Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council ranked joint second in Hertfordshire for action on climate change
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (WHBC) has been ranked joint second in Hertfordshire in the newly published Council Climate Action Scorecards by Climate Emergency UK, up from 8th place last year.
Climate Emergency UK are a not-for-profit company that compile the Council Climate Action Scorecards in partnership with research and data specialists, mySociety. The scorecards are published annually and assess the progress of all councils in UK towards their goal of achieving net zero.
With a score of 39%, Welwyn Hatfield Council has exceed the average district/borough score of 35%. It marks an 11% increase on the previous score (in 2023), which is significantly higher than the national average increase of 6%, and clearly reflects the impactful work that WHBC is undertaking in its commitment to be a net zero council by 2030.
The scorecards include 91 questions covering seven key areas of climate action. Developed in consultation with over 90 organisations and individuals, the assessment process involved initial marking by volunteers, a right of reply for councils and a final audit to ensure accuracy and fairness.
WHBC scored particularly well in the ‘Collaboration and Engagement’ category, achieving a score of 67%, a 35% improvement on the previous year’s score. The launch of WHBC’s Climate Hub has also contributed to the council scoring so well this year. The Climate Hub is an online platform offering climate-related news, events, resources, and practical advice for residents and businesses.
The council also performed strongly in the ‘Buildings and Heating’ category, scoring 55%, an increase of 11%. This included full marks for initiatives such as carrying out extensive retrofit work on council buildings to reduce carbon emissions.
Councillor Max Holloway, the Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Economic Development and Climate Change, said:
“Action on climate change is a priority for the council so I am delighted to have jumped to joint second place in Hertfordshire in this year’s Climate Action Scorecards league table. As a council, we are committed to leading by example and encouraging others to make a positive change to build a greener, more sustainable future for Welwyn Hatfield. This score is a recognition of the actions that the council is taking to help us reach our goal of being a net zero council by 2030, and I would like to thank officers for their hard work.”