Climate strategy and delivery plans
Wiltshire Council Climate Strategy (PDF, 7 MB)(opens new window) was adopted by full council in February 2022.
The Climate Strategy sets out the next five years of the council's journey to becoming a carbon neutral county, covering seven delivery themes: transport; built environment; waste; green economy; energy generation, storage and distribution; natural environment, food and farming; and carbon neutral council.
The Green and blue infrastructure, Wiltshire's Natural Environment Plan was also adopted, and both documents will now be used as frameworks for all forthcoming council policies and plans, to ensure the council is on track to meet its pledge to make Wiltshire Council carbon neutral by 2030, and its ambition to make the county of Wiltshire carbon neutral.
Climate Strategy delivery
The council and consultants 'Anthesis' have carried out studies showing the pathway to carbon neutrality for council operations and for key areas of Wiltshire county emissions.
Anthesis Report Wiltshire Council (PDF, 4 MB)(opens new window)
Anthesis Report Wiltshire County, March 2022 (PDF, 7 MB)(opens new window)
The Climate Strategy Delivery Plan for Wiltshire 2022-2024 (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window), and the Carbon Neutral Council Plan 2022-2024 (PDF, 709 KB)(opens new window), set out how the council will be working to deliver the Climate Strategy.
These delivery plans have been informed by the following sources of evidence:
- Climate strategy questions and answers from stakeholder organisations and members of the public during the consultation on the Climate Strategy which took place in Autumn 2021, as reported to Cabinet (Item 21. Climate Strategy and update on council's response to the climate emergency) Agenda and minutes Cabinet - Tuesday 2 February 2021 10am (opens new window) in February 2022;
- Climate strategy and delivery plans studies by consultants Anthesis on the pathways to carbon neutral;
- Input from Wiltshire Council officers across many service areas, as to how the council might act on the pathways studies and Climate Strategy 'areas of focus' and what the actions should be;
- Consultation with Wiltshire Councillors, in particular Cabinet and the Climate Emergency Task Group. The task group developed two reports and recommendations covering energy, transport and air quality (see Agenda and minutes Environment Select Committee - Wednesday 13 January 2021 10.30 am (opens new window)) and planning (see Agenda and minutes Environment Select Committee - Wednesday 3 March 2021 10.30 am (opens new window)).
The council will continue to deliver carbon reduction work, focussing on the actions set out in the delivery plans for the period 2022-2024, which have been prioritised according to carbon savings, cost, feasibility and co-benefits, in line with the principles of the Climate Strategy (see page 8).
The council is incorporating Climate Strategy objectives into its annual service delivery planning, and will continue to provide information via our website, social media and community organisations to help increase awareness of climate change and provide practical steps to residents.
Information on what the council is already doing to combat carbon emissions and become resilient to climate change can be found in our twice-yearly updates to Climate emergency - latest progress.