals and businesses to reduce their own environmental impact.”

For more information, visit: Tackling climate change 

To find out more about transitioning smaller fleet vehicles to electric, visit: Electric vehicles to drive down emissions in council services

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