Somerset’s Climate Emergency Strategy

Background

In 2019, Somerset County Council and the four District Councils all declared climate emergencies and agreed to collaborate to develop and adopt a shared Climate Emergency Strategy, published in November 2020. This strategy set an ambition for the Council(s) to decarbonise to become carbon neutral by 2030.

The strategy sets three overarching goals:

• To decarbonise the Local Authority
• To work towards making Somerset a carbon neutral county by 2030
• To make Somerset prepared for, and resilient to, the impacts of climate change

In 2023, the creation of the unitary Somerset Council brought all former councils together, providing a new opportunity for unified action and a single strategic direction.

Our Climate Emergency Strategy themes

Our Climate Strategy is split into nine themes.

1. Energy
2. Transport
3. Built Environment
4. Business, Industry and Supply Chain
5. Natural Environment
6. Food and Farming
7. Water
8. Waste and Resource
9. Communications

Read our Climate Emergency Strategy

Towards a Climate Resilient Somerset – Somerset’s Climate Emergency Strategy

PDF, 6.33MB

• Somerset’s Climate Emergency Strategy – Summary (PDF 1.11MB)

You can find the previous climate plans and strategies from the five historic councils here.

Supporting documents and evidence

1. Appendix 1 – The 5 Somerset councils’ Climate Emergency Declarations (PDF 468KB)
2. Appendix 2 – Key Climate Change Terms (PDF 373KB)
3. Appendix 3 – Climate Emergency Framework Consultation Report (Somerset Climate Action Network) (PDF 2.54MB)
4. Appendix 4 – The 5 Somerset councils’ and Exmoor National Park’s Environmental or Carbon Management Plans (PDF 235KB)
5. Appendix 5 – Key Climate Change Landmark Commitments and Legislation (PDF 221KB)
6. Appendix 6 – Energy Sector Detailed Report (PDF 1.39MB)
7. Appendix 7 – Transport Sector Detailed Report (PDF 810KB)
8. Appendix 8 – Built Environment Sector Detailed Report (PDF 851KB)
9. Appendix 9 – Business, Industry and Supply Chain Sector Detailed Report (PDF 571KB)
10. Appendix 10 – Natural Environment Sector Detailed Report (PDF 525KB)
11. Appendix 11 – Farming and Food Sector Detailed Report (PDF 1.01MB)
12. Appendix 12 – Water Sector Detailed Report (PDF 444KB)
13. Appendix 13 – Waste and Resources Sector Detailed Report (PDF 597KB)
14. Appendix 14 – Communications Sector Detailed Report (PDF 225KB)
15. Appendix 15 – Climate Emergency Strategy – Outcomes Table (PDF 345KB)
16. Appendix 16 – Initial Action Plan (PDF 112KB)
17. Appendix 17 – Climate Emergency Strategy – Carbon Measurement Tools Report (PDF 3.44MB)
18. Report on the public consultation on Somerset Climate Emergency (PDF 2.54MB)