In June 2019, Dumfries and Galloway Council declared a Climate Change Emergency and now has a new priority linked to climate and a declaration stating that we will be a Net Zero Carbon Region by 2025.
Members of Economy and Resources Committee (24 November) will receive a report on the Council’s progress towards delivery of the public body duties for climate change report, which will be submitted to the Scottish Government. There are three elements of these duties:
• Mitigation – Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• Adaptation – Adapting to the Impacts of Changing Climate
• Acting Sustainability – Sustainably Development as a Core Value
This Council has undertaken a number of measures to address climate change. Some examples include the Lease/purchase of 11 electric vehicles, with the intention to increase this number. We have also reduced the Council’s Estate by 14 sites: disposing of older less efficient buildings no longer required by the Council by Community Asset Transfers, property sales and termination of leases. In our remaining buildings we have made further energy saving measures, including the installation of LED lighting, which has contributed to energy savings.
Our projects and investment don’t only help to mitigate the effects of climate change, they also support the local economy, address fuel poverty, invest in energy efficiency, and we also provide renewable advice and sustainable transport advice.
Chair of E&R Committee, Rob Davidson said: “Our Council is relatively advanced in our climate change duties reporting, but to ensure an effective response to the climate emergency it is absolutely essential that we step up our actions significantly. We must embed measures to tackle climate change in everything we do. We know this won’t be easy, but we hope our leadership and commitment will ensure Dumfries and Galloway Council will be in the vanguard of addressing climate change.”
Vice Chair, Archie Dryburgh said: “We are leading by example: for instance, we already have 26 sites across the Council’s Estate which generate Solar PV. Collectively, these sites are generating more electricity than they are consuming, therefore exporting to the grid. We also have a significant reduction in waste which is very positive and is due to the fact that we no longer take offtakes from the Ecodeco Mechanical Biological Treatment Facility to landfill, but instead send for processing and then generally to energy from waste. Our Cross Party Working group on Climate Change are supporting the work we do in these areas.“
To read the full report go to:
https://dumfriesgalloway.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=551&MId=4983
