Gloucester City Council has announced it is to bring forward its emissions target.

In advance of the 2021 Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, the city council's Cabinet which meets this evening, has been recommended to approve its plans to join the UK100.

UK100 is a network of highly ambitious local government leaders doing everything in their power to get to net carbon zero as soon as possible, and by 2045 at the latest.

It is the only local government network focused solely on climate, clean energy and clean air policy.

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As a condition of UK100 membership, Gloucester City Council will bring forwards its target of being net carbon zero by 2050, by five years to 2045.

The move will place Gloucester City Council alongside Cotswold and Stroud District Councils, who are already members of UK100, as well as Gloucestershire County Council.

It comes ahead of COP26, which runs from 31 October to 12 November, where world leaders will arrive in Glasgow for 12 days of talks on how to tackle to climate emergency.

The city council is also taking part in the 'Greener Gloucestershire' initiative to promote the positive work of councils, the police, NHS and other partners across the county, while raising awareness of how residents, businesses and communities can cut carbon and support the fight against climate change.

Gloucester City Council, alongside others councils across Gloucestershire, declared a climate emergency in 2019.

At this point, the council made a commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050, but entry to the UK100 will revise this target to a more ambitious 2045.