The time to act on climate change is now
Every individual and organisation in Swindon can take action and play a part
Why we need to act
Since the mid-1800s, humans have contributed to the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the air. This causes global temperatures to rise, resulting in long-term changes to the climate.
The world has warmed approximately 1.2 - 1.4°C since the mid-1800s, and global temperatures are expected to get even worse. In fact, scientists believe at some point in the next five years the earth will likely get more than 1.5°C warmer than the mid-1800s.
We can already see the impacts of climate change and these will become more severe and widespread as global temperatures continue to rise. How great the impacts will become depends upon our success in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The Paris Agreement was the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate change agreement, adopted at the Paris climate conference (COP21) in December 2015. It sets out a global framework to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2°C and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.
The UK declared a climate and ecological emergency on 1st May 2019. In April 2022, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change advised that without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, limiting global warming to 1.5°C is beyond reach. More recent assessments indicate that the remaining carbon budget for 1.5°C is extremely small, and overshooting this limit is now highly likely. Limiting global warming will require major transitions in the energy sector. This will involve a substantial reduction in fossil fuel use, widespread electrification, improved energy efficiency, and use of alternative fuels.
What does net zero mean?
Put simply, net zero means balancing the amount of greenhouse gas produced with the amount removed from the atmosphere. We reach net zero when the amount we add is no more than the amount taken away. Gross zero would mean stopping all emissions, which isn’t realistically attainable across all sectors of our lives and industry.
Even with best efforts to reduce them, there will still be some emissions.
Net zero can be achieved through a combination of emission reduction and emission removal. Greenhouse gas emissions can be removed by the natural environment, for example, they can be stored in soils, trees and the ocean. These are often called ‘nature-based solutions’, and bring wider benefits, such as improving biodiversity and reducing flood risk. Emissions can also be removed using technology, such as carbon capture and storage.
When the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by a country, organisation or place are cancelled out by the amount removed, it will be a net zero emitter.
The UK was the first major economy to create a legally binding target to bring greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. However, the Climate Change Committee has warned that the UK is currently off track to meet its carbon budgets. Delivering on our commitments now requires decisive, accelerated action.
Decarbonisation Framework
We adopted a Decarbonisation Framework in December 2025. The framework sets out goals and objectives to reduce emissions across both the Council and the wider borough. It provides a clear direction of travel for Swindon, helping us make steady progress towards our net zero goal. It also aims to benefit businesses, residents and local biodiversity, with themes that cover areas such as business, green spaces and health..
