The role of local authorities
The public sector is in a key position to lead on efforts to reduce CO2 emissions by setting a behavioural and strategic example to the private sector and the communities they serve. The way in which a local authority delivers its functions can achieve CO2 emissions reductions.
The aim of this indicator is to measure the progress of local authorities in reducing CO2 emissions from the relevant buildings and transport used to deliver its functions and to encourage them to demonstrate leadership on tackling climate change.
What is the scope of this National Indicator?
Measurement against this indicator requires each local authority to calculate its CO2 emissions from analysis of the energy and fuel use in its relevant buildings and transport, including where these services have been outsourced.
The scope of the indicator is local authority operations and services. It should cover the emission sources that a local authority can influence, e.g. emissions released into the atmosphere through direct or indirect functions of the local authority.
For further information on the latest definitions, frequently asked questions (FAQs) and clarifications for each of the national indicators, please refer to the Audit Commission: National indicators for local authorities and local authority partnerships information portal.
Statistics
Baseline data for financial year 2008/09
This spreadsheet contains provisional data collected from all local authorities in England under National Indicator 185 (& 194). Please refer to the Statistical Release document and Methodology for further information. DECC are very grateful for Local Authorities help in collating this information for the first time. We understand that better data is now available for a number of Local Authorities. These statistics should be considered a guide to emissions from Local Authorities operations and potential changes are indicated with a star.
Statistical Release
Guidance documents
This document briefly explains the methodology:
Please note, this is Defra Guidance from 2008 and it is available here for completeness.
Spreadsheet tool (updated June 2010)
This is an error corrected spreadsheet, corrected for the three early spreadsheet errors (information in the note below) and further errors found more recently. Please do not use it to submit 2009/10 data to DECC as announcements have not been made with regards to this.
Advice on submission of the 2008/09 baseline data and how to deal with errors in the spreadsheet was released 10th July 2009:
Further Information
Submission of the 2009/10 data
DECC have not announced a submission deadline for the 2009/10 data, we would like local authorities to hold onto this for the moment. When details of the process and a deadline is announced, enough time will be given to allow local authorities to compile their data.
Weather Corrected Emissions
DECC guidance on this was previous provided to local authorities through the Government Offices via email on the 1st December 2009:
Conversion Factors
The National Indicator 185 conversion factors can be found in Table 2, Annex 3, of Defra's greenhouse gas (GHG) conversion factors for company reporting (2007) which is available on the Defra: Older greenhouse gas conversion factors web page.
At the time the Spreadsheet tool was developed, these were the most up-to-date conversion factors available and there are currently no plans to update them. The Spreadsheet tool uses the rolling average 0.523 kg CO2 per kWh for electricity grid. If DECC update the conversion factors in future, this would be done centrally and no changes to the conversion factors should be made by local authorities.
Please note, these conversion factors differ from those used in the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme: user guide and guidance documents which are taken from Table 3C, Annex 3, Defra's greenhouse gas (GHG) conversion factors for company reporting (2009).
Revising the 2008/09 baseline and adding new sources
We are aware that a number of local authorities have identified inaccuracies in their baseline data. These local authorities are going to update the baseline in the future when they submit the 2009/10 data. This will allow DECC to calculate a more accurate emissions reduction. DECC does not support adding new sources to the baseline, if these were not present in financial year 2008/09. This would undermine the integrity of the baseline. DECC will also accept amendments to the baseline, if new information comes to light in the reporting year 2010/11.
Defra research project
In 2007, Defra commissioned a research project to inform the development of its proposals for the local authority estate climate change performance indicator. The final report of the original research project is also relevant to the methodology for measuring reductions of CO2, and NOx and PM10 for purposes of the Defra: Air quality national indicator for local government (NI 194) from local authority operations.