The report showed an overall reduction of 46.4% on the council’s carbon footprint from the baseline year of 2015/16 to 2021/22. In 2021/22, although the council’s carbon footprint showed a slight increase of 4% from the previous year, this included a period where the Covid-19 pandemic influenced our consumption such as how we operated our buildings as well as our service delivery.

Also this week, hundreds of primary and secondary school pupils took part in the council’s Sustainability Conference in Motherwell. The event promoted sustainable practices and raised awareness of the great work being implemented by schools and partners towards the target of net zero by 2030.

A number of key projects were carried out during 2021/22 that will benefit future emissions in the council and North Lanarkshire.

At Dykehead Road in Airdrie 19 net-zero homes are being built within a new-build development. They will include energy efficient heat pumps which heat the property without using gas or other carbon sources, battery storage units to retain energy from solar panels, enhanced insultation, triple glazed windows and electric vehicle charging points.

The council has increased the number of Building Energy Management Systems in its buildings to control heating, hot water and ventilation leading to lower energy consumption, costs and carbon emissions.

New cycling facilities at the Bellshill Gateway to Strathclyde Country Park offer a range of tracks and skills areas for cyclists of all ages and abilities with links to learn to ride areas and active travel routes. Solar lighting has been installed on these links to extend their use into the early evening during winter, while sports lighting at the pump track operates with a sensor and push button to ensure lights are only on when needed. Overall, the projects aim to encourage more people to cycle more, reduce vehicle use and improve health.

The renaturalisation of the Garrell Burn at Dumbreck Local Nature Reserve, Kilsyth has transformed river and wetland habitats for fish, amphibians and invertebrates and the overall project has created new opportunities for residents and local school pupils to enjoy the path network and environment.

“We have set a target for North Lanarkshire to be net zero by 2030 and as part of our commitment to this are identifying ways to further reduce the council’s carbon footprint across all aspects of operations, including buildings, transport, and parks,” said Councillor Helen Loughran, Convener of the Environment and Climate Change Committee.

“We continue to deliver improvements to our existing housing stock and build new houses to a high standard of efficiency.

“Our carbon footprint in 2021/22 reflects the impact of the covid-19 pandemic. In 2020/21 we celebrated a significant reduction but acknowledged that the main contributing factor was the country was in lockdown. The return to normal operations is reflected in this slight increase in the council’s emissions. We continue to introduce new efficiency measures in council buildings and make improvements to the local environment which deliver real benefits to our residents and help reduce emissions.”