East Suffolk Council

East Suffolk Council Environmental Impact Strategy

Adopted in July 2024, the East Suffolk Council Environment Impact Strategy summarises the council’s work on tackling the climate and nature emergencies. It shows how we are delivering over 100 climate change, sustainability and nature-related workstreams as part of the eight ‘Environmental Impact’ priorities in East Suffolk Council’s 'Our Direction 2028’ strategic plan.

The Strategy also shows how we are working to become a net zero council by 2030 and supporting the wider ambition for Suffolk as a whole to achieve net zero by the same time. The Strategy does this by setting out our work on reducing the council’s own emissions so far, our wider collaborative programme addressing the climate emergency in other sectors across Suffolk, plus what we plan to do next.

Our Environment Impact Strategy also incorporates the latest national guidance on responding to climate, biodiversity and sustainability challenges, as well as our own Local Plans which contain policies relating to sustainable development and travel. It also includes our crucial work delivered in partnership directly with communities, businesses and other local and national authorities.

The Strategy highlights how our work is embedded across our Service Plans and how the environment is always considered formally as part of decisions by Cabinet and Full Council.

The Strategy is a working document, that builds on our previous ‘Climate Action Framework’.  It will continue to evolve and be updated quarterly, plus includes plans that are under continuing development. Our approach will continue to develop as improvements in technology, local and national policies and the latest science and best practice emerge. 

Progress of Suffolk as a whole's net zero zero journey and addressing the climate emergency can be found on the Suffolk Data Observatory website.