Climate change
Climate change is an existential threat. Extreme weather events have caused damage and destruction in this country and have led to deaths and displacement of thousands of people worldwide. Natural habitats, wildlife and biodiversity are in peril, not only from climate change, but they are being adversely affected by human intervention, which in turn is enhancing the effects of climate change.
Scientists are warning that we have a little over a decade to implement urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions before we reach a global tipping point. Action is required at international, national, local and individual level to achieve the carbon reduction levels needed.
Council greenhouse gas emissions
- 2019/20 – 807t CO2e
- 2020/21 – 586t CO2e
- 2021/22 – 604t CO2e
- 2022/23 – 585t CO2e
Overall emissions decreased by 3% in 2022-23 compared to the previous year.
More details are available in the DDDC emissions report 2022-23.
Tackling climate change is one of the Council’s top priorities. In May 2019 we declared a Climate Emergency and pledged to make the Council carbon neutral by 2030. The Council’s Climate Strategy and Action Plan sets out a potential pathway to achieving this aim.
What have we achieved so far?
- The Council have now installed roof mounted solar PV panels to capacity 520kW across 3 sites including 355 panels on the roof of the Agricultural Business Centre at Bakewell. Together, the panels save approximately 76 tonnes of carbon each year
- The Council has delivered grant funded energy efficiency improvements to over 200 homes across the district, reducing fuel poverty and saving 290 tonnes of carbon each year
- We have held our second successful ‘Go Green’ event bringing together local businesses residents and community groups committed to finding solutions to the climate crisis
Priorities as part of the plan in respect of our own emissions for 2023/24 are:
- Complete programme of works to decrease carbon emissions from the Town Hall including replacement of gas boilers with heat pumps
- Install electric vehicle charging points and maintenance equipment at the depot in Darley Dale and develop a plan for the transition to electric vehicles
- Install more overnight electric vehicle charging points for residents in our car parks
- Continue to assess the feasibility of developing a small solar PV farm in the district
We continue to:
- Develop our internal climate change knowledge through Carbon Literacy training and knowledge sharing
- Access government grant funding to improve the energy efficiency of homes where residents are in fuel poverty
- Work with partner authorities to further opportunities for collaborative working, for example on the roll out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and developing a solution for home energy efficiency improvements where the home owner is able to pay
Our Climate Change Delivery Plan gives further details of our initiatives.
If you have any queries, questions or ideas please email
