Corporate Net Zero Strategy

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council is committed to taking credible, evidence-based action on climate change. 

At Full Council on the 15th July 2026 we adopted a new Corporate Net Zero Strategy. This Strategy sets out a clear and updated pathway for reducing emissions across our operations, services and supply chain, with a target of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2047. 

The strategy marks an important step forward in our climate journey. It moves us from an ambition-led approach to a robust, independently verified plan that is aligned with recognised national and international standards. 

In 2026, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council became the first local authority in the UK to achieve independent verification against the BSI Net Zero Pathway. This followed a comprehensive assessment by the British Standards Institution (BSI), covering both our greenhouse gas emissions reporting and our Corporate Net Zero Strategy.  

The BSI Net Zero Pathway is based on the internationally recognised ISO Net Zero Guidelines and provides assurance that an organisation's carbon footprint data, emissions reduction plans and net zero targets are credible, evidence-based and capable of delivering net zero.  

This achievement provides residents, councillors and stakeholders with confidence that our approach has been independently verified and follows recognised best practice. 

Since declaring a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency in 2019, we have delivered a wide range of decarbonisation and energy efficiency projects across our estate and services. These include: 

• Installing solar photovoltaic systems across council-owned sites. 
• Improving energy efficiency in council buildings. 
• Introducing heat pumps to replace fossil fuel heating. 
• Electrifying and modernising our vehicle fleet. 
• Reducing energy consumption across our operations. 

As a result, we have reduced our direct emissions from fuel and electricity consumption by more than 50% since 2018. 

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council will achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 31 March 2047. 

Our pathway is designed to: 

• Reduce absolute emissions by at least 90% before offsetting is used. 
• Prioritise genuine emissions reductions over carbon offsets. 
• Deliver at least a 50% reduction in emissions every decade. 
• Align with the principles of the BSI Net Zero Pathway and ISO Net Zero Guidelines.  

While our original aspiration was to achieve net zero by 2030, improvements in carbon accounting, stronger standards and a more complete understanding of our emissions have enabled us to develop a pathway that is realistic, transparent and deliverable.   

By adopting a verified, standards-based approach, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council is ensuring that its climate commitments are backed by credible plans, robust data and independent assurance. 

This strategy not only provides a clear route to net zero for the council, but also creates a framework that can support future local government reorganisation and help establish a consistent, high-quality approach to climate action across the region.