Flintshire County Council supports the declarations made by Welsh Government and in Dec 2019 its Elected Members approved a motion to develop a clear Climate Change strategy which will set key aims and actions for creating a a Net Zero Carbon organisation.

During 2020 and 2021, the Council performed a number of engagement workshops with Members and Officers, identifying accomplishments made within carbon reduction, and proposals for future ideas to reach the net zero carbon goals.

In line with Welsh Government guide ‘Net Zero Carbon Status by 2030: A route map for decarbonisation across the Welsh Public Sector’ the plan is split into four themes of Buildings, Mobility & Transport, Procurement and Land Use.*  It was agreed to incorporate a fifth theme of Behaviour which will integrate within the other themes through communication, engagement, instruction and training.

The Council ran a public engagement period through October and November 2021 which described the work carried out to date in each of the themes and asked for feedback on the proposed next steps to achieve net zero carbon by 2030. During this period an engagement activity was also carried out with primary and secondary schools. This activity asked our young people to write a letter to their future selves about the world in 50 years and what they hope has been achieved in that time. A selection of excerpts from these letters are included throughout this strategy.

The feedback from this engagement period was further developed in internal workshops with each of the portfolio areas across the Council’s services. This was supported by both the Climate Change Programme Board and Officer Group where scenario planning explored changes in both policy and process to deliver on our aims.

The scope identified within this strategy focusses on the changes and impacts that can be made directly by the Council to reduce both its own emissions and those of the wider county. The strategy is portioned with objectives and actions to reduce our direct carbon emissions, and then actions to reduce our wider emissions and those of the wider county.

It is clear that further progress in reductions can only be achieved through support and engagement of both the wider community and Welsh and UK governments.

The strategy was adopted in February 2022.

Other Council Strategies that link to climate change ambitions

• The Council aims to deliver a policy-led approach that incorporates the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and Environment (Wales) Act 2016. 
• The Council’s Corporate Plan outlines key priorities across its services.
• Renewable Energy 10 year Action Plan 
• Air Quality Management Plan
• Biodiversity and Ecosystem Resilience Duty Delivery Plan (Sec 6 Environment (Wales) Act 2016)
• Urban Tree and Woodland Plan
• Local Development Plan
• Procurement Strategy
• Fleet Strategy
• Integrated Transport Strategy
• North Wales Joint Local Transport Plan
• Waste Management Strategy
• Housing Strategy & Action Plan
• Digital Strategy
• Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB Management Plan
• Active Travel Plan
• 21st Century Schools Investment Programme

* Welsh Government (2021), Net Zero Carbon Status 2030: Public Sector Route Map. https://gov.wales/net-zero-carbon-status-2030-public-sector-route-map

It will be crucial that the Council monitors and evaluates its progress to achieve the targets set out in this strategy. Therefore the Council commits to:

• Measure and report carbon emissions from the Council’s estate and activities each year to Welsh Government as part of its its ‘Public sector net zero reporting guide’.
• Publish performance and progress against targets annually.
• Continue to strengthen the accuracy of data collection through identification of gaps in process and emerging best practice.
• Continue to develop climate change actions and delivery plans through continued engagement internally and externally.
• Review the whole climate change strategy in 2024/25 to assess progress and areas for improvement, and align targets within the key priority areas. 

The climate change strategy will be delivered as a programme of activities that is coordinated and managed centrally but has the input and involvement of all Council service areas and external partners.

Programme progress is monitored by the Climate Change Committee is made up of representatives from each political party. The Committee is supported by Officer Groups for each theme with representation from each of the stakeholder portfolios. Progress reports will be received by the Environment & Economy Scrutiny Committee to deliver further development of the plan. Scrutiny of the programme is also available from Internal Audit as appropriate. 

Key performance measures are included in the Council Plan performance report.

Risks associated with programme delivery are included in the corporate risk register.

We will keep this website updated with progress against our targets and link to Committee reports and News items. If you would like to calculate your own carbon footprint and understand ways you can reduce your carbon emissions visit Reducing your carbon emissions (flintshire.gov.uk)

If you would like updates on what the Council have done and are doing to strive towards our net zero carbon targets, you can sign up to our E-Newsletter which gives information on past and present projects, national and local events, and tips related to climate change Flintshire County Council (govdelivery.com)