York flies the flag for tackling climate change

The climate stripes were developed to show people how the climate is changing where they live. Shades of blue indicate cooler-than-average years, while red shows years that were hotter-than-average. The Yorkshire climate stripes, shown on the flag, highlights the increase in temperature in Yorkshire over the past 150 years.

In March 2019, the council declared a climate emergency and pledged to be net zero by 2030. It is 2,294 days until the 31 December 2029. We are over a third of the way there – and every action towards reducing emissions counts.

The council has contributed to reducing the city’s emissions through a range of actions including:

• Planted over 85,000 trees in the York Community Woodland
• Rolled out a new Electric Bus Fleet with First Bus
• Supported installation of new solar PV on schools with our partner Solar for Schools
• Decarbonising council owned buildings and creating zero carbon housing solutions

This month, the council has also signed the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Action Pledge and are encouraging stakeholders across the city to do the same.

Cllr Kate Ravilious, joint Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency at City of York Council, said:

“We can only reach net zero if we work together. Our relaunch of the York Climate Commission – planned for later this year – will provide the platform for businesses and organisations across the city to support each other on the journey to net zero.”

Cllr Jenny Kent, joint Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency at City of York Council, said:

“We all have a part to play in reducing greenhouse emissions.

“Every change, however small, will help protect our environment and lessen the severity of extreme weather events. Together, we can rise to the challenge, sharing ideas and solutions to cut carbon and protect the environment – creating a cleaner and greener city for future generations.”

The flag will be flown over the weekend (21-23 September), but taken down temporarily on the 21 September (11.30am-2pm) during the funeral of the former Lord Mayor, when the York flag will be flown at half-mast.

For tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint, see the United Nation’s ten actions for a healthy planet: https://www.un.org/en/actnow/ten-actions

To see how the climate has changed across the UK and globally, visit: showyourstripes.info

To stay up to date with the council’s carbon reduction projects, sign up to our newsletter here.