Welsh councils call for continued investment to meet net zero target

The organisation which represents local authorities across Wales has called for continued funding to meet the Welsh Government’s target of a net zero public sector by 2030.

To date, 18 councils have received support from the government’s Low Carbon Heat Capital Grant, helping to decarbonise 70 public buildings – including schools, care homes, offices, leisure centres and community facilities.

These projects have replaced fossil fuel heating with low carbon systems such as heat pumps, improving energy efficiency, cutting emissions and reducing running costs.

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Transition

The Welsh Local Government Association’s Climate Change Support Programme, also funded by the Welsh Government, is working with all 22 councils in Wales to support the transition to net zero over the next five years.

Heating buildings and running vehicles make up a big part of the emissions that councils directly control – but this usually adds up to only 2–9% of all the emissions in a council’s area.

Councillor Lis Burnett, WLGA spokesperson for Climate Change, said: “Councils have already shown what’s possible – 70 buildings have been decarbonised, and more are ready to follow.

"But to meet the net zero target by 2030, we’ll need sustained investment to scale up this work.”

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