Chelmsford
Climate Action Plan

Nationally, the UK has a legally binding target to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050. Many local councils have more ambitious targets. There are nearly 400 principal councils across the country: the majority have a net-zero target of 2030. Further information from the Council.

Local net-zero target date

2030

Plan published

February 2021

Plan scope

Plan covers entire local area

Climate emergency declared

July 2019

Working together

We use data on Climate Action Plans from data.climateemergency.uk

If you have more recent Climate Action Plan information for this area, please contact mySociety at [email protected]

CO2 emissions

It's hard to visualise CO2 emissions. The data talks about 'tonnes of CO2' - but what does a tonne of gas look like? Well, imagine a typical large hot air balloon (almost 3,000 cubic metres in volume). One tonne of CO2 would fill one of these hot air balloons.

Additional local carbon emissions

Carbon emissions embedded in the imported goods we consume locally are typically not counted. However, these goods are produced and then transported here because of our consumer demands. Imported emissions are so big they should not be hidden*.

* Note: Imported emissions are estimated based on the Total UK Goods & Services Greenhouse Gases imported emissions (Defra UK's Carbon Footprint 2016: 353mt CO2 eq) pro-rated based on Local Authority population size and assumed equal per capita consumption of imported goods and services across all Local Authorities.

CO2 emissions in total

727,271 tonnes

People in the local area

179,549

CO2 per person per year

4.1 tonnes

Additional local carbon emissions

936,684 tonnes

Source: BEIS Local Authority territorial CO2 emissions within the scope of influence of Local Authorities (2020).

Local carbon emissions by sector

In getting to net zero as quickly as possible, we need to look at how we do things differently in every sector.

(000t)

2018
2019
2020

High-impact, low-carbon initiatives

Total published on Carbon Copy across the UK: 1044 See all Initiatives

There are some amazing collaborations between local councils, communities and companies. Some examples in/around Chelmsford:

TreOffice Sustainable Printing Solutions

Reducing power consumption and minimising waste.

Ashford
  • Tech & Innovation
  • Waste
  • Circular Economy

Essex Net Zero Innovation Network

Promoting cross-sector green innovation to build partnerships and accelerate net-zero transformation

Basildon
  • Carbon emissions
  • Tech & Innovation
  • Energy
  • Built Environment

Community Energy Pathways

Growing, connecting, establishing business plans, and profile building community energy businesses.

Adur
  • Carbon emissions
  • Greater fairness
  • Energy

Heating Swaffham Prior

Removing reliance on oil heating to support a sustainable future and end fuel poverty.

East Cambridgeshire
  • Carbon emissions
  • Greater fairness
  • Tech & Innovation
  • Energy
  • Built Environment

Cambridge Marketing College  

Educating marketing professionals about sustainability while reducing our carbon footprint.

Cambridge
  • Carbon emissions
  • Health & wellbeing
  • Waste
  • Circular Economy

Cambridge Startup Help

Using the power of marketing to help green businesses reach a wider audience.

Cambridge
  • Carbon emissions
  • Health & wellbeing
  • Tech & Innovation
  • Circular Economy

Cambridgeshire CC Solar Farms

Raising revenue with solar farms to strengthen the council’s finances.

East Cambridgeshire
  • Carbon emissions
  • Finance
  • Energy

Three Rivers Record Level Recycling

Improving recycling rates as part of the move towards a local circular economy.

Three Rivers
  • Waste
  • Circular Economy