6. DirApp - Climate Change Target Assosciated Policies - FINAL - 12-08-24
North Ayrshire Council · 29 August 2024
Back to Audit and Scrutiny Committee — 29 August 2024 and its agenda
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 29 August 2024 Audit and Scrutiny Title: Climate Change Target & Associated Policies Purpose: To update the Audit and Scrutiny Committee on the Council’s progress of the Sustainable North Ayrshire Strategy (2024-27). Recommendation: It is proposed that the committee note the progress and ongoing action to reduce carbon emissions in North Ayrshire. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 The Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019 requires that net zero emissions are achieved by 2045, however in April 2024, Scottish Government announced that it will be proposing legislation to set a revised pathway to the 2045 net zero target, removing 2030 and 2040 statutory targets. 1.2 In December 2023, Cabinet approved the Sustainable North Ayrshire (SNA) Strategy 2024-2027, which aims to tackle both the climate and nature crisis. This report provides an update on progress and influential policies around our climate change ambition. 1.3 As Scottish Government considered the findings of the most recent Climate Change Committee report on carbon emission reduction, Audit and Scrutiny Committee requested an update on the Council’s climate change target and associated policies, such as biodiversity, EV, and fleet decarbonisation. This report aims to provide an update on the Council’s current position for each. 2. Background 2.1 The Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019 requires Scotland to reach net zero emissions by 2045, with interim targets originally set of 75% reduction in emissions by 2030 and 90% reduction in emissions by 2040. The Council declared a climate emergency in June 2019 and has committed to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030. 2.2 In March 2024 the Climate Change Committee (CCC) published its most recent assessment of Scotland’s progress on climate mitigation. This report stated that Scotland was failing to achieve its ambitious climate goals and that the acceleration required in emissions reduction to meet the 75% reduction by 2030 target was now unachievable. In April 2024, Scottish Government announced that it will be proposing legislation to set a revised pathway to the 2045 net zero target, removing the 2030 and 2040 statutory targets. 2.3 In December 2023, Cabinet approved the Sustainable North Ayrshire (SNA) Strategy 2024-2027, which aims to tackle both the climate and nature crisis. Our net zero
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emissions by 2030 ambition for North Ayrshire remains, and the target of halting biodiversity loss by 2030 and reversing declines by 2045, has been introduced. This is in-line with the national Biodiversity Framework. 2.4 Graph 1 below is a representation of the Council’s own carbon emission journey since the baseline year of 2005/06. Through carbon reduction projects and policies, emissions have reduced across buildings, waste, street lighting, and transport by 69.4% since 2005/06. This is a reduction of 46,974tCO2e. Graph 1 – Council estate emissions in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) 2.5 The SNA includes nine strategic priorities and actions identified under five workstreams, specifically: Energy; Nature; Transport; Waste; and Adaptation. Progress on each of the forty-six actions is reported via the Council’s corporate performance system on a quarterly basis, to the Climate Change Steering Group, and to the Head of Service for Sustainability, Transport and Corporate Property. 2.6 Some examples of progress so far include: • Development of two solar PV farm projects, currently in construction phase. • Investigation of proposals for wind and solar technology for i3 Strategic Investment Campus. • Preparation of community climate action plans for each locality. • Feasibility report for decarbonisation of non-domestic estate undertaken, has been presented for consideration by senior officers in the Sustainability, Transport and Corporate Property Service. • Preparation of the Carbon Footprint and Project Register to gather carbon reduction information from across the Council. • Undertaking a series of LED lighting replacement projects in depots and schools. • Replacement of two Building Management Systems to save energy by increasing heating control. • Delivery of energy lessons to 1,152 pupils across North Ayrshire. • Publication of North Ayrshire’s first Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES). • Over £560k of funding has been released in North Ayrshire to support energy efficiency improvements in private sector housing through ECO4 Flex. 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 70,000 80,000 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 2026-27 2027-28 2028-29 2029-30Council Emissions (tCO 2e) Year Council Estate Emissions (tCO2e) Forward Projection to 2030
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• Initiation of Phase 3 of the Energy Smart programme, to deliver energy efficiency measures to private sector households. • Installation of a further 8 workplace charge points, supporting fleet decarbonisation. • Development of a Nectar Network project with Scottish Wildlife Trust, utilising Nature Restoration funding and supporting aims of a Nature Network. • Development of the North Ayrshire Nature Network strategy, to be presented to Cabinet in the Autumn. • An extensive energy awareness campaign is underway, including three i-Learn modules covering energy and climate, adaptation, and nature, and work is underway to deliver Carbon Literacy training to staff, senior management, elected members and community organisations. • Installation of solar PV panels in 1,510 homes across the Council’s domestic estate as an integral part of the re-roofing programme. • Investigation and implementation of a property rationalisation programme, particularly in the Irvine locality, reducing the building footprint and subsequent carbon emissions. • On-going decarbonisation of the fleet through the replacement of 66 combustion engine vehicles with Electric Vehicle alternatives. • Continued implementation of our 2030 Woodlands: A Tree Planting Strategy, where 36,366 trees have been planted, and work is ongoing to achieve the 108,000 tree target. 