Hillingdon Council has formally adopted its updated Strategic Climate Action Plan, showcasing impressive progress in reducing emissions and outlining new commitments to tackle the climate emergency.
At a Cabinet meeting on 10 April, councillors endorsed the revised plan, following a public consultation held between November 2024 and January 2025. Since its 2020 pledge to become carbon neutral by 2030, the council has already slashed emissions from its operations by 53 per cent.
A key achievement has been work under the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, with the Civic Centre—the council’s largest carbon contributor—forecast to see emissions halved. Other accomplishments include:
Replacing 25,000 streetlights with energy-efficient LED lanterns
Planting more than 51,000 trees borough-wide
Major improvements to flood risk management and waste reduction
Modernising the council’s vehicle fleet to low-emission models
Looking ahead, the council will roll out further initiatives to cut greenhouse gas emissions and address ecological issues such as biodiversity loss. These include requiring all major new developments to be carbon zero, expanding EV charging infrastructure, and creating compact ‘tiny forests’ to bring green spaces into urban areas.
Residents will also be supported with tools and guidance to reduce their personal carbon footprints, and the council will continue to promote sustainable transport options, including better cycling routes.
Cllr Eddie Lavery, Cabinet Member for Community and Environment, said:
“We’ve made major strides towards our 2030 carbon neutrality goal. This updated plan builds on our progress and puts climate action at the heart of our services. We want to lead by example and work with residents, schools, and businesses to make Hillingdon the greenest borough in London.”
