The UK Climate Change Act 2008 commits the country to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
While local authorities are not legally required to set a carbon target, Amber Valley Borough Council declared a Climate Emergency in July 2019 and has committed to becoming a carbon neutral council by 2030.
Our approach is set out in the Climate Change Action Plan, informed by the national Climate Emergency UK Scorecards.
You can read our Climate Change Action Plan 2025 - 2026.
You can view our previous action plans below:
The actions on our Climate Change Action Plan have been broadly based on the Climate Emergency UK (CEUK) Scorecards.
You can read full details about the scoring and view Amber Valley Borough Council's Scorecard at:
Amber Valley Borough Council has worked with the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust to produce a Plan for Nature, which informs our Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. These documents set out the current state of nature locally and how we aim to support recovery.
You can view a copy of the Plan for Nature here and the Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan here.
Under the Environment Act 2021, local authorities must consider how to conserve and enhance biodiversity in all their functions. Each year, we carry out a range of activities to support nature across Amber Valley and report on our progress.
View a copy of our here biodiversity duty report.
Understanding and reducing our carbon emissions is a key part of our commitment to tackling climate change. To measure our progress, we first calculated a baseline for our organisational emissions in 2018–19. This baseline included emissions from electricity, gas, water, fleet vehicles and employee business travel.
Our total emissions for this period were 520.85 tonnes of CO₂e.
We continue to monitor and report our emissions to help us track progress and identify areas for continued improvement. Assessments have been completed for 2022–23 and 2024–25.
In 2022–23, our emissions reduced to 297.15 tonnes of CO₂e, a reduction of around 42% compared with 2018–19.
This improvement reflects the impact of our energy‑saving projects, including:
Total Emissions by Year (tCO₂e)
| Year | Electricity | Gas | Water | Fleet | Employee Vehicles | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–2019 (baseline) |
242.31 |
78.55 |
6.71 |
175.88 |
17.41 |
520.85 |
| 2022–2023 |
133.54 |
1.62 |
6.98 |
143.33 |
11.68 |
297.15 |
| 2024–2025 |
176.84 |
19.88 |
7.73 |
152.97 |
10.83 |
368.25 |
Our reported emissions for 2024–25 increased to 368.25 tonnes of CO₂e.
This rise does not represent a like‑for‑like increase in emissions. Instead, it reflects:
This provides a more accurate and comprehensive picture of our carbon footprint.
2024–25 Emissions by Scope (tCO₂e)
| Scope | Emissions |
|---|---|
|
Scope 1 – Gas heating |
19.88 |
|
Scope 1 – Vehicle fuel use |
152.97 |
|
Scope 2 – Electricity generation |
162.48 |
|
Scope 3 – Electricity transmission and distribution |
14.36 |
|
Scope 3 – Water |
7.73 |
|
Scope 3 – Staff business miles |
10.83 |
|
Total |
368.25 |
The council purchases 100% renewable electricity for its operations through a green energy tariff. However, our associated Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO) certificate is not yet available as the fuel mix is being validated by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, which will be followed by an independent audit by the Carbon Trust. Under the national greenhouse gas reporting guidance, the Council reports its electricity at the standard grid emissions factor rather than zero carbon until the fuel mix has been validated as 100% renewable.
The council owns several buildings that are leased to Places Leisure, a part of the Places for People Group, for the three leisure centres in Alfreton, Ripley and Heanor. While the council retains ownership of the buildings, operational emissions sit with Places Leisure. The council recognises that these buildings contribute to overall borough emissions, and the council acknowledges its role as a landlord in influencing longer term energy efficiency and decarbonisation of these buildings.
In 2025, the council worked with Places Leisure to secure Sport England funding for pool covers at Alfreton Leisure Centre, helping reduce heat loss, energy use and carbon emissions.
Leisure Centre Emissions for 2024 - 25 (tCO₂e)
| Center | Electricity | Gas | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Alfreton |
402.34 |
304.8 |
707.14 |
|
Ripley |
252.17 |
295.42 |
547.59 |
|
William Gregg |
260.18 |
227.55 |
487.73 |
|
Total |
914.69 |
827.77 |
1742.46 |
Amber Valley Norse, established in 2020, provides domestic and trade waste and recycling collections. Emissions associated with waste collection are currently being calculated and will be published once available.
Contact the team directly on 01773 841332 or email climate@ambervalley.gov.uk
