Wolverhampton reveals new action plan to hit net zero

Wolverhampton Council is set to launch a consultation on how it aims to hit net zero by 2041. A report for the authority’s Climate Change, Housing and Communities Scrutiny Panel reveals 20 actions for the authority to achieve the target.

A consultation on the plan will be launched on September 30 should the panel give the green light at its meeting on September 19. Figures from 2022 showed Wolverhampton’s carbon footprint was 900,000 tonnes of CO2 and, although the city council only directly contributes 1.2 percent, it affects up to a third of the total through control of social homes, schools, commercial assets, and an energy-from-waste plant.

To hit its target, the council aims to move away from using fossil fuels and encourage battery storage and renewable energy into new buildings or modifications wherever it can. The report for the panel said: “The consultation looks to unpick any barriers to delivery and missed opportunities that might better reflect the needs of the city, the values of our stakeholders, and the financial position of the council.”

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By the end of 2026 the council aims to have achieved a 25 per cent reduction in its carbon footprint across the city, rising to 46 per cent by the end of 2031. Among the actions identified in the report for the council were using its muscle as a significant landowner to influence new builds, encourage nature recovery in the city’s open spaces, increase the roll-out of electric vehicle charging points and develop a parking strategy in line with net zero ambitions.

The council has set ambitious targets for 2041 including a cut of 97 per cent in emissions from domestic buildings with 96 percent of existing homes fitted with heat pumps. Consultation on the plan will run for eight weeks however may be extended if more time is required.

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