LATEST CARBON REDUCTION FIGURES WELCOMED

11.03.01am GMT Fri 8th Jan 2010

Cardiff Council's Liberal Democrat Leader Rodney Berman has welcomed the latest National Assembly for Wales research on carbon dioxide emissions, which shows the capital has made the most progress in Wales.

A significant reduction of 10.8% was made in Cardiff between 2005 and 2007. That figure is over a percent more than the area with the second biggest Welsh reduction.

Cardiff also has the lowest domestic carbon dioxide emissions in Wales.

In the last three years in particular, a total of 66 separate energy efficiency projects have been completed in 53 council buildings. Examples include loft and cavity wall insulation, heating controls, pool covers on swimming pools to reduce heating and ventilation costs and motor controls on pool pumps and ventilation fans.

There have been some shining individual examples of reduction in C02 emissions at Llanishen High School (18 per cent), Llanishen Leisure Centre (21 per cent), Michaelston Community College (28 per cent) and Willcox House (22 per cent).

Cardiff Council has made a commitment to reduce 60 per cent of the authority's carbon emissions from non domestic buildings and waste by 2018 and is the first local authority in Wales to set such an ambitious target. Further measures such as insulation, heating controls, lighting upgrades and replacement of inefficient hot water systems are set to be implemented in schools.

Cardiff Council Leader Rodney Berman, said: "The Assembly's latest report confirms we are making excellent progress in reducing our carbon emissions and helping to lead the way throughout Wales.

"We will continue to make every effort to reach all of our targets and the importance of this project cannot be underestimated. Not only is it vitally essential for the environment but by significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions we are also making big efficiency savings right across the city.

"Public sector organisations currently account for approximately five per cent of the UK's overall carbon emissions - equivalent to around 21 million tonnes of CO2. This Council is fully committed to helping to radically reduce that figure by meeting our targets and tackling this major environmental challenge head on."

The full report can be found at: http://www.assemblywales.org/09-037.pdf