Council net zero target postponement 'concerning'

A local authority's decision to postpone its net zero targets have been slammed as "concerning" by climate campaigners and critics.

South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) has revised its deadline to become carbon neutral from 2025 to 2030 for the council, and 2030 to 2045 for the district as a whole.

The authority said it had "led by example" when it came to cutting carbon emissions.

But critics said the authority was "not dealing with the climate emergency" and "breaking promises".

Conservative councillor Ian Snowdon said: "They've known for a very long time that they're missing these targets - there's many officer reports stating that they're nowhere near and yet they leave it to just a few days before the date to suddenly put the targets back five and 15 years.

"It seems the only time they ever take the climate emergency seriously is at election times."

David Rouane is the leader of South Oxfordshire District Council

The authority highlighted the slowing of technological development in the carbon emission sector as a reason for the delay to the "highly ambitious targets".

Council leader David Rouane said: "We set targets which were really challenging back in 2019 in order to change behaviour.

"We have led by example - we've cut our emissions as a council quite significantly.

"It's about the district as a whole - we're one business in the district and we're doing our bit, but what matters is what happens within the district as a whole."

Dr Sue Roberts, who drew up the original targets while she was the council's climate lead, said it was the postponement of the district wide target that was "most concerning".

"It's the people, it's the whole area that we need to get down to zero carbon," the former green party councillor added.

The authority stressed that the revised targets "better align" with other councils across Oxfordshire, and the UK as a whole.