Councils like ours are typically responsible for approximately 5% of their area’s emissions, and we have committed to making our operations net zero by 2030. We also have an important part to play in helping Portsmouth to be climate-ready through:
- meaningful engagement with our community
- working with local businesses and other public service providers
- our policies, standards, and enforcement powers
- helping Portsmouth’s infrastructure to be ready for changing climates
- campaigning and lobbying central government to enhance our funding, powers and climate change policy
Portsmouth’s climate is changing. Summers are getting hotter and drier, and winters are getting warmer and wetter. It’s also likely that we’ll experience more frequent extreme weather too, such as very heavy rain, drought, heatwaves, cold snaps and storms, as well as a continued rise in sea levels.
Here are some examples of how we are making our city climate-ready across our six strategic priority areas:
1. City travel and transport
- Installing over 100 charge points in our streets for public electric vehicle charging
- Providing electric power to our port berths
- Swapping diesel for HVO in the waste collection vehicles
- Providing e-scooter, e-bike and push bike rental schemes
- On-street bike hangars and more places for people to park bicycles
- Gaining funding to electrify our buses
2. City homes, buildings and infrastructure
- Retrofitting our social housing
- Free insulation to schools, community centres and businesses
- Creating a £30 million low carbon fund to finance city solar projects
- Creating the SwitchedOn Portsmouth services
- North Portsea and Southsea coastal defence schemes
3. City businesses and the green economy
- Bid support to the City of Portsmouth college to develop the NetZero Training Hub at Highbury College
- Partner in programmes delivering business grants
4. City waste and consumption
- City-wide doorstep food waste and used battery collection
- Provision of public recycling banks for cartons and plastics
- Using anaerobic digesters for food waste and create electricity
5. City natural environment
- Landscape design at Queen Alexandra Hospital, St. James’ Hospital and eight local schools
- Working with Wilder Portsmouth, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Woodland Trust, Trees for Cities, and the Tree Council to provide technical assistance, bid support and community engagement
6. City engagement and partnership
- Hosting a Climate Festival and ‘Shining a Light on Social Value’
- Fortnightly climate action newsletter
- Developing of the Green Partnership Charter
- Facilitating climate change games for young people
- Joining the CDP, Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy, UN Race to Zero and Race to Resilience
- Facilitating our green community groups
Find out more about how residents and businesses can also get involved