Our journey so far

Our ambition is to be a vocal climate leader that leads by example for our residents and communities. We are making positive strides in educating our staff on sustainabiltiy to reduce the council’s carbon footprint. 

By installing air source heat pumps and solar panels in schools and council buildings we're expecting to save over 1,040 tonnes of carbon annually.

Barnet is a green borough, but our environment, and the variety of wildlife that inhabits it, is affected by our changing climate, from more frequent heat waves and flash floods to the loss of critical biodiversity that enriches and supports our place.

To adapt to these changes we’re planting 5,000 trees over the next 5 years, launching the "Trees for Streets" scheme, and implementing Flood Risk Management Strategies.

Our homes provide the foundations of a safe, secure and nurturing environment, in which we can grow and thrive. They are also one of the biggest barriers to reaching a sustainable future, with around 21% of the UK’s carbon emissions coming from our homes.

We have been working to ensure that both our council homes and private housing are energy efficient and future-proofed. Through our partner Barnet Homes, more than 600 council homes have been retrofitted so far, creating healthier and more energy-efficient living spaces, and we are also working with developers and partners to support the private housing sector.

How we treat waste, from the food we don’t eat, to the household goods we no longer need, has a massive impact on our planet. A key principle of sustainability is not taking more from the environment than we can replenish. Through initiatives like the Recycling and Waste Reduction Plan and the Community Skip service, we're empowering residents to adopt sustainable practices.

Our focus on education and community engagement, exemplified by the "Bring it Barnet" campaign and the Food Plan, highlights our holistic approach to waste reduction.

Transport is about more than getting from A to B. How we travel impacts on our environment, our health and our quality of life. Barnet’s people need real choices to travel more safely, sustainably and healthily, and to enable this change we're investing in walking, cycling, and public transport infrastructure.

We're also installing up to 1,500 electric vehicle charge points to pave the way for a greener transport future.

A changing climate won’t just impact the way we live and travel, but also the ways in which we work and do business. We recognise the need for businesses and communities to adapt and learn the new skills needed for the changing landscape, and are supporting this transition by facilitating access to green skills, training, and jobs.

Through partnerships and initiatives like the Green Skills Centre and the BarNET ZERO pledge, we're fostering a thriving green economy.

Becoming a net zero borough by 2042 will take a collective effort. To deliver on our ambition of becoming one of London’s most sustainable boroughs we are putting residents, communities and businesses at the heart of our delivery.

Through initiatives like Citizens' Assemblies, programs like Minibeasts of Barnet, the BarNET ZERO Challenge our BarNET Zero Campaign, we're empowering everyone to be part of the solution.