South Derbyshire's scorecard success

As the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) draws to a close, South Derbyshire District Council reports it has received high marks in an independent assessment of its journey toward achieving net zero.

Climate Emergency UK, an independent environmental lobby group, recently released the first Council Climate Action Scorecards—an independent measure of actual completed actions toward net zero by all UK councils.

The scorecard evaluation comprises 91 questions across seven sections, covering building and heating, transport, planning, and biodiversity. South Derbyshire District Council achieved an impressive score of 39%, surpassing the average of 29% for all English District Councils.

South Derbyshire secured the top District Council rating in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, ranked 4th in the East Midlands, and claimed the 18th position out of 158 District Councils nationwide. This recognition solidifies South Derbyshire's standing in the forefront of councils actively combatting climate change.

The assessment underscored the council's advanced work in improving energy efficiency in domestic properties, as well as its notable efforts in collaboration and engagement.

Councillor Robert Pearson, Leader of South Derbyshire District Council, expressed satisfaction with the positive scorecard assessment, stating, "We are proud of our achievements and progress so far; it’s a testament to a lot of hard work from our partners and staff.

“However, we do recognise there is still a long way to go to meet our ambition of reaching net zero as a council by 2030."

To view the detailed scorecard, please visit: Council Climate Action Scorecards | Climate Emergency UK.

8 December 2023