To coincide with World Environment Day Carlisle City Council has pledged to cut its carbon footprint and reduce its energy consumption.

Carlisle City Council is one of 74 local authorities from across England, Scotland and Wales to take part in the latest phase of the Carbon Trust's Local Authorities Carbon Management (LACM) programme, which will see participants collectively cut their carbon footprints by 518,000 tonnes and energy costs by £50 million per year.

Carlisle City Council is taking part in the programme along with South Lakeland District Council, the Lake District National Park Authority and Cumbria County Council, as part of a Cumbria consortium.

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Launched in 2003, the LACM programme is designed to deliver improved energy management of their assets like buildings and vehicle fleets. The programme gives detailed technical advice and facilitates the sharing of best practice between participants, enabling them to learn from each other's experience, thereby optimising results.

The sixth phase of the Carbon Trust's Local Authority Carbon Management programme will run until March 2009.

Tom Cumberlege, Public Sector Manager at the Carbon Trust, said: "The financial and environmental incentives to cut carbon are clear. Local authorities in the UK are responsible for spending in the region of £1.4 billion every year on energy and through their own operations alone collectively emit nearly seven million tonnes of carbon dioxide. When it comes to taking action on climate change, local authorities are in a unique position to be clear leaders and work together with local businesses and residents. The Carbon Trust is delighted to be supporting 74 more local authorities in these efforts."

(CD/JM)