Oxford ranked top three in UK district councils for tackling climate emergency

The ranking from Climate Emergency UK comes four years after the Oxford Citizens' Assembly on Climate Change, which outlined how Oxford City Council should work towards reaching net zero sooner than 2050 – the first initiative of its kind in the UK.  

Climate Emergency UK has assessed all UK councils on the actions they've taken towards net zero between 2019-2023. The Scorecard assessment consists of 91 questions across 7 different sections, including building & heating, transport, planning & land use, governance & finance, biodiversity, collaboration and engagement, and waste reduction & food.  

Overall, Oxford City Council scored 55%. This is compared to an industry average of 29% for district councils, and Lancaster City Council - the leading council - scoring 61%.  In particular, Oxford scored higher than any other council in the category of Waste Reduction & Food.  

Oxford also joins Oxfordshire County Council in the top tier, with Oxfordshire County Council achieving the highest score for a county council.  

In early 2019, the Council unanimously declared a climate emergency, and since the conclusion of the Citizens Assembly in 2019 has undertaken a variety of net zero carbon schemes and initiatives, including:  

• Appointing Professor Nick Eyre, Professor of Energy and Climate Policy, University of Oxford as its first scientific advisor to help coordinate the strategy for its net-zero objectives. 
• Outlining the Council’s ambition to become a net zero carbon council by 2030 at the latest and publishing an action plan to achieve this. 
• Launching the Zero Carbon Oxford Partnership, a collaboration of large employers and organisations across Oxford working together towards the joint ambition of achieving net zero carbon emissions as a city by 2040, as well as a roadmap on how this will be achieved.  
• Becoming the first UK Council to set out a city-wide air pollution reduction target of 30 µg/m3 of NO2 by 2025 in its latest Air Quality Action Plan.  This goes beyond the current Government target of 40 µg/m3. 
• Working with Oxfordshire County Council to introduce the UK’s first Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ) pilot in several streets in Oxford city centre, which aims to reduce toxic air pollution.  
• Carrying out a £14 million programme and to install heat pumps in the four council-run leisure centres and cut emissions from the City’s largest carbon-emitting buildings. 
• Setting aside £8.7 million for retrofitting council homes, with another £37 million earmarked for capital spend in the following 10 years 
• The Council’s wholly-owned direct services company, ODS exceeding its target of electrifying at least 25% of their fleet by 2023.  
• Completing the award winning Energy Superhub Oxford project, which saw the opening of Europe’s most powerful electric vehicle charging hub at Redbridge Park & Ride, as well as the installation of over 60 ground source heat pumps for social housing properties in Oxford. 
• Launching 'Do You Fuel Good?', a campaign aiming to educate and raise awareness of the harmful impact of wood burning stoves and open fireplaces on human health and the environment. 
• Supporting Project Local Energy Oxfordshire (LEO) to trial a new model for how local energy systems in Oxfordshire are managed and measured.  
• Launching Climate Action Oxfordshire in partnership with fellow Oxfordshire Councils. The campaign and website aims to provide practical advice for Oxfordshire people wanting to reduce their carbon footprint and save energy 

Over the past few years the Council has received several accolades for its work to tackle net zero, including the ENDS Report naming Oxford as England’s greenest city. Earlier this year the Council was recognised as a leader in tackling the climate emergency at the national MJ Awards, beating local authorities across the country to win the ‘Leadership in Responding to the Climate Emergency’ award. 

This week the Energy Superhub Oxford project has also been nominated for ‘the EV Charging Award’ at Citti Awards, as well as shortlisted for the ‘Best collaborative partnership: transport and energy sectors’ at the Transport & Energy Awards – both award ceremonies will take place next month.  

“It is fantastic news that Oxford has once again been recognised for our efforts to reach net zero. Not only is this great news for us as a council, but it is truly a testament to our city and the partners, businesses, community groups, and residents, who are all dedicated to tackling the climate emergency. This is further motivation to keep up the hard work towards our targets.” 

Councillor Anna Railton, Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon Oxford and Climate Justice