Carbon emissions must be cut by 80% by 2050, Lambeth Council has pledged.

The south London council has cut its carbon emissions by approximately 14% between 2004/5 and 2007/8, and is well on the way to meeting its 2012 target of a 20%reduction.

But now the council has now set itself a more challenging long term target of 80% by the middle of the century in order to combat climate change. The target was adopted following recommendations made by the cross party Climate Change Commission.

The council has been taking a range of steps to cut its carbon emissions and save on energy costs over the past two years. It has reduced paper use by around 24%, improved boilers, insulation and heating systems at council buildings to cut energy use, and implemented a range of measures to upgrade IT systems to run more efficiently.

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Lambeth's new fleet of vehicles is also now among the greenest in London. The new vehicles boast better fuel economy, lower exhaust emissions and reduced engine noise and are predicted to save the council around £150,000 a year in lower fuel, servicing and leasing costs.

Cllr Nigel Haselden, Deputy Cabinet Member for Sustainability on Lambeth Council, said: "We simply must act now and raise our game if we are to tackle the threat posed by climate change and it is absolutely right that we set ourselves this challenging target.

"We have done a great deal to reduce Lambeth’s carbon footprint but we recognise that the pressure to do more will not go away. Local councils like Lambeth have a critical role in leading the fight against climate change. As we pursue this new target we shall be supporting the energy and commitment of those residents and businesses who know that by making small but important changes to their lifestyles they are playing a key role in the global battle to reduce carbon emissions."

(CD/JM)