Herts County Council backtracks on climate change

At Herts County Council's Environment Cabinet Panel on Thursday Conservatives voted to reduce the council's commitment to carbon reduction. Previously the council had been including schools in its net zero by 2030 target but this is now being dropped with the target for schools now being 2050. This makes it look as if the Council has reduced its carbon emissions by 27,000 tonnes of CO2 a year, but it fact there is no carbon saving.

Liberal Democrat Environment spokesperson County Councillor Steve Jarvis said, "The bulk of carbon emissions from buildings owned by the council come from schools, so removing these from the council's net zero by 2030 target is a major reverse. Schools carbon emissions, and their energy bills, depend on the heating systems and insulation that is installed by the County Council so the council should be taking responsibility for these rather than passing the buck to Headteachers who are already overworked."

"Putting the target for schools' decarbonisation back from 2030 to 2050 is not only bad for climate change, it will also mean that poorly insulated schools with inefficient heating will have to go on spending more on heating and less on teaching for longer."

"The council is supposed to be showing leadership and inspiring people to do more to cut their emissions. This sort of dodge where they appear to reduce their emissions by reclassifying things will have completely the reverse effect."

Questions asked by Lib Dem County Councillors have revealed that it will cost more than £300 million to decarbonise Hertfordshire schools.