10-year vision to protect our environment brought forward by Council

A strategy aimed at reducing greenhouse gases to prevent climate change and protect us all is set to be considered by councillors.

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council's Environmental Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Strategy 2022-2032 is based on four key aims, each with its own set of objectives.

Work to achieve the aims - achieving net zero carbon emissions, protecting and enhancing the natural environment, using resources efficiently to minimise waste, and adapting to the impact of climate change - will take place over the next decade.

Councillor Mike Smith, the Council's Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: "For the Council, work on environmental sustainability is not new and a lot has already been achieved.

"In fact, we saw a 57.6 per cent reduction in our greenhouse gas emissions from 2009/2010 to 2019/2020. But we also know that a lot more needs to be done.

"We also know that we must work with a range of partners across different sectors to ensure that we can reach the aims set out in the strategy.

"We can all do our bit and we know there are lots of residents across the Borough who are passionate about climate change. We are of course keen to harness this to help drive a brighter future. Small changes, such as making sure appliances are switched off at the wall, can make a big difference.

"A great example of work set to be undertaken is the solar panels which will be installed at our Cowpen Depot, which we expect will save 17.86 tonnes of carbon annually."

The Environmental Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Strategy will be considered by the Council's Cabinet tomorrow (March 17).

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