Climate change
Climate change is an existential threat. Extreme weather events have caused damage and destruction in this country and have led to deaths and displacement of thousands of people worldwide. Natural habitats, wildlife and biodiversity are in peril, not only from climate change, but they are being adversely affected by human intervention, which in turn is enhancing the effects of climate change.
Scientists are warning that we have a little over a decade to implement urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions before we reach a global tipping point. Action is required at international, national, local and individual level to achieve the carbon reduction levels needed.
Our greenhouse gas emissions:
- 2019/20 – 807t CO2e
- 2020/21 – 586t CO2e
- 2021/22 – 604t CO2e
Overall emissions increased by 3% in 2021-22 but fell by 25% compared to the baseline year of 2019-20.
More details are available in the DDDC emissions report 2022.
Tackling climate change is one of the Council’s top priorities. In May 2019 we declared a Climate Emergency and pledged to make the Council carbon neutral by 2030. The Council’s Climate Strategy and Action Plan sets out a potential pathway to achieving this aim.
Priorities as part of the plan in respect of our own emissions for 2022/23 are:
- Complete a programme of works to decrease carbon emissions from 3 key sites (the Town Hall, the depot and ABC) through installation of energy efficiency measures, moving away from fossil fuel heating and the installation of solar PV panels
- Install electric vehicle charging points and maintenance equipment at the depot in Darley Dale and develop a plan for the transition to electric vehicles
- Continue to assess the feasibility of developing a small solar PV farm in the district
In addition, in partnership with Freedom Leisure, we will:
- Complete the energy efficiency and carbon reduction programme of works at Ashbourne Leisure Centre. This project is due to complete by December 2022
- Assess the feasibility and costs of reducing emissions from the other leisure centres
We continue to:
- Develop our internal climate change knowledge through Carbon Literacy training and knowledge sharing
- Access government grant funding to improve the energy efficiency of homes where residents are in fuel poverty
- Work with partner authorities to further opportunities for collaborative working, for example on the roll out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and developing a solution for home energy efficiency improvements where the home owner is able to pay
Our Climate Change Delivery Plan gives further details of our initiatives.
If you have any queries, questions or ideas please email
