Taking action through Mitigation

Climate change mitigation is the term used to describe actions to reduce the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Local authorities' contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions is summarised below. The Advice for Council Services section of this website provides links to advice on mitigation for a range of council functions.

Greenhouse gases

Although carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most well know greenhouse gas, six gases are included within the Kyoto Protocol. Each greenhouse gas has a different capacity to cause global warming, depending on its radiative properties, its molecular weight and its lifetime in the atmosphere. These properties are summed-up as the global warming potential (GWP) of the gas. The GWP of each gas is measured in units of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). Greenhouse gas emissions are also called carbon emissions.

UK emissions of the other five greenhouse gases are much lower than that of carbon dioxide, but because their global warming potential is significantly higher, it is important to include them within mitigation measures. The Climate Change Act 2008 sets legally binding targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the UK by at least 80% from 1990 levels by 2050 and at least 26% by 2020.

Local authorities' contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is undoubtedly the most import greenhouse gas for councils to act on. CO2 is released by the consumption of (non-renewable) energy and fuel. Councils can reduce their own consumption of energy and fuel and influence consumption by households, businesses and transport. But councils can also help to reduce the emissions of other greenhouse gases. (See box.)

Data for the climate change performance indicator NI 186 (per capita reduction in CO2 emissions in the local authority area) provides a breakdown of sources of CO2 emissions.