Here’s what the council has done and what it wants to do to get lower carbon emissions in West Berkshire

On July 2, 2019, West Berkshire Council declared a climate emergency – and made much of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

With five years to go, the council has adjusted its expectations – to being net zero.

Whatever they call it, it seems things are moving in the right direction. Downwards. By 22 per cent according to the latest look at its environmental activity.

“Our target now states we want to achieve net zero emissions for council activities by 2030, as opposed to being carbon neutral by 2030,” explains Stuart Gourley (Lib Dem, Newbury Clay Hill), the executive portfolio holder for the environment.

“The reason for this is because net zero incorporates all greenhouse gas emissions, not just carbon dioxide.

“In addition, net zero aims to first significantly reduce emissions to as low as can be achieved, and then offset any remaining emissions, which is the council’s intention.”

Carbon-neutral was the new gold. Now it is net zero or even climate positive.

The council is reporting a downward trajectory thanks to a raft of measures first suggested in 2022, while limiting, or defining its scope to be ‘West Berkshire Council’ rather than the district as a whole.

“In addition to the clear focus we will have on our own pathway to net zero, we will also engage in the activities we can undertake to influence and assist in the district as a whole making progress to net zero,” added Mr Gourley.

“As expressed in the original Environment Strategy published in July 2020, the council cannot deliver this wider outcome alone and everyone in West Berkshire has a role to play.”

The council has produced a baffling set of figures, to arrive at a 22 per cent reduction.

And it has set up parish climate councils to keep a running tally of all things environmental.

The plastic recycling trial, with four new banks for the collection of plastic pots, tubs and trays, has become a reality.

Fewer black bin collections loom, with the further eco push from the council saying it will encourage us to recycle more.

There is also a new 75-acre solar farm planned at Grazeley – which it hopes to start constructing next year. There will be 45,000 panels.

The council says this £20m project (it has more or less doubled in cost since it was first mooted, and hasn’t happened yet) would generate enough electricity each year to power the equivalent of approximately 4,400 homes.

In its refreshed strategy document, the council concedes there may be “unintended negative environmental impacts that require mitigation”.

Although it doesn’t seem to have a view on the environmental cost of producing solar panels.

While solar energy offers a clean alternative to fossil fuels, the production process involves extracting and processing raw materials, consuming energy, and generating waste.

Solar panels primarily consist of silicon and it is derived from sand or quartz and undergoes an energy-intensive purification process to reach the required purity levels.

In addition to silicon, solar panels incorporate various metals, such as copper, silver, and aluminium, for electrical connections and structural support.

Although, they are supposed to break even environmentally from how much energy they take to make in three years.

Adding panels to council buildings and schools has also added, or rather reduced, the amount of carbon emissions.

But there are a number of challenges for the council in reducing its emissions.

For example, the impact that schools have.

The council says they are by far the group of buildings that contributes the most in terms of emissions.

This is because buildings are old, lack insulation and modern technology and are not energy efficient.

It has also approved a local cycling and walking plan covering Newbury, Thatcham, Pangbourne, Calcot and Theale.

Upcoming projects that will help to reduce emissions include changing the council fleet to electric vehicles (cars and light duty vehicles); solar energy generation (rooftop and ground mounted solar panels) at Padworth Recycling Centre; and using HVO fuel (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) for food waste collection vehicles – although a committee discussing an outline report from the council’s waste contractor Veolia last year pointed to some hefty costs to get those in, and things being what they are with council finances, perhaps unlikely.

Funding for a decarbonisation scheme at Northcroft Leisure Centre has also been awarded.

Overall the council feels that, given a realistic level of investment, the 2030 target is achievable.

With the prospect of local government reorganisation likely to be impacting on West Berkshire Council between now and 2030, it has taken the view that it does not want to wait and see what happens and is cracking on anyway.

The 2030 date relates to the target for council emissions, while it also plans to engage in actions that help to reduce and influence district emissions.

Sprucing up Newbury train station to encourage people to leave their cars at home was one such plan.

Although best intentions can’t always be met with the GWR service!

Another small but sweet effort at being more environmentally aware happens at Newbury and Thatcham Repair Café.

It is supported by donations and grants from West Berkshire Council, Thatcham Town Council and Greenham Trust.

From February 2024 through to July 2024, the repair café held six events, at monthly intervals, where volunteers repair (for free) a wide variety of broken household and garden items, and restore cherished family objects including a phonograph, several teddy bears, costume jewellery and ornaments.

During that time, the dedicated team of volunteers saved more than 300 items from going to waste-processing or landfill – a total of over 700kg in weight.

The repair café continues to offer monthly events, alternating between venues in both Newbury and Thatcham.

The Newbury Community Resource Centre is another. It is a local charity which provides reused furniture for local people in need and offers opportunities for volunteering, work experience and training.

It also helps the environment by reusing furniture and other items such as washing machines.

The council report states that between July 2023 and July 2024, they had over 144,083 customer visits, reused 77,100 household items, had 15,523 donations of furniture and household goods received and 659 tonnes of furniture, appliances and other bulky items reused and recycled.

There is not a universally agreed definition of what is ‘carbon neutral’ and ‘net zero’, however there is a broad consensus from a number of bodies of their meanings.

It is generally agreed that carbon neutrality means balancing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by ‘offsetting’ – or removing from the atmosphere – an equivalent amount of carbon for the amount produced.

This means a commitment to carbon neutral does not require a commitment to reduce overall emissions.

It is also generally agreed that a commitment to net zero carbon means making changes to reduce carbon emissions to the lowest amount – and offsetting as a last resort.

Often the term is simply referred to as ‘net zero’ meaning this term includes all greenhouse gases, not just carbon dioxide.

But whatever it is calling it, the council seems to be trying its best.

The council executive committee meets next Thursday (May 22) to note the progress.