FOI request details
Request
Subject: Climate emergency
Reference: WBC-FOI-00909
We note that London Borough of Wandsworth (the Council) made a climate emergency declaration on 17 July
2019. And also, that it adopted the Wandsworth Environment and Sustainability Strategy (WESS) and Climate Change Action Plan in 2019. We have reviewed the environmental information available on your website and note that the Council will be carbon neutral by 2023 and have zero emissions by 2050. The Council has assessed its unique position within London and as a national transportation hub. Because of this self- awareness, the Council has set ambitious goals for climate action. We commend the Council for providing clear communication, internal accountability, support for residents, and collaborative adaptation. ELF is particularly eager to observe the forthcoming report from the Wandsworth Air Quality Citizens Assembly.
While the Council has annually reported goals for climate action, information on the Council's climate achievements is limited. Specifically, ELF is interested in the quantitative achievements of the London Borough of Wandsworth since 2019. The following questions have been prepared to gain clarity about and celebrate the London Borough of Wandsworth's climate action since 2019.
Environmental information request
In light of our preliminary research we would be grateful if you could provide the following information:
1. The achievements to date of the Council's GHG emission reductions.
2. Confirmation which percentage of the Wandsworth Climate Change Action Plan targets from 2021 to
2022 have been met.
3. The extent of the Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions that are being set as your targets.
4. Any interim targets that have been set to meet the 2030 'carbon neutral' goal which were not specified in the action plan.
5. An outline of the practical steps being taken to achieve any current goals and targets.
6. Finally, please provide any other information that you may feel is appropriate for us to better understand how the Council is reducing its GHG emissions and meeting its 2030 targets.
Response
Full Disclosure - 14 March 2023
Request for Information - WBC-FOI-00909 - Climate emergency
I refer to your request for information received on 02 March 2023. Please see the information below in response to your request: -
1. The achievements to date of the Council's GHG emission reductions?
Information on the Council's carbon emissions reductions and achievements in delivery can be found in the following report (paras 12-16):
https://democracy.wandsworth.gov.uk/documents/s101831/WESS%20and%20WCAP%202023%20Cover%20Report%20-%20Final%207%20Feb%202023.pdf
Further information on emissions reductions can be found in the appendix to the report here:
https://democracy.wandsworth.gov.uk/documents/s101619/Appendix%20B%20-%20Wandsworth%20Carbon%20Emissions%202021%202022%20Final%207%20Feb%202023.pdf
2. Confirmation which percentage of the Wandsworth Climate Change Action Plan targets from 2021 to 2022 have been met?
Wandsworth Council has reduced its emissions by over half since 2017/18 - a 52.2% reduction.
Further details on year by year emissions reductions and progress against the emissions target can be found in the linked document:
https://democracy.wandsworth.gov.uk/documents/s101619/Appendix%20B%20-%20Wandsworth%20Carbon%20Emissions%202021%202022%20Final%207%20Feb%202023.pdf
3. The extent of the Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions that are being set as your targets?
Wandsworth Council's organisational emissions 2030 Carbon Neutral target covers Scope 1 and 2 emissions for council operations. Council operations are defined as areas within the Council's direct control.
Scope 1 emissions:
Direct emissions associated with the fuels burned by the Council. In practice this means the gas that we use to heat our buildings and hot water, fuel used in generators and other plant, and the petrol or diesel that we use to drive council vehicles, whether leased or owned by the Council.
By 'our buildings' we mean those that we control and where we pay the bills. For example, we include our main council offices, children's serves buildings, communal areas of housing blocks, communal boilers and buildings managed by our leisure and culture mutual Enable because we have some control over their emissions, and we pay for their energy. Similarly, we include our leisure centres (even though they are managed via a contract) because they purchase their gas through our energy purchase arrangements.
We do not include buildings managed via a contract where we cannot control their emissions and who have their own arrangements for purchasing energy.
Scope 2 emissions:
Emissions produced by the electricity, heat, steam and cooling purchased and used by the Council. These emissions are created during production and therefore occur at sources we do not own or control, however they are an indirect consequence of our activities.
As with Scope 1 emissions, this includes buildings that we control and pay for, but not those that we do not. This includes the energy it purchases to deliver services and supply the buildings it uses, contractors whilst on council business, street lighting and contractor operated facilities. It does not include the energy purchased by leaseholders and tenants for the homes or leased buildings they occupy.
For Scope 2 emissions, our target is set to market-based emissions which measure the emissions generated from the purchase of electricity. For transparency and in line with best practice in the GHG Protocols, we also report on location-based emissions which measure emissions from the amount of electricity drawn from the National Grid.
4. Any interim targets that have been set to meet the 2030 'carbon neutral' goal which were not specified in the action plan?
No interim targets have been set.
5. An outline of the practical steps being taken to achieve any current goals and targets?
An outline of the actions planned for 2023 can be found in the following report (paras 17-21):
https://democracy.wandsworth.gov.uk/documents/s101831/WESS%20and%20WCAP%202023%20Cover%20Report%20-%20Final%207%20Feb%202023.pdf
Full actions for 2023 are set out in the Wandsworth Climate Action Plan for 2023:
https://democracy.wandsworth.gov.uk/documents/s101618/Appendix%20A%20-%20Wandsworth%20Climate%20Action%20Plan%202023%20FINAL%207%20Feb%202023.pdf
6. Finally, please provide any other information that you may feel is appropriate for us to better understand how the Council is reducing its GHG emissions and meeting its 2030 targets?
Information on progress against delivery of GHG emissions is reported annually and can be seen here:
2023
Report: https://democracy.wandsworth.gov.uk/documents/s101831/WESS%20and%20WCAP%202023%20Cover%20Report%20-%20Final%207%20Feb%202023.pdf
Action Plan Update:
https://democracy.wandsworth.gov.uk/documents/s101620/Appendix%20C%20WESS%20Action%20Plan%202022%20Updates%20-%20Final%207%20Feb%202023.pdf
2022
Report:
https://democracy.wandsworth.gov.uk/documents/s92144/22-62%20WESS%20Update%20and%20Action%20Plan.pdf
Action Plan Update:
https://democracy.wandsworth.gov.uk/documents/s92145/Appendix%20A%20-%20WESS%20Action%20Plan%20progress%20update.pdf
2021
Report:
https://democracy.wandsworth.gov.uk/documents/s80064/21-61%20WESS%20Refresh%20Cover%20Report.pdf
Action Plan Update:
https://democracy.wandsworth.gov.uk/documents/s80065/21-61%20WESS%20Update%20Appendix%20A.DOC.pdf
I hope this information meets your needs. If you do not understand the information provided or wish to discuss anything further, please feel free to contact us.
Please note, all material provided by the Council in response to your request for information is for your personal, non-commercial use. The Council reserves all rights in the copyright of the information provided. Any unauthorised copying or adaptation of the information without express written confirmation from The Council may constitute an infringement of copyright. Any intention to re-use this information commercially may require consent. Please forward any requests for re-use of information to the FOI officer.
If you are dissatisfied with the information provided in relation to your request, you may make representations to the Information and Transparency Manager. Any such request for an internal review should be made within 40 days from today's date. Correspondence should be addressed to: FOIW@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision at: https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/
Regards,
FOI and DPA Officer
FOIW@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk
Please note that our responses were accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of release, and have not subsequently been updated. This information should be considered an historical record only.