Using scientific analysis described in Appendix B, the county has a budget of 20MtCO2 which can be used up by 2045, as illustrated opposite.
For this CERP 2022-2024 to stick to that carbon budget, County Durham’s carbon emissions must fall to a maximum of 1,632,000 tonnes by the end of 2023. That’s 65% less than in 1990, which was the baseline year.
Target: 65% reduced or offset by the end of
2023
The following specific targets are based on a reduction from 2019 levels (our most recent data) to where we need to be in 2023 (the end of the period covered by this plan). These targets are or the County as a whole and are described in more detail in Appendix B: • • • • • •
35,000 fewer fossil fuel cars on our roads, or 25% reduction in car use. 55,000 fewer domestic gas boilers, or equivalent reduction in heat demand. 20% reduction in gas use in non-domestic buildings. 20% reduction in emissions from grid electricity. 10% increase in renewable electricity generation across the county. 5% offset through sequestration works such as tree planting.
The Council has its own set of targets for carbon reduction in line with this carbon budget. The Council’s new target is for Net Zero by 2030, with 80% to be met by actual emissions reduction.
Target: 68% reduction by the end of
2023/24
The following specific targets are based on reduction from 2020/21 levels (our most recent data) to where we need to be in 2023/24 (the end of the period covered by this plan). They are described in more detail in Appendix A: • • • •
12% reduction in gas use in council buildings. 20% reduction in business travel emissions. 10% of fleet emissions reduced. 6,000,000kWh of renewable electricity generated by DCC annually.
