Net zero Essex by 2050 and a £200m Essex Climate Action Plan are fundamental ambitions for Essex County Council, as leader Kevin Bentley signs the UK100 Membership Pledge.

The leader of Essex County Council (ECC) has set out the authority’s continued commitment to tackle climate change by signing up to the UK100.

The UK100 is a network of local authority and government leaders that work together to create and implement ambitious plans to tackle the climate crisis.

The UK100 Membership Pledge requires the County Council to:

• Set ambitious net zero targets for greenhouse emissions of 2030 for council operations and 2050 for areawide emissions, which the county had already done in its Climate Action Plan.  
• Report annually on greenhouse gas emissions, both for the council and for Essex as a whole. ECC has just published its Climate Action Report giving updates on actions across Essex to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase climate resilience.
• To limit the use of carbon offsets, and if used, for these to be as local as possible.

As part of the network, ECC will be working with others across the UK to support its efforts to become net zero by 2050.

The UK100 brings together local authorities to share knowledge, collaborate and petition the UK government with their collective power.

Essex joins 106 other local authorities already part of the UK100 network.

This further supports the ambitions for a high quality Environment, set out as one of four key priorities Everyone’s Essex - the County Council’s strategic vision for the county.  

ECC Climate Czar, Cllr Peter Schwier said: “Becoming part of this network is incredibly exciting for Essex County Council as it continues its fight against climate change.”

Speaking on the County Council becoming part of the UK100, Leader of the Council Cllr Kevin Bentley said: “By signing this pledge we are increasing our capability to effectively fight climate change and work to become a net zero county.

“At Essex County Council we take tackling the climate crisis seriously and understand that to fight climate change we need to go above and beyond.

“Joining the UK100 will enable us to work with other local authorities and reap the rewards of collaboration with our counterparts from across the country.”

This is yet another step in the right direction as the Council works towards its 2050 net zero goal and the £200 million Essex Climate Action Plan continues to be implemented.