Projects in progress

Use this page to understand how we're putting our priorities into action to address the Climate and Ecological Emergencies.

Responding to the Climate and Ecological Emergencies is one of two core policies in our Corporate Strategy 2020-2024. The urgency of our response is council-wide and we are taking action across many different areas. 

Making buildings more environmentally friendly

To make buildings in the area more environmentally friendly, we are taking several actions:

• Providing expert advice on local home energy efficiency and signposting to grants and loans to help cover costs through the Energy at Home advice service.
• Enforcing the Sustainable Construction Checklist, which requires a 100% reduction in carbon emissions beyond the national Building Regulations.
• Allocating budget to make our own buildings more environmentally friendly and developing renewable energy projects within the estate.
• Working with schools to improve the energy efficiency of their buildings.
• Exploring community options for home energy efficiency, such as the Cold Homes Energy Efficiency Survey Experts Project, which uses thermal imaging to show heat loss in people’s homes and suggests solutions.
• New housing development policy ensures the energy use of any proposed development is measured and meets a specified target ensuring the development is 100% self-sufficient. Read more about the Local Plan Partial Update.

Enabling sustainable transport choices

To enable more sustainable transport choices, we are taking several actions:

• Read our Journey to Net Zero report.
• Continuing to implement the Clean Air Zone.
• Expanding the public electric vehicle charging network across Bath and North East Somerset with funding from the Go Ultra Low West Project, including rapid charging points in public car parks.
• Consulting on three active travel schemes; City Centre to University of Bath cycle route, A4 Upper Bristol Road segregated cycle lanes, Combe Down to University of Bath walking and cycling route.
• Prioritising pedestrians and cyclists in new Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and review residents’ parking schemes.
• Developing the business case for The Bath River Line Project and East of Bath cycle route.
• Continuing to promote sustainable travel in schools through the school journeys app and awarding schools for their sustainable travel choices using ModeShift Stars.
• Piloting a last-mile delivery service to reduce supplier journeys into Bath.
• Working with Bristol, South Glos and North Somerset WECA Mass Transit Project to improve mass transit between Bath and Bristol.
• Reducing emissions from our operational fleet of vehicles, including increased training in fuel-efficient driving and replacing smaller vehicles with electric vehicles.
• Continuing to implement our flexible staff working policy which supports homeworking to reduce travel and promote sustainable transport options, as well as offering salary sacrifice schemes for electric vehicles and bicycles.
• We own 68 electric vehicles, making up 25% of our operational fleet. These include cars, vans, motorbikes, sweepers, mowers, utility vehicles and plant vehicles. We also have plans for future electrification underway, including new electric refuse collection vehicles, repowering options for our existing fleet, and plans for further EV replacements over the coming years.

Generating more renewable energy

To generate more renewable energy and encourage residents to switch to renewable energy sources, we are taking several actions:

• Continuing to use renewable energy across all of our energy contracts since switching to 100% renewable energy in April 2021.
• Amending and updating planning policies to allow increased renewable energy generation through the Partial Update of the Local Plan. This will help to rapidly increase our renewable energy capacity.
• Continuing to support the three community energy organisations working in the district; Bath and West Community Energy, Keynsham Community Energy and Chelwood Community Energy.
• Encouraging our contractors, service partners, and other stakeholders to procure renewable energy.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

To encourage and continue efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle, we are taking several actions:

• Launching our new Journey Towards Zero Waste Strategy 2020-2030 which proposes to adopt and exceed the national target of 65% recycling by 5 years, to be complete in 2030.
• Increasing the number of households that recycle their food waste.
• Designing new waste facilities designed to a net-zero standard. Read about progress on the new Keynsham Recycling Hub.
• Promoting a communications campaign to tackle litter, encouraging litter picking and increase volunteer engagement.

Leading sustainably

To enable us to lead sustainably and help us reach our goals, we are taking several actions

• Developing a sustainable procurement process to ensure we can access the most sustainable supplies and services
• Offering climate literacy training to all staff within the council
• Working to incorporate climate and ecological risks into audits

Upgrading to LED lighting

We have been upgrading our street lighting to energy-efficient LEDs since 2010. We have also introduced 10 solar units as a trial in the last few years for areas with no mains power, proving successful at present.

As a result, electricity use for street lighting has fallen by just over two thirds since 2010, delivering significant carbon and cost savings.

The introduction of multistage dimming technology further reduces sky glow and helps protect nocturnal species.

Community and business engagement

We work closely with residents, communities, organisations and businesses across Bath & North East Somerset to support climate and environmental action. This section highlights some of our key projects, engagement activities and partnerships that help connect people with nature and drive positive change.

Projects

We deliver a range of projects that help connect people with nature and encourage active engagement with climate and environmental action. Explore some of our key projects:

• Somer Valley Rediscovered
• Community Energy Network
• Bath River Line
• Bathscape

Climate & Nature Strategy engagement 

Our Climate & Nature Strategy is being refreshed for 2026. It is important that this work is shaped by the views of residents, businesses, and organisations across Bath & North East Somerset.

We have gathered input in several ways, including:

• Climate and nature community conversations in 2024
• A residents’ survey in 2025 to understand priorities
• A staff survey in 2025, to understand the views of B&NES Council employees
• A further residents’ survey in 2026 to test the emerging themes of the strategy

We have also completed an Equalities Impact Assessment for the strategy.

During spring and summer 2026, we have carried out in-person engagement at a range of events and community settings. This activity focused on reaching people who we had not yet heard from, as well as groups identified through the Equalities Impact Assessment.

Working with local businesses 

Our Heritage Services Team is working with local businesses to support their transition to net zero and more sustainable practices. Our work includes:

• Delivering a carbon calculation workshop for suppliers in B&NES
• Providing supplier sustainability support to local businesses

For more detail on how we continue to respond to the Climate Emergency, read the Climate Emergency Strategy.