“Significant government investment” needed for city’s greener future - council

Carbon emissions created by Cardiff Council have been cut by 18% since the launch of the local authority's climate change strategy.

As part of the One Planet Cardiff response to climate change, launched in 2019, the council has planted 100,000 new trees, built a nine megawatt solar farm built at Lamby Way, new low carbon council homes and schools and the hydropower scheme on the Radyr Weir.

This comes despite Cardiff being listed among the ten cities with the worst air quality in the UK in the Cities Outlook report 2025.

Cabinet member for climate change, strategic planning and transport, Cllr Dan De'Ath said: "There are major challenges that need to be overcome if we are going to achieve our carbon neutral ambitions and reap the potential economic and social benefits that a greener future can bring.

"Significant government investment will be required, the national grid needs to be decarbonised, rates of domestic retrofitting need to accelerate, and skills shortages and supply chain issues have to be addressed.

“These are issues faced by local authorities across Wales and the UK. We cannot do this alone."

A ‘Green Growth Proposition' is being developed for Cardiff to tackle these challenges which will focus on two key areas - local renewable energy generation and domestic retrofit.

This will “clarify what actions the council can take, what external support would be needed to bring about accelerated action in these areas,” according to the council.

“Greener future” - decarbonisation of taxis

The latest available UK government figures - from 2022 - show that carbon emissions created by residents, businesses and other organisations also reduced by 8.3%.

Transport accounts for a third of all emissions - with the city's hackney carriage fleet contributing to that.

It consists of many older diesel vehicles, meaning much of that mileage has a negative impact on the planet, and local air quality.

Now, the council has provided more than £200,000 of grants to enable drivers to upgrade to more fuel efficient or fully electric vehicles.

Cllr De'Ath also said: "Transport accounts for around a third of the carbon emissions created in Cardiff, and the negative health impact of air pollution is well-documented.

“These grants help support the decarbonisation of Cardiff's taxi fleet and puts this vital component in the city's transport network on the road to a cleaner, greener future."

The grants range from £5,000 - £10,000 per vehicle.

A report providing a full update on progress under the One Planet Cardiff strategy and more detail on the proposed Green Growth Proposition is due to be scrutinised by the Environmental Scrutinty Committe on 25 February and discussed by Cardiff Council's Cabinet on 27 February.