East Suffolk Council has joined other local authorities in recognising the fact that there is a climate emergency, committing itself to reduce its own carbon emissions (detailed in the publication of a Net Zero Plan) and to encourage communities to help fight climate change.
Since formally recognising the climate emergency in 2019, the Council’s actions include:
- Creating a Cross Party Environment Task Group to investigate ways to cut East Suffolk Council’s carbon and greenhouse emissions, recommend future priorities for action on climate change and build on the progress that has already been achieved;
- Reaffirming its commitment to achieving net zero in its Our Direction Strategic Plan, (published 2023), setting the ambition to make East Suffolk Council (including all buildings and services) carbon neutral by 2030. We have produced an interactive dashboard to track progress on carbon emission reductions, and other positive climate, nature and environmental impacts;
- Publishing an Environmental Impact Strategy in 2024, outlining how East Suffolk Council is actively delivering over 100 climate change, sustainability and nature-related workstreams;
- Working with Suffolk County Council and the other local authorities across Suffolk, public sector leaders and partner organisations region towards the aspiration of making the county of Suffolk carbon neutral by 2030;
- Collaborating with Government to deliver its 25 year Environmental Plan and increase the powers and resources available to local authorities in order to make the 2030 target easier to achieve.
What next?
East Suffolk Council's Net Zero Plan was approved by Cabinet in April 2026. The Plan acts as an overarching framework, containing action tables for each different area on how to reduce emissions, initial work on costings, timescales and next steps.
East Suffolk Council is now working on the actions contained in the plan to reduce emissions, including from: leisure centres, fleet, offices & buildings and staff travel, amongst other areas.
Our annual greenhouse gas reporting will monitor and track emissions generated by East Suffolk Council and its activities.
Progress against the Net Zero Plan will be reported and shared at the cross-party Environmental Task Group as well relevant Officer groups.
The council will continue to work with its partners across the county to ensure a coordinated approach, joint working in areas where we can deliver more by working together and to ensure a strong voice to influence and encourage others to act. This includes the launch of a Community Energy Programme in 2026, to support communities to own and generate renewable energy in their local area.
What have we achieved already?
We have moved to new more energy efficient council offices in Melton and Lowestoft which are more compact, well insulated, and utilise renewable energy sources, including air-source heat pumps at East Suffolk House and solar photovoltaics (PV) at Riverside.
We are refurbishing our leisure facilities, building in renewable energy generation and moving away from fossil fuel powered boilers. More information on leisure centre decarbonisation.
As part of the Suffolk Climate Change Partnership, we have helped businesses and residents to reduce their energy bills through free advice and improvement grants, access to thermal imaging cameras, and help installing solar PV through various schemes – more information can be found on the Sustainable Suffolk website.
Alongside the East Suffolk Greenprint Forum, we have been running awareness raising campaigns across the district to improve air quality and reduce plastic waste and littering.