Reducing our CO2 emissions

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority has been recording its carbon emissions since 2005/06, measuring energy use from buildings, business travel.  

Our current objective is to reduce our CO₂ emissions by 25% by March 2013 (compared to 2005/06 levels – the year we started taking action). So far, we’ve reduced emissions by almost 20%.

In 2007, we signed up to the Nottingham declaration, committing to ensuring that tackling climate change is a cornerstone of the authority’s strategy. As part of this process, the Authority has since been implementing carbon reduction and wider environmental sustainability initiatives.

To reduce our impact on the environment, the Authority has invested in several projects, including:

• a ground source heat pump at our office in Bainbridge

• a biomass (wood-fuelled) heating boiler in our office in Grassington, which won the public building installation category of the Yorkshire and Humber Microgeneration Partnership awards in 2010

• a self-contained sewerage system at Aysgarth National Park Centre

There have also been a number of smaller projects, such as:

• the installation of videoconferencing and telephone conferencing equipment to reduce the need to travel to meetings

• energy saving improvements to buildings such as movement-sensitive and low energy lighting, double glazing, foil back radiators, loft installation, ‘sava’ plugs on fridges, and timers on electrical equipment

• waterless urinals and ‘reduced flush’ public toilets

• recycling facilities for waste including compost bins

• staff awareness campaigns to help improve working practices, focusing on topics such as travel, energy saving and reducing waste

• purchasing electricity from ‘green’ GQCHP sources, which produce fewer emissions

In 2011/12, we will be replacing our vehicle fleet with fewer, lower emission vehicles, and making changes to our computer system to reduce the energy it uses.