Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report on the Belfast Carbon Disclosure Project:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of Main Issues

1.1            To update members on the recent award of A status to Belfast through the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) cities reporting framework and the results of the UK Climate Score Cards.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is requested to note the 2023 CDP award of A status to Belfast, which follows the 2022 award of A status and the 2021 CDP award of B status to Belfast, and to support the annual submission by Belfast through this internationally recognised carbon and climate reporting framework. The Committee is also asked to note the scores for Belfast in the UK Climate Score Cards rankings.

3.0       Main report

            Background - Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)

3.1       In July 2021, the Council made the first annual submission to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), with an update provided to Council in October 2021 and December 2022. The submission was undertaken to support baselining of activity and emissions in Belfast, and to enable full participation by Belfast in global climate action campaigns such as the Race to Zero, the Cities Race to Resilience campaign, Cities Race to Zero campaign, the Global Covenant of Mayors, and the WWF One Planet City competition. All of these campaigns require members to have made a submission through a recognised reporting mechanism, of which CDP is the most well-known. The survey consisted of multiple questions across themes such as, waste, transport, energy, emissions, climate risk and vulnerability, adaptation, mitigation, public health, planning and finance.

3.2       Belfast has been recognised by CDP as one of 119 cities across the globethat is taking bold leadership on environmental action and transparency, despite the pressures of a challenging global economic situation. The process has been designed to encourage and support cities to ramp up their climate action and ambition, CDP’s Cities A List is based on environmental data disclosed by cities to CDP-ICLEI Track. A clear momentum in city climate disclosure and action is building – over 900 cities (939 in total) received a rating for their climate action from CDP in 2023. In 2023, just over one in ten cities scored by CDP (13% of such cities) received an A.

3.3       A city submission to CDP illustrates the level of ambition, activity and transparency each city adopts. Belfast has made its submission public in all three submission years to ensure maximum openness and transparency around our plans. The Belfast submission in 2021 was the first time Belfast had participated in CDP, and we were congratulated on having achieved a B ranking at such an early stage. In 2022, our second submission achieved an A ranking and this ranking has been preserved in 2023.

3.4       Along with the projects mentioned in previous submissions such as the Belfast Net Zero Carbon Roadmap (2020), One Million Trees, Living with Water Programme, UPSURGE and the Belfast Tidal Defence Project, the submission this year also included evidence such as the updated Belfast Agenda, the Met Office Heat Maps and the Local Development Plan. The current development of the Climate Action Plan was also highlighted in this submission along with the progress towards a Local Area Energy Plan. Projects such as the solar PV potential in the city and the work around the circular economy helped maintain this year’s A ranking.

            UK Climate Score Cards

3.5       Climate Emergency UK assessed all UK councils on the actions they've taken towards net zero. The scorecard assessment consists of 91 questions or less, depending on council type, across 7 different sections, created in consultation with over 90 different organisations and individuals. Each council was marked against these criteria and given a right to reply before the scores underwent a final audit. This work was completed between January and August 2023 and results were announced November 2023.

3.6       Belfast scored 43%, ranking number one in N. Ireland with the average ranking in the region being 21% this year. The councils are scored on themes based around building and heating, transport, planning and land use, governance and finance, biodiversity, collaboration and engagement and waste reduction and food.

            The link at appendix 6.2 illustrates Belfast’s scores across each of the categories and compares them across all other councils.

            The questions are answered using information gathered by volunteers that is published and collected through FOIs to councils. This is then combined, and councils get a right to reply to its accuracy.

            In 2023, Westminster Council received the highest score in the UK and Thurrock Council received the lowest.

4.0       Financial and Resource Implications

4.1       There are no financial and resource implications.

5.0       Equality or Good Relations Implications/

            Rural Needs Implications

5.1       Any good relations or equality implications will be identified as part of the Council’s screening process.”

            The Committee noted that information contained within the report and congratulated the climate team on their dedication and hard work resulting in the achievement of an ‘A’ ranking in the carbon disclosure project including the impressive results attained within the UK climate scorecard.