Priority f) Sustainability: Cutting Carbon, Enhancing the environment for future generations
Progress to net zero
The Council retained 'A' rating for climate leadership and action for the third year running from the global independent disclosure non-profit, CDP, and we have seen a reduction in direct greenhouse gas emissions across the city of 16% (148 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) between 2021 and 2023 (the latest year for which data is available).
We completed a Heat Network Zoning Market Prospectus to identify areas of the city where a heat network would be the lowest cost solution for decarbonisation.
We secured funding from the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority to install rooftop solar at Yearsley Pool, Joseph Rowntree School and Acomb Explore Library. We have also installed rooftop solar on an additional 4 schools in York through our partnership with Solar for Schools and York Community Energy.
We have provided decarbonisation plans for 63 businesses in York and launched a £1.3 million grant programme with the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority and North Yorkshire Council to support businesses in delivering environmental and financial benefits.
We had approval to progress the Harewood Whin Green Energy Park to full business case, with planning permission granted for a 16MW scheme.
We completed the upgrade of over 1,000 street-lamps to LED with funding from the Mayor’s Net Zero Fund.
We were delighted to be highly commended at the Community Energy Awards 2024 for the Supportive Local Authority award.
We were also pleased to receive highly complimentary feedback from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on our Local Energy Advice Demonstrator Project, which completed in April. The work we have done in this area will be used to inform national retrofit advice in future.
Climate risk and adaptations
We are working with the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority and North Yorkshire Council to deliver a climate change risk and opportunity assessment for the region to inform policy and practice relating to climate change.
For the first time, the Council has reported on progress in responding to climate change through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Adaptation Reporting Power 4 process.
Our natural environment
York Green Streets has completed planting of over 2,700 trees in York’s urban environment, including 2 new micro-woods at Burnholme and Rawcliffe, which means we have now reached a total of 5,300 trees and exceeded the Council Plan target of 4,000 trees by 2027. This work was fully funded by over £450,000 of external grants. Where any newly planted trees have failed, they will be replanted at the cost of the Council’s contractor.
To encourage increased tree planting across the city, a York White Rose Forest District Group has been established to support wider tree planting action with partners and stakeholders.
We developed a new riverside route highlighting how nature-based solutions are supporting climate adaptation across the Swale, Ure, Nidd and Upper Ouse catchments.
We committed £500,000 of investment over the next two years to revitalise parks, play areas and public green spaces across the city, with four of York’s parks (Rowntree Park, West Bank Park, Glen Gardens and Clarence Gardens) already receiving the prestigious Green Flag Award. This sum will be enhanced by over £400,000 of developer contributions, bringing total parks and open space investment closer to £1 million.
With North Yorkshire Council, we supported the production of the draft North Yorkshire and York Local Nature Recovery Strategy, which is currently being finalised following consultation.
Our new dedicated team of neighbourhood caretakers have started work, to improve public spaces, support community-led action and increase pride in our city. They will be working closely with residents, volunteers and councillors, focussing on priorities identified through ward walkabouts, ensuring that local knowledge and community voices will shape the work being done.
Funded by the Green Corridors project, the National Lottery Community Fund and sponsored by local businesses, the York Walls in Bloom project delivered spectacular floral displays with many different pollinating insects able to thrive. Inspired by projects such as the Tower of London ‘Moat in Bloom’, carefully managed wildflowers around the City Walls offer stunning visuals as well as increased sustainability, better habitats and healthier soil.
Flora has an important role to play in the conservation of the ramparts, and the walls that stand upon them. They regulate the rampart’s moisture content and temperature as well as protecting them from the mechanical effects of people’s feet. Along with the binding effects of deep rooting grasses this helps maintain stable and healthy slopes even in the face of increasing extreme weather.
Air Quality
We met national targets at all monitoring points for the first time (barring COVID, when national restrictions on travel were in place). We ran a consultation on expanding the Smoke Controlled Area to the whole of York in line with our commitments under AQAP4, which we continue to work on alongside the actions in our Local Transport Plan and upcoming Movement and Place plan.
What we plan to do over the next three months
- Market engagement will commence on the potential establishment of a Strategic Energy Partnership for York and North Yorkshire.
- We will begin work on the full business case for the Harewood Whin Green Energy Park and progress other renewable energy generation projects across the city.
- Begin the installation of rooftop solar PV at sites funded through the Mayoral Renewables Fund.
- Publish the latest emissions figures.
Making a positive difference
We planted 2,705 trees in 2024 to 2025, compared to 2,666 in 2023 to 2024.
Results from the Q1 2025 to 2026 Talkabout survey found that 64% of panellists had given unpaid help to any group, club or organisation within the last 12 months. The government's Community Life Survey 2023 to 2024 recorded that 54% had taken part in either formal or informal volunteering at least once in the last 12 months.
The latest provisional data for the proportion of household waste sent for reuse, recycling or composting was 41.6% within 2024 to 2025, which has remained at a similar level to 41.7% in 2023 to 2024. The latest national benchmark is 42.3% (2023 to 2024). We are planning work in this area to ensure levels rise over the coming year.
The average of maximum annual mean value of nitrogen dioxide concentrations was 30.7 in 2024 to 2025, compared to 38.8 in 2023 to 2024 (recorded across three areas of technical breach, at points of relevant public exposure). Measured in micrograms (one-millionth of a gram) per cubic metre of air or µg/m3.