2.7 The above examples are captured within the SNA Strategy which builds on the momentum of the previous Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy actions. Graph 1 above indicates that although Council estate carbon emissions continue to decrease annually, there will be residual emissions to account for by 2030. For this reason, sequestration measures are vital to achieving net zero status. The Tree Planting and Nature Network strategies and investigation of marine sequestration will support this action, by removing carbon dioxide through the photosynthesis process. 2.8 The conservative annual reduction expected is approximately 3% year on year . One of the actions withing the SNA Strategy is to develop a Carbon Project Register, to identify carbon reduction projects and monitor the emissions reduction associated with each project. Committing to carbon reduction projects in this way will better support annual projections. The Carbon Project Register is in development and will be initiated prior to the end of the year. 2.9 Meanwhile, the estimated annual reduction in emissions for 2024/25 are 622tCO2e, and we aim to achieve this through decarbonisation of non-domestic buildings and fleet, and increased renewable energy generation. Furthermore, the focus on behaviour change is an integral part of emission reduction, and this is being addressed through carbon literacy programmes, awareness activities and school engagement sessions. 2.10 International and national policies helped to inform the development of the SNA. We will continue to align with new guidance, such as the impending Climate Delivery Framework (which aims to support the establishment of a net zero delivery programme for Scotland, focussing on transport and heat decarbonisation polices) and the Heat in Buildings Bill (which will set out laws for how domestic and non-domestic buildings are heated, as well as how energy efficient the buildings need to be). 2.11 There are many local policies and strategies which support the SNA vision to deliver the Council Plan (2023-28) climate change priority. These are noted within the SNA, and some examples of these include the Local Biodiversity Action Plan, Electric Vehicle strategy, and Fleet Decarbonisation strategy.
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Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) 2.12 The existing LBAP (2019-2031), sets out the Council’s ambition to protect and restore biodiversity, connect people with the natural world, and maximise the benefits for North Ayrshire of a diverse natural environment and the services it provides. 2.13 In light of mounting evidence that Scotland continues to experience dramatic declines in biodiversity, the Scottish Government has set out an ambitious new framework to halt biodiversity loss by 2030 and reverse it with large-scale restoration by 2045. The new Scottish Biodiversity Strategy states that each local authority is required to deliver a ‘Nature Network’ in their own area. A Nature Network is a network that connects nature-rich sites, restoration areas, and other environmental projects through a series of areas of suitable habitat, habitat corridors and stepping-stones. A Nature Network strategy for North Ayrshire is currently being developed for approval. 2.14 In addition, a new Nature Bill is expected to be laid before parliament in 2026, which will contain a range of nature-based targets. The current LBAP will be revised to reflect these forthcoming targets, and work is underway with the North Ayrshire Biodiversity Partnership to develop a robust and effective LBAP. The delivery will involve considerable community buy in, partnership working and interdepartmental cooperation. Electric Vehicle strategy 2.15 In May 2021, Cabinet approved the Council’s first Electric Vehicle (EV) strategy (2021- 25). This strategy aims to increase the number of EVs being used throughout North Ayrshire by creating a robust network of EV charge points. It also established a target to achieve one electric vehicle (EV) charge point for every nine EV’s registered in North Ayrshire. 2.16 Since establishing the strategy, 33 publicly accessible charge points have been installed across North Ayrshire to support a just transition to EVs. The Scottish Government has set a target to phase out petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030 to help create a healthier, cleaner, and greener Scotland. 2.17 To further support the roll out of EV infrastructure, the Council is working in partnership with Ayrshire Roads Alliance (ARA), to secure £3.2m of funding from Transport Scotland, to install a further 307 charge points across Ayrshire. With support from Scottish Futures Trust, we have appointed specialist support to assist with the development of the tender documentation for a concession contract with a private sector charge point operator. It is anticipated that the operator will be in place by mid 2025. 2.18 The concession contract would see an additional £2m investment from the private sector operator, who would take on the existing publicly accessible charge points, whilst installing and maintaining new charging infrastructure. The tariff would be set by the private charge point operator; however the procurement activity includes a stipulation that tariff is mirrored across each Ayrshire local authority, and remains at a fair and accessible rate for the public, whilst accommodating the commercial business case for the operator. Fleet Decarbonisation 2.19 Public bodies are required to phase out the need for petrol and diesel vehicles in Scotland’s public sector fleet by 2030. 2.20 The Council’s fleet is made up of approximately 566 road registered vehicles and plant which are either leased or owned outright. The current fleet includes a range of vehicles intended to serve varying purposes, with some vehicles more suited to switching from conventional fuels to electric than others.
