Agenda item

To receive the report of the Director, Corporate Estates, which provides an update regarding the Carbon Footprint Project to measure and understand the Carbon Footprint of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council activities for the Financial Years 2019/20 and 2020/21.

The Director of Corporate Estates provided an update to the Climate Change Cabinet Steering Group with regards to the Carbon Footprint Project to measure and understand the Carbon Footprint of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council activities for the Financial Years 2019/20 and 2020/21. The Director of Corporate Estates also covered the associated new Welsh Government Carbon Reporting requirements for the same two Financial years and wider aspects relating to future for achieving the longer-term Rhondda Cynon Taf Council Net Zero and Carbon Reduction commitments.

Members were reminded that a previous report was presented in June setting out the Council’s Carbon Footprint for 2019/20. The Officer drew Members to section 4.3 of the report which showed a reproduction of this data.

The Officer continued to advise Members that this was the first phase of the project with the second phase being work to calculate the Carbon Footprint for 2020/21 to identify the impact of Covid-19. Members were informed that the Council commissioned the Carbon Trust to carry out the with the full report being provided as Appendix A.

The Officer pointed out to Members that the calculations were completed in conjunction with the Carbon Trust using a calculator widely used in other public sectors. Members were advised that at the time Welsh Government had not produced a calculator so the Council proceeded with Carbon Trust. Members were informed that during the course of the year Welsh Government also produced guidelines for Local Authorities to use to calculate and the Council was required to submit data for the 2020/21 footprint along with 2019/20 data for baseline. The Officer stated that the Council were able to comply with deadline set and both sets submitted in accordance with Welsh Government timescales.

The Officer also highlighted to Members section 4.11 of the report which sets out the similarities in the reporting process between Welsh Government guidelines and the Carbon Trust calculator however it was acknowledged that there are some differences which were outlined and explained to Members.  

The Council will continue to calculate Carbon Footprint in line with Welsh Government guidelines but will also continue to utilise the Carbon Trust calculator for comparison purposes.

The Officer drew Members attention to section 5 of the report which outlines the establishment of a decarbonisation plan for Rhondda Cynon Taf Council activities which is a key project to guide successfully towards Rhondda Cynon Taf being a Carbon Neutral Council by 2030.

The Chair thanked Officers for their work involved in producing the data and a comprehensive report acknowledging the importance of identifying the current position of the Council. The Chair noted the downward trend in terms of the Carbon Footprint but acknowledged the ongoing challenges to continue this.

One Member queried what work the Council was doing regarding Carbon Capture and whether the Council measures how much Peat habitat there is within the borough emphasising the need to appreciate natural resources that can help mitigate some of the Carbon levels that occur. The Officer advised Members that the offset of natural assets is factored in to the data provided for the Carbon Footprint and he outlined the governance of sub-groups already set up within the Council who are working on projects to utilise the benefits of Peat habitat which feed into overall plan to de-carbonise the Council.

Another Member shared their concern that the Carbon Footprint does not include pension fund investments and the relation to fossil fuel investments. Discussion was held around the role of the Pension Fund Committee and the work being undertaken to look at reducing carbon fuelling investments.

Another Member raised the query of the impact of manufacturing processes on the Carbon Footprint data and if new manufacturers moved into the borough the resulting impact this could have. The Officer advised Members that the data provided within the reports is for Rhondda Cynon Taf as Council and not the borough as a whole however assured Members that Carbon reduction was a high priority for the Councils regeneration department as a whole.

The Climate Change Cabinet Steering Group RESOLVED:

1.    To note the contents of this update report as part of the ongoing work of the Climate Change Cabinet Steering Group

2.    To provide feedback to the Cabinet in support the establishment of a Corporate Decarbonisation Plan for Rhondda Cynon Taf Council to provide a clear path and defined timescales for achieving the goal of reaching Net Zero by 2030 and;

3.    To receive further reports to the Steering Group in 2022 providing further updates on progress.