NORTH Somerset is 85 years away from achieving net zero emissions at current rates, it has been revealed.

In 2019, North Somerset Council committed to achieving net zero as a district and as a council organisation by 2030 — 20 years ahead of the UK government’s target of 2050.

But, at current rates, the district would miss that target by 78 years.

A report set to go before full council next week warns: “The current change in emissions reductions is not fast enough to meet our climate ambitions.”

Emissions are measured in CO2e, meaning a metric tonne of carbon dioxide or an amount of another greenhouse gas with the equivalent warming potential.

The report states: “At the current rate of reduction of 17 thousand tonnes of CO2e each year, it would take a further 85 years to reach net zero.”

A tool developed by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change to set climate budgets for local authorities recommends that North Somerset stay within a “carbon budget” of 6.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from 2020 until the end of the century.

The report states: “At current levels, this entire budget will be used by 2026.”

The biggest source of emissions in the district is transport, which is responsible for 42 per cent of North Somerset’s emissions.

Achieving the needed reduction in emissions is not possible for the council alone, the report adds, stating: “North Somerset Council can influence around 30 per cent of the territorial emissions. 

“We will not be able to reach net zero across the area without businesses and residents also taking significant action to support this goal.”

But the council itself is also “significantly off target” in its aim to be net zero as an organisation by 2030.

Despite an overall reduction in emissions of almost a quarter since 2018/19, the council’s emissions increased in 2021/22, and have since only had a “very slight decrease.”

More people using council facilities again after Covid was identified as a reason for the slow decrease in overall emissions, as it led to an increase in electricity use.

The report states: “Given our current carbon emissions we would need to reverse the recent trend of increased emissions, and instead accelerate the reduction in emissions to an average of 551 tonnes every year to hit our net zero target of 2030.”

Buildings are one of the council’s biggest sources of emissions.

Government funding is periodically available to decarbonise public sector buildings but the “extremely tight timescales” have made it difficult to bid for.

The report states: “The exact date on which the window for bids opens is not confirmed until a few days in advance, and once the window is opened, it re-closes again as soon as enough bids have been submitted to claim the available funding.”

It added that the criteria for funding could change and the window to apply was often only open for 20 minutes.

The council is now considering giving officers the authority to apply for up to £10m of this funding, in consultation with executive members, without having to go through the normal approval processes, in order to get bids for this funding in on time.

A restructure at the council is also planned to set up groups to oversee and report on its climate action.

A “net zero pathway” will also be developed to identify the council’s most significant sources of emissions and prioritise actions to reduce them.

Recent investment in North Somerset’s buses, ongoing decarbonisation work at the council’s Campus building, and the “bright green homes” project energy efficiency project are all hoped to contribute towards lowering emissions across the district.

The second round of the net zero business support scheme also launched this week, through which community interest companies and eligible small to medium sized businesses can apply for grants of up to £30,000 to install renewables or increase energy efficiency.

Businesses can apply for a free carbon survey before the end of September 2023 to be eligible for the grant. Businesses can apply here: https://innorthsomerset.co.uk/ukspf/year-2/net-zerobusiness-grants-programme/

But the council is also planning a ‘climate emergency adaption plan’ to prepare the area for the impacts of climate change which, in North Somerset, are identified as more flooding, higher temperatures, and more instances of extreme weather over the coming years.

The report and its recommendations will go before North Somerset Council’s full council meeting on September 19.