1. Net zero by 2030 is too ambitious
Risk Title and Description
Too ambitious target to reduce City Council carbon emission to 'net zero' by 2030.
Service: Net Zero & Business
Date identified: 13 June 2022
Owner: Net Zero Project Manager
Target implementation date: 2030
Potential Causes:
- Ineffective data monitoring & methodology
- Change in Corporate Priorities
- Lack of understanding of carbon emergency and net zero ambition
- Officers unwilling or with no capacity to engage or make changes to their service
- Lack of technological advancement and financial barriers
- Growth in activity levels increasing scope 3 emissions
- Buying of building new buildings/property
Potential Impacts:
- Not achieving Corporate Priority
- Reputational risk and damage
- Carbon emissions not decreasing
- Services being under the spotlight as high carbon emitters
- Reliance on offsetting
- High spend to achieve aggressive carbon reduction methods
- Lack of funds to reduce carbon emissions
Existing Mitigations & Control
What has been done to control the risk?
- Establishment of Net Zero Team
- Regular engagement with relevant Directors on changes needed to reduce service carbon emissions
- Engagement with Centre for Energy and Environment to establish improved data and changes required to reduce carbon emissions and production of Corporate Carbon Footprint
- Engage with the Devon Climate Emergency team
- Network to learn from best practice with industry and other public organisations
- Net Zero Ambassadors meet on regular basis to share best practice and support service changes
- Carbon Literacy training roll out programme in place delivering training to Net Zero Ambassadors, SMB, OMB, Cllrs and other officers
- Monitor legislative changes to support a reduction in carbon emissions
- Regular 1-2-1's with Portoflio Holder for climate change
Further Mitigations & Controls to be put into place
- Keep targets realistic and update and review carbon emissions annually
- Regular updates and presentations provided to Strategic Scrutiny on Risk register, Carbon Footprint and implementing of the City Council Carbon Reduction Action Plan
- Extend contracts of Net Zero Data Support Officer and Sustainability Project Officer to support work until 2030
- Net Zero Ambassadors to be involved with setting annual action plan and targets
- Net Zero Ambassadors to be allocated budget to reduce carbon emissions and allow ownership on service level
- Be open and transparent with all Net Zero Ambassadors, Officers, Service Areas and Cllrs
Risk scores
| Risk | Score |
| Likelihood | 4 |
| Impact | 4 |
| Risk score | 16 |
| Risk | Score |
| Likelihood | 3 |
| Impact | 4 |
| Risk score | 12 |