Scrutiny committee to consider Thanet’s draft Net Zero strategy

Thanet District Council declared a climate emergency in 2019. A draft strategy has been developed which takes us a step closer to our goal of achieving a reduction in the council’s core carbon footprint to Net Zero by 2030. This strategy will be considered by the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Panel on Tuesday 30 August.

The draft strategy has been endorsed by the council’s cross-party Climate Change Cabinet Advisory Group, and focuses specifically on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. 

It shows how we will meet our net zero pledge and is split into:

• addressing emissions in Thanet District Council’s core carbon footprint to achieve net zero by 2030
• addressing the wider council emissions that we have partial control over by 2050 at the very latest
• supporting Kent County Council, government, business, industry and the community to reduce emissions generated across the district by 2050 at the latest.

The council’s core carbon footprint has been calculated, along with Thanet-wide emissions. To address these emissions, 12 priorities have been agreed and are outlined in the draft strategy document along with specific, immediate actions to be taken by the end of 2024.

Cllr Bob Bayford, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Special Projects and Chair of the Climate Change Cabinet Advisory Group said:

“The world is under threat from global climate change which will impact everyone. The Isle of Thanet will not be immune to these impacts and that is why the council declared a climate emergency back in 2019. Tackling climate change is a priority for us – it is critical that we act now to reduce our carbon footprint.

“The purpose of this strategy is to show how we will meet our net zero pledge and how we will work with others in this enormous task. We can’t achieve this alone, so we’re calling on residents to help us in the fight against climate change in whatever way they can. Lobbying government will also be key as we’ll be seeking opportunities for external funding to support us to achieve net zero.”

The strategy will go through a programme of review before it is finalised. The first step is for the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Panel to consider the document at the meeting on Tuesday 30 August. Following this, Cabinet will review the draft strategy on Thursday 22 September, and if approved, a period of public engagement will follow. 

You can read the draft report on our website. 

It is hoped that this engagement will be launched during Great Big Green Week later this year (Saturday 24 September – Saturday 2 October), when we will be organising a number of council-run events. This will be an opportunity for local residents and stakeholders to review the draft strategy and submit comments before it is formally adopted. More detail on how to give your feedback will be announced in the autumn. 

As part of our work to reach net zero, we are helping homeowners improve energy efficiency and warmth in their homes this winter. You can find out more about this and climate change on our website.