Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has cut its carbon footprint by almost 95% since declaring a climate emergency in 2019, new figures reveal.

An update going to the council’s Environment and Infrastructure Committee next week Thursday (11 June) shows its net greenhouse gas emissions in 2025 were equivalent to 195 tonnes of carbon, down from 3,700 tonnes when it made the emergency declaration.

It means the council’s carbon footprint last year was around 20 times smaller than in 2019.

These latest figures confirm the council almost met its challenging aim to be carbon neutral by December 2025, achieving a significant 94.6% reduction in its net emissions.

The goal was one of the most ambitious emissions-cutting aims for any council in the country. It was unanimously agreed by councillors seven years ago when they voted to declare a climate emergency in the borough.

The council’s own actions have primarily achieved this significant drop. More than 400 solar panels have been installed on its buildings and its offices have been made more energy efficient, saving an estimated £2,500 on energy bills each year.

Most of its vehicles are now either electric or run on a low-carbon biofuel. That includes its bin trucks, sweepers and grass mowers, which have swapped diesel for the greener fuel with up to 98% lower emissions, according to government conversion factors.

And the council’s parks, meadows and green spaces, which it works with Natural Basingstoke and volunteers to maintain and enhance, are absorbing carbon equal to taking over 650 cars off the road each year, as well as supporting nature recovery and biodiversity.

Around 60% of the council’s remaining carbon footprint is due to the Aquadrome in Basingstoke Leisure Park. Work is already underway to replace the much-loved facility with a modern, energy-efficient water and leisure complex with significantly lower emissions.

In the meantime, the council has used 1,331 carbon offset credits it had already purchased, which are supporting the planting of new forests in Scotland, in a one-off move to reduce its reported emissions for 2025.

Cabinet Member for Climate and Ecological Emergency Cllr Chris Tomblin said: “An almost-95% reduction in this council’s carbon emissions since its climate emergency declaration reflects years of action, from installing solar panels and bringing zero-emission vehicles into our fleet to improving the energy efficiency of our buildings and switching to a new energy contract to power our offices with 100% renewable electricity.

“The carbon target was one of the most ambitious climate goals for any council in the country. We have made real progress, with its net emissions last year being nearly 20 times lower than in 2019.

“Three fifths of the council’s remaining emissions are linked to the Basingstoke Aquadrome. Our Cabinet has made it a priority to address this and work has already started to replace it with a more energy‑efficient leisure and water complex. In March, we announced Places Leisure as our preferred bidder to deliver the new facility and a planning application is due to be submitted this autumn.

“Alongside cutting our own emissions, we’ve also been pushing ahead with carbon-cutting action across the borough, including launching a first-of-its-kind Green Team to help people and businesses reduce their emissions, installing electric vehicle chargers and putting solar panels on community buildings.

“Put together, we estimate those initiatives are further reducing local emissions by around 800 tonnes every year. I think it is important to note that, if our local carbon-saving projects were taken into account in the same way as external offsetting schemes, this council would have met its carbon neutral target.

“We remain firmly committed to further reducing this council’s carbon footprint and to continuing to work with residents, groups and businesses to help the borough towards its goal to be net zero by 2045.”

The council’s approach to reducing its carbon footprint was set out in the Climate Change and Air Quality Strategy councillors unanimously voted to adopt in 2021. That strategy was refreshed at the end of last year as the council neared its carbon neutrality target.

More information, including a link to read the update going to the council’s Environment and Infrastructure Committee meeting next week, is at www.basingstoke.gov.uk/carbon-footprint