Cardiff commits to 60% cut in carbon emissions

Cardiff Council has joined forces with the Carbon Trust and made an ambitious commitment to reduce by 60% the authority's carbon emissions from non domestic buildings and waste by 2018.
 
The Council and the Carbon Trust announced this week that they are to work together to realise the energy saving opportunities already identified with the introduction of the council's Strategy and Implementation Plan. Cardiff is the first local authority in Wales to set such an ambitious target.
 
The Council's Executive Committee has stamped its approval on the plan which provides a focus for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy efficiency savings.

The plan was officially launched by Cllr Mark Stephens, Executive Member for Economic Development and Finance, and Mike Batt, Manager of the Carbon Trust in Wales, at Fitzalan High School today.

Fitzalan is one of Cardiff's schools making strides to minimise its carbon footprint. Having been audited by the Carbon Trust, the school is now working with the Council to implement recommendations identified by the Trust.

Examples of work already completed include the installation of a pool cover on the newly-refurbished swimming pool to reduce heating and ventilation costs, installation of lighting controls in some rooms and the use of energy efficient eco-quiet computers. One of these computers will be powered by a small wind turbine to demonstrate renewable energy to pupils.  .

The Strategy and Implementation Plan has been produced as part of the Council's participation since April 2006 in Phase 4 of the Carbon Trust's Local Authority Carbon Management' (LACM) programme. 

Involvement in the programme has enabled the council to benefit from practical advice provided by the Carbon Trust on ways to cut their carbon footprint and reduce energy costs in a sustained way. 

Since its establishment in 2002, the LACM has helped local authorities involved in the programme achieve these goals by improving energy management in areas under their direct control such as buildings, vehicle fleets and street lighting. 

Potential savings of £4.3m in the first five years have been identified from energy projects costing an estimated £1.7m and the council will be helped to achieve these savings through continued assistance from the Carbon Trust.

The council has a number of drivers for reducing its carbon emissions including compliance with Welsh Assembly Government targets, the need to tackle climate change, volatile energy prices and increasing European and UK legislation on energy use and carbon emissions from buildings & the treatment of municipal waste.

Executive Member for Economic Development and Finance, Cllr Mark Stephens, said: "Against a backdrop of major concerns about climate change and the spiralling costs of energy sources, with this plan, the Council is demonstrating its commitment to tackling the reduction of carbon emissions while making significant efficiency savings at the same time.

"The Council has a vision for the future of Cardiff as a Proud Capital but that vision must also embrace Cardiff as a Green Capital to counter one of the major challenges we are facing today."

Mike Batt, Manager of the Carbon Trust in Wales, said: "Cardiff Council's target to reduce carbon emissions is an example to all local authorities in Wales.  By joining the Carbon Trust's Local Authority Carbon Management programme the authority has been able to set an ambitious target, but our continued support will ensure they have the necessary backing to achieve this. 

Mike added: "Climate change is the biggest environmental threat currently faced by the UK and the reduction of carbon emissions, the main cause of climate change, should now be a key priority for all organisations, in both the business and public sector.

"Cardiff Council's commitment to the programme has been evident throughout and all the learning's from this will become extremely important as a template for other ambitious authorities throughout Wales and the rest of the UK, wishing to make business sense of climate change."

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