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2.21 Following an extensive assessment with assistance from an external specialist, a route map to decarbonise the Council’s fleet was presented to and approved by Cabinet in May 2023. The route map contains fourteen recommendations to build on the progress already made in decarbonising the fleet. 2.22 A working group has been established, with project management resource provided by the Transformation team, and progress reported through the Sustainability and Transformation boards. Data analysis is currently underway to identify where vehicles are parked overnight to better support overnight charging infrastructure, whilst a mapping exercise is underway to locate workplace and public charge points across all localities and identify opportunities to increase service uptake of electric fleet vehicles. In addition the use of capital budgets is optimised to support decarbonisation of fleet through the vehicle replacement programme. 2.23 The UK Government Decarbonising Transport plan for Heavy Duty Vehicles (HDV) details that all sales of new medium sized trucks (up to and including 26 tonnes) to be zero emissions from 2035, with the heaviest (above 26 tonnes) zero emissions by 2040. 2.24 In support of decarbonising the existing HDV fleet, an interim approach to use hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is underway. This offers a short-term solution for HDV fleet where electric replacements are not available or are cost prohibitive. It is anticipated that HVO can deliver up to 90% reduction in carbon emissions. Officers are currently collaborating with Procurement services to secure a supply of fuel. 2.25 An innovative project is underway in partnership with Strathclyde University and Power Circle Projects, to identify the commercial feasibility of generating green hydrogen from landfill gas. Should this prove viable, there may be future potential to supply green hydrogen to waste collection vehicles, or perhaps to local industry as a fuel source. The outputs of the study are due by the end of this year. 3. Proposals 3.1 It is proposed that the committee note the progress and ongoing action to reduce carbon emissions in North Ayrshire. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 Delivery of the Sustainable North Ayrshire Strategy is not fully funded and consideration will be required at future budget setting Council meetings regarding the prioritisation of spend. Exploration of external funding opportunities and innovative partnership models will also be critical in order to maximise investment and meet our objectives. The financial implications for decarbonising the non-domestic estate are anticipated to be positive as making buildings more energy efficient reduces the financial burden on utility spend for the Council. Investment Funding will be utilised to implement the recommendations from the recent decarbonisation study. External funding provided through Nature Restoration will be utilised to maximise delivery of the Nature Network strategy, and resource has been committed to the fleet decarbonisation route map.
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Human Resources 4.2 Previously vacant posts within the Sustainability service are being filled following a robust recruitment exercise, and external funding is being maximised to support temporary posts to deliver strategic projects, such as the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy. Legal 4.3 Under the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019, all public bodies in Scotland have a duty to contribute to the delivery of the net zero emissions target. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 The ambition to decarbonise heating systems and improve energy efficiency in all buildings contributes to our socio-economic duty by ensuring our homes and buildings are well insulated and energy efficient, making them cheaper to heat and reducing their emissions. 4.5 The provision of EV charge points throughout North Ayrshire supports the just transition to EV’s, making them fair and accessible to all. Climate Change and Carbon 4.6 This update provides progress on the Council’s net zero ambition and aspiration to tackle the issue of ‘heat and fleet’ whilst addressing the nature crisis. Key Priorities 4.7 The works undertaken are in keeping with the aim ‘To achieve net-zero by 2030’ within the Council Plan 2023-28. Community Wealth Building 4.8 Community Wealth Building is at the heart of the Climate Change Steering Group, key stakeholders in the development and delivery of the SNA, with opportunities to work collaboratively are sought out and implemented. 5. Consultation 5.1 Progress updates have been provided from across various services for this report. RUSSELL McCUTCHEON Executive Director (Place) For further information please contact Laurence Cree, Head of Sustainability, Transport and Corporate Property, on (01294) 324514. Background Papers 0