EFFORTS from Wychavon to reduce its carbon emissions have put the council on track to achieve its climate goals.
Wychavon’s Intelligently Green Plan, published in 2020, set challenging targets to reduce carbon emissions as the council’s response to tackling the climate emergency.
An annual update has revealed Wychavon is on track to meet its pledges, with carbon emissions from council services falling by 39% in 2023/24 – 1,181 tonnes less than the 2018/19 starting point. The target is a 75% cut by the end of the decade.
Using Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) in waste collection and park maintenance vehicles saved 200 tonnes of carbon emissions, while upgrades to Wychavon’s Civic Centre headquarters, and buying renewable electricity, also helped.
To hit the target, upgrades to Wychavon’s leisure centres, which account for 66 per cent of the council’s carbon footprint, are needed.
Detailed designs for a low carbon heating system with solar panels at Evesham and Pershore leisure centres has being developed, with a funding bid planned for the autumn.
Droitwich Spa Leisure Centre’s upgrade this summer will include energy efficiency measures like air source heat pumps, solar panels, and LED lighting.
Wychavon aims to lead the district to halve its carbon emissions by 2030. Emissions for 2022 – the latest available – show a 31 per cent reduction, thanks to progress decarbonising the national electricity grid and renewable energy in homes.
Travel remains a challenge, with not enough people switching to walking and cycling for shorter journeys. Electric vehicle growth has also slowed, but sales in 2023/24 were almost three times higher than in 2018/19.
The district’s low carbon economy is on track to double by 2030 and is now worth 381.1 million – up 51% from 2018/19. The industry employs more than 2,100 people and is set to grow by
£447 million over the next five years. Renewable electricity generation has more than doubled since 2014 to 200,664 Megawatt Hours, with a goal to treble it by 2030.
Studies are underway to measure if Wychavon will meet its commitment to capturing 500 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.
Several schemes have contributed to this target including further development of Avon Meadows in Pershore, improvements to Coney Meadow in Droitwich Spa, and the planting of 13,472 trees through the Trees Call to Action Project with Heart of England Forest.
Councillor Beverley Hardman, Wychavon’s Executive Board Member for Boosting Natural Capital, said: “Being Intelligently Green is all about combining sensible investment with the right actions.
“I’m delighted our approach is paying off. Together we’re making meaningful progress towards a cleaner, greener, more sustainable future.”
Visit www.wychavon.gov.uk/intelligentlygreen for more information.
