Press release
Local Footprints Project, 8 November 2007
New report: Right Climate for Change – Carbon Footprinting for Scottish local authorities
Today the Local Footprints Project publishes a new report, Right Climate for Change – Carbon Footprinting for Scottish local authorities, which sets out for the first time the Carbon Footprint of every local authority in Scotland. It reveals that the average local authority area generates just over 1.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. Glasgow City Council area, with its big population, has a Carbon Footprint of nearly 7 million tonnes per year.
Amie Fulton, Local Footprints Project officer said: “Local authorities need to play a key role in achieving the Government’s national ambition to reduce Scotland’s carbon dioxide emissions by 80% by 2050. This equates to a reduction of 3% year on year and means that by 2050 the average Scot should have a Carbon Footprint of only 2.34 tonnes per capita – down from 11.71 tonnes in 2001. This gives us a good idea of the scale of change required.”
The Scottish Government has signalled that delivering
carbon reduction outcomes in local authority operations will be a priority
through any outcome agreements reached between central and local government.
Furthermore, all Scottish local authorities have signed Scotland’s
Climate Change Declaration, which commits them to reducing emissions
from their own operations and ensuring that emission reduction measures
are included in strategies and plans.
“We produced this report with the Stockholm Environment Institute to
help local authorities understand how Carbon Footprinting can help fulfil this
task,” continued Amie Fulton. “The Carbon Footprint can be used
to identify how service provision by local councils influences people’s
every-day decisions and behaviour through plans, policies and engagement with
the community. It complements other area-wide emissions indicators and carbon
management plans. We encourage all local authorities to download their Carbon
Footprint report for free at www.localfootprints.org.
The Local Footprints Project works with local authorities to identify policy levers available to reduce the Carbon Footprint of our lifestyles, including our home energy use, travel behaviour, food, expenditure on consumer items and spending on goods and services. Together, these actions by local government can be used to create the right climate for change.
Local Footprints is a joint project between WWF Scotland and the Sustainable Scotland Network (SSN), with funding and support from Eco Schools Scotland, the Improvement Service, the Scottish Government and ScottishPower. For more details, visit www.localfootprints.org.