City sets out stall as green leader

City of York Council’s claim to be one of the greenest authorities in the north is looking up.

It has been working towards national targets to reduce carbon emissions and tackling climate change.

The council and its partners are working together to achieve these targets, which challenge York to reduce carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050 and move away from the dependency on fossils fuels to a new low carbon era.

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These targets have been incorporated in the council’s new Sustainable Energy Action Plan for York (SEAP) and the Climate Change Framework and Action Plan (CCFAP).

The new SEAP plan is part of a European campaign known as the Covenants of Majors and looks at the how to reduce energy consumption and generate local renewable energy across the city.

Future work may include building more environmentally friendly buildings, like the Eco Depot and the Eco Business Centre, and improving energy efficiency and installing photovoltaic panels on homes across the city.

Establishing energy efficient homes and less carbon intensive energy supplies across York is intended to have a wide array of benefits, including a secured local source of energy.

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The hope is that this could provide more energy efficient homes with reduced maintenance costs.

This will also work towards strengthening the local economy and providing longer term security for local heat and power supplies.

It is hoped these plans will help communities and businesses to be energy efficient in their buildings and harness renewable energy locally. The plans will also help York to realise its renewable energy potential and aim to develop, only where appropriate, renewable energy projects.

The Climate Change framework and Action Plan and the new SEAP will be available to view from May at: http://www.york.gov.uk/environment/sustainability/