South Tyneside Council admits it is at risk of not meeting its ambitious net zero targets

Having declared a climate emergency in 2019 and pledging to do all it could to be carbon neutral by 2030, South Tyneside Council has admitted that it is at risk of not reaching that ambitious target.

The admission comes despite the local authority leading the way in climate, ecology and ocean recovery.

Since declaring the emergency, South Tyneside Council has embedded sustainability into all its operations, as well as driving behaviour change by developing climate change toolkits for schools and businesses.

South Tyneside Council had achieved its first interim target to reduce carbon emissions by 25% by 2023.

This was done through two ground-breaking renewable energy networks that provide low carbon heat to council-owned buildings in Hebburn and Jarrow.

The local authority installed solar panels on 36 council buildings and 87% of the borough’s street lighting has been upgraded to energy efficient LEDs - halving the amount of electricity used.

However, despite all its positive work, South Tyneside Council’s operation emissions increased slightly from 2022/23 to 2023/24 by 241 tonnes.

Cllr Ernest Gibson, Lead Member for Neighbourhoods and Climate Change, has stated that the local authority is at risk of missing its ambitious target due to “external barriers”.

He said: “We really have been trailblazers when it comes to the green agenda and I think we can rightfully be proud of how we have risen to the challenge of cutting carbon emissions.

“However, in common with most other local authorities, we are in danger or not achieving our 2030 net zero target because of significant external barriers.

“Global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and international conflict have greatly impacted the cost and rollout of alternative technologies. 

“For example, electric bin lorries are not ready to replace diesel models, and the National Grid has not decarbonised fast enough to provide us with clean electricity all year round.

“We will continue to unlock opportunities for decarbonisation wherever we can, but the real drivers for change lie in the hands of Government.

“We need robust policies and increased financial support and investment to support our journey towards net zero and cleaner, more secure energy sources.”

South Tyneside Council’s next interim carbon target is to achieve a 50% reduction in carbon by March 2025, which equates to a reduction of 8,570 tonnes.

At the time of writing, this will require a further reduction of 3,641 tonnes (30%) from the 2023/24 emissions figure - with current progress data indicates that the local authority is unlikely to meet this target.

Despite the potential setback, the Council has stated that it remains dedicated to achieving carbon neutrality and is proposing a cross-party members group to consider its next steps.

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Cllr Gibson added: “Here in the borough, we are continuing to innovate and grasp opportunities for further decarbonisation.

“We are investigating the expansion of both our Hebburn and Viking heat networks, we continue to look at emerging low carbon technologies to cut our fleet emissions and are looking at solutions for decarbonising buildings that are still heated by gas.

“We have a huge task ahead of us and we will work with partners across the region and the country to ensure our strategy and ambitions align towards our common goal of net zero.”

South Tyneside Council will deliver a Climate Summit in the Spring of 2025 to bring together internal and external partners to share ideas to help shape a refreshed Sustainable South Tyneside Strategy.

The North East Combined Authority has also set net zero as a cross-cutting theme across its seven portfolios and is committed to delivering green jobs, a joined-up public transport network and building the most sustainable homes in the UK.