What have we done so far?

Our Completed Actions So Far

Since declaring a climate emergency in October 2019, we've annually committed to achieving at least 20 actions a year to help mitigate climate change and help reverse the decline in the natural environment.

To give you a flavour of what we have achieved so far, we set out below some example actions we have achieved. If you want to learn more about these, and other actions we have taken, then please see our Current Environment Plan webpage for more details.

In 2020/21 we:

  • Moved our electricity contract to 100% renewable energy supply
  • Replaced our entire street and car parking lights to low energy LED lighting
  • Adopted two new planning policy documents, covering climate change and the natural environment, so that new developments in East Cambridgeshire could be more environmentally friendly than ever before.
  • Undertook energy audits of our buildings, so we could commission energy efficiency improvements.
  • Started a programme of staff training, so as to embed environmental thinking into all the services we undertake.

In 2021/22 we:

  • Planted over 5,000 trees on our own land, many as a long term project to create a tree maze in Ely Country Park.
  • Helped 10 local schools commence their journey to Eco-Charter status.
  • Implemented new grass cutting and wildflower management on our parks and open spaces, with fabulous results arising
  • Installed energy efficiency measures in our own buildings, helping to reduce our energy use
  • Started a multi-million pound programme of retrofit improvements to people's homes

In 2022/23 we:

  • Achieved Bronze level Investors in the Environment accreditation, the first council in Cambridgeshire to do so
  • Installed PV Solar Panels across our E-Space North office building, Littleport, targeting at least a 50% reduction in grid electricity usage and aiming to halve its electricity bill
  • Reduced our paper use by 35%
  • Committed to shift our fleet vehicles, such as our refuse collection lorries, away from diesel fuel to much more environmentally friendly vegetable oil
  • Installed 24 electric vehicle charging points, across three separate public car parks, which should be fully operational by summer 2023
  • Helped create, through a free tree give-away programme, 28 new community orchards right across East Cambridgeshire

Actions underway

If you want to know what actions and activities are underway or planned for the coming year, please visit our Current Environment Plan page