Greenhouse gas emissions fall in Buckinghamshire, council confirms

Buckinghamshire’s greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by more than seven per cent over three years, Bucks Council has said.

The county’s emissions decreased “significantly” in 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions on people’s activities, according to the council.

Emissions then increased by 6.53 per cent in 2021 as restrictions eased and cold weather saw an increased use of heating.

However, emissions in 2021 were 7.73 per cent lower than in 2019, the council suggests in a new report on climate change and air quality, using local authority emissions data.

Buckinghamshire’s population grew by approximately 1.38 per cent between 2019 and 2021, meaning that emissions per person also fell.

Buckinghamshire’s progress with emissions was hailed by Bucks councillor Gareth Williams, the cabinet member for climate change and environment, who presented the report.

He said: “Reporting on our own operational emissions shows that we are on track to meet our seven-year carbon budget.

“We are reporting a 73.4 per cent reduction in emissions against our 1990 baseline; already well on our way to our 2030 target of 75 per cent.”

Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide – released from the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas – trap the sun’s heat, leading to global warming and climate change.

Bucks Council is aiming to reduce carbon emissions by at least 75 per cent by 2030 and 90 per cent by 2040. The council says it is on track to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.