Project Green Horizon Programme 2025-2030

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction

Spelthorne Borough Council declared a Climate Emergency on 14^th October 2020, publicly prioritising our commitment to tackling the climate crisis. A cornerstone component of this declaration as well as the subsequent Climate Change Strategies have been to achieve Net Zero by 2030 at Scope 1 & 2 emissions.

 

The Council has increased their Scope 1 & 2 emissions since the 2019 baseline by nearly 10%. Therefore, a reimagining of our approach to reduce emissions is necessary to achieve our target of Net Zero by 2030.

 

Up to this point the Climate Change Strategy (CCS) and adjoining Action Plan alongside the Corporate Priority Environment have been the underpinning documents and missions to deliver our targets.

 

The CCS fails to effectively plan out the pathway to net zero in the terms of required actions. As it is a complete overarching document it blurs the lines between council wide net zero action and internal net zero action, creating a complicated picture for delivery. A lack of comprehensive data management means there is a knowledge gap between the ambition to deliver net zero and the reality. Finally, the current framework has no accountability for failings in departments delivering net zero. A core component of the Project Green Horizon Programme (PGHP) is to rectify these issues and include improvements as cornerstone governance components.

 

Aim

 

To provide a comprehensive and holistic approach to the final 5 years of the council’s journey to Net Zero at Scope 1&2 Carbon Emissions as well as improve the council’s resilience to the impacts of Climate Change.

 

Objectives

 

1.      A clear plan and pathway for each net zero task, including strong stakeholder engagement across the relevant council departments.

2.      Create two workflows under the banners of Climate Change Mitigation and Climate Change Adaption

3.      Bring all Projects and Works relating to the Council’s Net Zero journey under a single programme.

4.      To only include tasks relating to the Council’s Net Zero Journey.

5.      Creating accountability for relevant services through transparent reporting and strong data management. Specific reporting pathway directly to the Environment & Sustainability committee, ensuring relevant officers are held accountable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visualisation of Workflows and Programme Governance Structure

 

   

 

 

Action Pathways & Specific Tasks

The Project Green Horizon Programme is broken into two ‘Action Pathways’ Mitigation and Adaptation. These are then further broken down into ‘Specific Tasks’. These

‘Specific Tasks’ have key S.M.A.R.T targets for FY 25/26, FY 26/27 and FY 30/31. Additionally, each task has an individual measurement framework to ensure cohesive data management across the 5 Year Project Green Horizon Programme.

 

Visualisation of ‘Action Pathways’ and ‘Specific Tasks’

 

Mitigation action pathway: 

Key Action	Task	Service
Net Zero Council Buildings	Increase building energy efficiency	Assets - Development
	Reduce Gas Usage
	Deliver 100% Green Electricity Tariff
Net zero Council Fleet	Deliver HVO Fuel	Neighbourhood Services
	EV Transition
	Improve efficiency of fleet
	EV infrastructure access across fleet used sites
Sustainable Procurement	Sustainable procurement of goods/services	Procurement
Land Use Management	Identify and measure our current offsetting assets	Climate Change Team
	Plant Trees	Climate Change Team

 

Adaptation action pathway:

Key Action	Task	Service
Improve resilience of council buildings to face future hazardous events	Develop flood resistant measures	Assets - Development
	Develop heat resistant measures
Land Use Management	Natural Adaptations to reduce flood impact	Biodiversity
	Increase tree cover for shading