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Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report

The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) have requested that, as from July 2011, Local Authorities report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in such a way as to align with the GHG Protocol - the internationally recognised standard for corporate accounting and reporting of GHG emissions.

Since 2009 the Council has reported carbon emissions from its own estate and operations in order to monitor progress in meeting its target of a 34% reduction by April 2020, compared to the baseline year of 2009-10. To ensure that this target is met the Council is currently producing a Climate Change Action Plan to address climate change at a local level and acknowledge international and national targets on carbon dioxide reductions.  The Action Plan identifies a number of themes, including “improving energy usage in Council buildings, fleet and services”, and the headway towards this goal is set out below.   

GHG emissions data

The new form of reporting takes into account the whole range of GHG arising from our estate and operations, not only carbon dioxide emissions. A range of different conversion factors have had to be used; the resultant figures will be expressed as tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e).

The use of up-to-date conversion factors, combined with other factors which account for the decreasing carbon intensity of grid electricity, means that there are some small differences when comparing the previous style report to this new GHG report.

The following tables and supporting explanations will follow a standard format prescribed by DEFRA/DECC in its formal technical guidance: Guidance on how to measure and report your greenhouse gas emissions. September 2009 (DEFRA website). 

 

	Kg of CO2e
	Base Year: 1st April 2009 – 31st March 2010	1st April 2010 – 31st March 2011
Scope 1 (Direct emissions)
Emissions resulting from gas usage in Council owned buildings	151,071	149,978
Emissions from Council owned vehicles	277,338	210,229
Total scope 1	428,409	360,207
Scope 2 (Energy indirect)
Emissions resulting from electricity usage in Council owned and managed buildings	446,976	433,080
Total scope 2	446,976	433,080
Scope 3 (Other indirect)
Emissions resulting from energy consumption (both electricity and gas) in Council outsourced properties (Tandridge Leisure)	812,175	733,730
Emissions resulting from refuse collection	796,686	753,836
Emissions resulting from business travel	107,894	124,672
Total scope 3	1,716,755	1,612,238
Total gross emissions (kg CO2e)	2,592,140	2,405,525
Total gross emissions (Tonnes CO2e)	2,592	2,406

 

Supporting explanations

Company Information - The above GHG report covers emissions from Tandridge District Council's estate and operations, including those buildings owned by the Council but managed by others (e.g. Leisure Centres; Community Centres), generated during the provision of Local Authority related activities.

Reporting period - 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011

Change in emissions - The analysis shows that there has been a 7% reduction in greenhouse gasses emitted from Council operations in the last year due to a number of energy efficiency measures that have been installed and raising awareness amongst staff about saving energy. 

 Approach - Tandridge Council have followed the Government’s Guidance on how to measure and report greenhouse gas emissions along with the 2011 Guidelines to Defra / DECC’s GHG Conversion Factors for Company Reporting. 

Operational scopes - The Council have measured our scope 1, 2 and significant scope 3 emissions which are listed in the table. 

 Base Year - 2009-10 was chosen as the baseline year, in line with reporting requirements for National Indicator 185: “Carbon emissions from Local Authority Estate and Operations”. 

 Target - The Council’s draft Climate Change Action Plan sets a 34% reduction target for CO2 emissions. 

 

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