Wiltshire falling behind on net-zero target
Carbon emissions across the county actually rose slightly last year (2025)
Wiltshire is falling well behind the pace needed to meet its ambitious goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030, councillors will be told next week.
A new climate update due before Wiltshire Council’s cabinet next Thursday (October 8) reveals that county-wide carbon emissions actually rose slightly in the latest year for which data is available, despite the authority’s long-standing climate emergency declaration and net-zero pledge.
The report states that Wiltshire’s emissions increased by 0.7 per cent in 2024, driven by rises in waste, domestic heating and public sector emissions.
While emissions across the county remain 44.5 per cent lower than they were in 2005, officers acknowledge Wiltshire is not currently reducing carbon at the rate required to meet its 2030 ambition.
According to the report, a high-ambition pathway produced for the council indicated emissions should have fallen to 59 per cent of 2019 levels by 2024 in order to remain on track.
In reality, emissions stood at 87.1 per cent of 2019 levels.
Officers warn that puts Wiltshire “substantially more than 10 per cent outside of target”.
The report stresses that national government policy and funding have a major influence on the county’s ability to decarbonise, and notes that local authorities only directly control or influence around 30 per cent of emissions within their area.
Meanwhile, the council says delays to some of its own carbon-reduction projects have created risks for its separate target of becoming a carbon-neutral organisation by 2030.
Council emissions continued to fall during 2025/26, dropping from 2,662 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent to 2,028 tonnes, an overall reduction of more than 82 per cent since 2019.
However, emissions from council buildings remain well above target.
The report says building emissions were 33.9 per cent higher than planned during the year, largely because decarbonisation works were paused in response to budget pressures.
Officers describe the delays as a potential threat to the authority’s climate commitments, warning that council property accounts for the largest share of its direct emissions.
The setback has been compounded by the end of the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme funding, which had previously helped support major carbon-reduction projects.
Despite the challenges, the council insists it can still meet its 2030 goal.
A new programme of energy-efficiency improvements, renewable energy projects and building decarbonisation measures is now being developed, with members set to consider various funding options including external grants, partnerships and council investment.
The report concludes that while significant progress has been made, “there is still a huge amount to be done” if Wiltshire is to achieve its climate ambitions.