Work on reducing carbon emissions and reaching Net Zero at Rother District Council has been given a boost after the authority became a member of UK100.

The district joins a network of local authorities who have committed to taking ambitious climate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

UK100 Membership provides the Council with resources and support to reach its Net Zero goals. As a council representing a rural community, the authority also joins the UK100 Countryside Climate Network which provides support for the unique climate-related challenges it faces.

Cllr Doug Oliver, Leader of Rother District Council, said: “We’re very serious about tackling climate change. We’ve committed to be Net Zero in our operations and as a district by 2030, well ahead of the government’s 2050 target. We’ve joined UK100 to work with like-minded, ambitious councils to achieve our goal.”

In 2019 the Council declared a Climate Emergency and committed:

‘To do what is within our powers, to make Rother District carbon neutral by 2030, taking into account both production and consumption emissions.’

The Council reconfirmed this commitment at Cabinet in June 2023 when it made the UK100 Net Zero Pledge. 

• As local leaders across the UK, we recognise our responsibility to tackle the climate emergency and take bold action towards Net Zero.
• We will continue to lead the UK’s response to climate change, acting sooner than the government’s goal by making substantial progress within the next decade to deliver Net Zero. We will use our experience and achievements to advocate to the UK Government in order to accelerate the delivery of ambitious local climate action. With greater powers and funding, we would go further.
• We commit to do everything within our power and influence to rapidly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and work with our residents and businesses to bring our wider communities’ emissions in line with Net Zero as soon as possible.
• We pledge to understand our impact on climate change, prioritise where action needs to be taken and monitor progress towards our goals. We will reduce our emissions at source and limit the use of carbon offsets as part of the global effort to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
• We are closer to the people who live and work in our communities, so we have a better understanding of their needs. This means we can collaborate with them to build consensus for the solutions we need to transition to a Net Zero society that delivers multiple benefits and is fair, just and works for everyone.

The Council has also committed to reporting its organisational, and district-wide emissions annually. The latest emissions reports can be found on the Council’s Climate Emergency webpages.

Published: 23rd January 2024