Climate change
What we are doing about climate change
To help limit the impact of climate change, we:
- declared a climate change emergency.
- are taking all necessary steps to make the Council carbon neutral by 2030 (25% reduction by March 2023 and a 50% reduction by March 2025).
- are a champion for a carbon neutral future for South Tyneside. This includes using our advocacy role to influence actions that promote carbon reductions, across all our communities and the region.
- asked the Leader and Chief Executive of the Council to write to the government to pass the necessary legislation, and provide the rights and resources needed to deliver our climate change goals.
- created a climate change strategy and action plan.
- prepare a report for full Council every year, setting out performance against agreed targets and recommending any changes to the published action plan.
- make sure that all Council strategic decisions, policies and strategies are in line with the move to becoming carbon neutral by 2030.
- produced a Green Economic Recovery Plan.
What we have done to reduce our emissions
Our pledge to become carbon neutral by 2030 refers to the carbon emissions from:
- our gas and electricity usage
- our fleet's fuel usage
What we have done to reduce emissions:
- Delivering a significant building rationalisation programme
- Installed solar panels to a number of Council buildings
- Delivered a significant improvement programme of LED upgrades to street lighting, with continued capital investment taking place
- Building modernisation and retrofit improvement programmes
- Installed Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units at some of our highest consuming sites
What we have done to protect our environment and tackle climate change
We are committed to leading by example and driving investment in a green future.
Our strategy goes beyond our direct carbon emissions.
What we have done to protect our environment and tackle climate change:
- embedding social value in procurement
- increased the amount of electric car charging points
- planting around 3,000 trees a year
- improved the energy efficiency of residential accommodation
- flood alleviation schemes in Monkton and Cleadon
Future plans
Our future plans include:
- The Viking Energy Network Jarrow: A renewable energy scheme that will harness low-grade heat from the River Tyne to heat a number of Council buildings
- The Hebburn Renewable Energy Scheme: The scheme will use minewater from former coal seams to provide heat to a large leisure facility and a high rise residential block, with future network expansion opportunities
- The Holborn Renewable Energy Network: An energy scheme that will aim to generate renewable energy, by using heat from abandoned flooded mines and the River Tyne
- The Middlefields Energy Scheme: The scheme will provide on-site renewable electricity energy generation to key Council buildings
- The continuation of our phased capital investment programme, focused on upgrading old and inefficient street lights to LEDs
- Saltmarsh restoration: A project to recreate rare habitats such as saltmarshes of the River Tyne, working with the Tyne Estuary Partnership
- The Healing Nature Project: A project to restore priority habitats in five wildlife sites in the Borough, working with the Durham Wildlife Trust
- An awareness and engagement programme to increase understanding of climate change across the Borough, and highlight what can be done to reduce its worst effects
For more information about what are doing and what we plan to do about climate change, read our climate change strategy and action plan.
Energy efficiency of residential accommodation
The reports below outline what we have done to improve the energy efficiency of residential accommodation in the South Tyneside area.
South Tyneside Council's Home Energy Conservation Act Progress Report 2017
South Tyneside Council's Home Energy Conservation Act Progress Report 2015
South Tyneside Council's Home Energy Conservation Act Further Report 2013
Protection against flood and coastal change
Find out more about what the Council is doing to make sure South Tyneside is protected against flood and coastal changes.
For more information see CIWEM: Adapting for Tomorrow's Environment.