Carbon Neutral Planning for Local Government






Many local authorities in the UK have now declared a climate emergency, and are working towards achieving carbon neutrality. In some cases they are assisted by community energy or climate action groups, and most of the references which follow derive from the work of one such group member, Julian Stringer.



There is a clear need to establish current levels of carbon based energy use before deciding on measures needed to reach zero carbon. National as well as local data is relevant, particularly where the latter is incomplete and estimates must be made. References to both types of source are made below.
Overall UK energy production and consumption figures may be found in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics [1]. Data on UK carbon dioxide emissions embodied in traded goods are given in Fezzigna et al. [2]. UK population figures are provided in the Overview of the UK population [3]. Data about fuel consumption, emissions and biofuels for the UK are given in Energy and environment: data tables (ENV) [4]. GHG production is discussed in 2018 UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions [5].

Regional and local data may be found in the following sources:

Road transport energy consumption at regional and local authority level [6],

Network capacity map [7],

UK local authority and regional carbon dioxide emissions national statistics [8],



Methods of deriving GHG equivalents are given in

UK Government GHG Conversion Factors for Company Reporting [9],

and the relation of peak demand to electric vehicle use is treated in

Our energy insights [10].

Information on carbon mitigation through sequestration is given in

Climate change and forests [11], and in Carbon Sinks and Sequestration [12].



References

[1] Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES): energy

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy  

Published 26 July 2012, last updated 25 July 2019




[2] Revising Emission Responsibilities through Consumption-Based Accounting: A European and Post-Brexit Perspective

by Paola Fezzigna, Simone Borghesi and Dario Caro

Sustainability 2019, 11(2), 488




[3] Overview of the UK population: August 2019

Office for National Statistics




[4] Energy and environment: data tables (ENV)

Department for Transport  See also        

Published 6 December 2018 


[5] 2018 UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Provisional Figures

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

28 March 2019




[6] Road transport energy consumption at regional and local authority level

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

Published 22 January 2013, last updated 27 June 2019




[7] Network capacity map

National Grid




[8] UK local authority and regional carbon dioxide emissions national statistics: 2005 to 2017

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

Published 27 June 2019




[9] UK Government GHG Conversion Factors for Company Reporting

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, 2018

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/greenhouse-gas-reporting-conversion-factors-2018


10] Our energy insights: Electric vehicle announcement and what the papers say

National Grid, 8 August 2017

http://fes.nationalgrid.com/media/1264/ev-myth-buster-v032.pdf


11] Climate change and forests

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

According to




[12] Carbon Sinks and Sequestration

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations



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