Claims of "misleading" progress on net zero by Green councillor in Reading
The council committed to make the entire borough net zero by 2030
The Green leader of the opposition on Reading Borough Council has called one of its press releases ‘misleading’ over its progress to become net zero by 2030.
The council committed to making the entire borough net zero carbon emissions by 2030 when it declared a climate emergency in 2019.
A press release celebrating its progress has been published ahead of a report on its greenhouse gas emissions at a meeting of its strategic environment, planning and transport committee on November 12.
The council has stated that its carbon emissions have been cut by 76 per cent since 2008/9, and is in the top five per cent of local authorities for carbon emission reductions.
However, it has been admitted that the council has been unable to meet the ambitious target of an 85 per cent reduction of carbon emissions by 2025/26.
Rob White (Green, Park), leader of the main opposition on the council, called the press release ‘misleading’.
He cited a graph in the greenhouse gas report that shows total tonnes of CO2 emissions against a target.
The target for 2021/22 was beaten, with the council narrowly missing its target in 2022/23.
Since then, the council has failed to reach its total tonnage emissions benchmarks.
Councillor White said: “The Labour-run council has now missed its own carbon emissions reduction target four years in a row. In 2025/26, it fell short by nine percentage points. It also fell well short of its renewable energy target.
“Across Reading, emissions rose slightly in 2024, leaving the borough behind its original path to net zero by 2030.
“The council buried the news that it missed its own emissions target near the end of its press release. It didn’t mention that it missed its renewable energy target or that emissions across Reading rose in 2024.
“If residents are to trust the council on climate change, it needs to be upfront about what’s going wrong and what it will do to put it right.
“With winter approaching, too many people in Reading are struggling to keep poorly insulated homes warm without facing bills they can’t afford. The Labour council and the Labour government both need to do more to help people insulate their homes, cut their energy bills and cut carbon emissions.
“The council needs to say whether it still expects to reach net zero in its own operations by 2030 and publish a funded plan showing what it will do each year to get there.”
A report by Ben Burfoot, the council’s sustainability manager, shows a 0.1 per cent increase in the borough’s emissions in 2024.
In the release, John Ennis (Labour, Southcote), lead councillor for climate strategy, said: “There is still much work to be done to reach the council’s and borough’s ambitious carbon reduction targets, and we will continue to work with our partners and residents to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels, achieve net zero and improve the environment for everyone in Reading.”