Track our progress

Our latest annual report on tackling the climate emergency in Southwark was published in July 2023. Here we summarise the key sections but you can read the report in full:

• Tackling the Climate Emergency Annual Report July 2023 (PDF, 1.6MB)
• Tackling the Climate Emergency Annual Report, July 2023 (text version without images) (PDF, 301KB)

Where Southwark and the world finds itself in July 2023

Global temperature increases are expected to exceed 1.5ºC and will reach 3.2ºC by 2100. We must enhance our climate change resilience. As a wealthy nation, we bear greater responsibility for urgent action.

Since declaring a climate emergency in 2019 we have been taking urgent action. The Climate Change Strategy stresses achieving net zero by 2030 is urgent.

This year’s annual report highlights our efforts to tackle climate change with our community in Southwark. We also set out some of our top priorities for the year ahead.

We continue to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and tackle other priorities in our borough. This includes 5 key areas.

We invested in carbon reduction for our buildings. We partnered with London Southbank University to offer a free advice service. Residents can use this service to make their homes more environmentally friendly. We moved council properties to renewable energy. We also planted 2 new forests in Peckham Rye Park.

We still face challenges due to gaps in funding. Our vision to address the climate emergency provides an opportunity. It can improve health, housing standards, create green jobs and strengthen communities. We must address challenges, advance our plan and enhance lives in Southwark.

Working across Southwark

The council is responsible for 12% of emissions. We are working to reduce them. We must lead Southwark, its residents, businesses, partners, and others to take action. Together, we can create a net zero Southwark by 2030.

Southwark climate day

Southwark climate day was held in March 2023. We gathered 200 residents, workers, and visitors to brainstorm achieving net zero emissions.

World-class guest speakers included the High Commissioner to Fiji in the UK. Fiji is vulnerable to climate change. Workshops covered air quality, energy efficiency, fashion, and creating wild spaces. Local groups like Extinction Rebellion Southwark, academics, and climate experts shared their ideas.

Stalls promoted sustainable food, fashion, green skills courses, and energy efficiency in Southwark. Repair Café Nunhead fixed people’s household items. The Energy Advice Centre provided help on home energy efficiency. Bike mechanics fixed and serviced bikes for free all day.

Southwark climate action schools

We launched Southwark climate action schools this year. The network connects and empowers schools in the borough. Schools can share their efforts in addressing the climate crisis. They can also discover ways to achieve their objectives. We have been supporting schools partnering with environmental charity Ashden. Schools aim to tackle climate change and inspire young people in the borough.

Greener buildings

Progress since 2022

We introduced a number of measures to streamline the process for green planning applications including:

• helping residents install renewable technology
• improving the online pre-planning advice service on renewables
• quicker decision process for green applications

Our plans in 2023 to 2024

New planning policies will address energy use and retrofitting in the updated Southwark Plan (2022). New planning guidance will be published to meet our planning policies. Work on a local carbon offsetting price will also take place.

We will extend the Green Buildings Fund. Groups in Southwark can access funding to cut emissions on community buildings.

Active and sustainable travel

Progress since 2022

We enhanced walking and cycling access in Southwark by making 1.3 km of new segregated cycle lanes. The number of cycle storage hangars increased to 626. Our school streets programme has created 23 more school streets. These make streets around schools greener and safer and discourage car trips to schools at drop off and pick-up times.

The rollout of electric vehicle charging points is ahead of schedule with the number of new charging points increasing to 812.

We ran a successful campaign to save Southwark’s bus routes, bringing together residents and communities. The council has continued its campaign to reopen Camberwell Station and extend the Bakerloo Line.

We have also worked with partners on the Smarter Greener Logistics (SGL) project, which is exploring how we can use the River Thames for freight and logistics, instead of our roads.

Our plans in 2023 to 2024

We will launch our new Streets for People Strategy. This strategy will balance space demands and guide Southwark's transport sustainably. This will set out how our roads, streets and kerbsides are designed to continue to promote active and sustainable travel. We will also be consulting on Southwark-wide walking, cycling and electric vehicle strategies.

A thriving natural environment

Progress since 2022

We planted two new Tiny Forests in Peckham Rye. They are fast-growing woodlands planted closely together. Local schools and 125 community members helped plant over 1,200 native trees in March 2023.

8,000 new trees were planted in Southwark last year. The council also made 108 new allotment plots.

Our plans for 2023 to 2024

We will consult on a climate change strategy. The goal is climate change resilience. The strategy ensures readiness for the unavoidable impacts of climate change.

We will prepare a new Local Nature Recovery Plan. We will enforce legal requirements for biodiversity net gain. This will enhance habitats in new developments.

Renewable energy

Progress since 2022

We teamed up with London South Bank University's Net Zero Building Centre in early 2023 to launch a green homes advice service. Residents contact the centre for expert advice. Advisors help choose the best measures. Measures range from LED bulbs to heat pump upgrades.

Our plans for 2023 to 2024

We continue to support local energy groups’ funding bids to the Greater London Authority's local community energy fund. We will launch the Southwark Community Energy Fund in the next year. It will fund local renewable energy projects.

A circular economy with green jobs

Progress since 2022

Our investment in net zero projects, employment support, and constructing low-carbon buildings created 1,240 green jobs in Southwark.

We launched a new sustainability blueprint for events in Southwark this year. It helps event organisers identify and reduce carbon emissions. The blueprint also enhances event sustainability.

We approved a new waste management strategy extension. It sets priorities for managing waste up to 2025. A government mandate on extending food waste recycling facilities is expected this year. We are preparing to recycle food waste on our estates in Southwark. Currently, 32% of Southwark’s waste is recycled, which is one of the highest rates in central London. This still falls short of our 36% target. We will keep working with residents to boost recycling rates.

Our plans for 2023 to 2024

We will use the Southwark Pioneers Fund to support new green businesses in Southwark. Southwark Green Finance will launch. Local people and businesses can invest in climate projects.

Our first Library of Things will open in summer 2023 at Canada Water Library. It promotes borrowing and the circular economy. Residents can loan household items like DIY equipment instead of buying them.

We will adopt our sustainable food strategy and right to food in 2024. This will lead to the development of a sustainable food action plan. The school meal transformation programme will offer climate-friendly school food menus. This includes weekly meat-free days and daily options for vegetarians and vegans at all schools.

Reducing emissions in Southwark

We measure our emissions in kilotons of carbon dioxide equivalents, also written as kt CO2e. Our updated data shows a slight fall in emissions, from 824 to 809kt CO2e since 2022.

The pace of reduction needs to increase to achieve our 2030 net zero target. Emissions from domestic buildings have stayed the same. Emissions from industrial and commercial sectors have risen.

Emissions from road transport in Southwark decreased compared to last year. Focusing on heating and powering buildings is vital. These activities contribute to 80% of scope one and two emissions in Southwark.

Borough-wide emissions in Southwark

• 2018 = 1030 kt CO2e
• 2019 = 824 kt CO2e
• 2020 = 809 kt CO2e

One tonne of carbon equals a flight from London to the US east coast. It also equals travelling about 3,500 miles in an average car.

This is made-up of:

• residential buildings = 293kt CO2e, 36%
• industrial and commercial buildings = 334kt CO2e, 41%
• road transport = 178kt CO2e, 22%
• other = 4kt CO2e, 1% (rounded up)

Our climate action plan supports emissions reduction for residents and businesses. However, there is a funding gap from central government. We continue to lobby for the changes and funding required.