Agenda item

To consider the report and presentation of the Chief Officer Climate, Energy and Green Spaces which provides an update on the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) feedback, which, as agreed at the November CEAC Meeting, will be used to develop the CEAC Main Committee forward plan.

The report of the Chief Officer, Climate, Energy and Green Spaces outlined that the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) was a global non-profit that ran the world’s environmental disclosure system for companies, cities, states and regions. More than 24,000 organisations around the world disclosed data through CDP in 2023 (including listed companies worth two thirds of global market capitalization) and over 1,100 cities, states and regions.

Chad Newton, Senior Policy and Communications Officer, presented the report and highlighted the following information:

·  In November 2023, Leeds received an A Grade rating, for the second year running, from the CDP, a global non-profit organisation that runs environmental disclosure systems for companies, states, cities and regions.

·  The CDP process provided a useful, independent review at no cost to Local Authorities for participation with private sector companies instead charged for their own engagement.

·  Only 119 cities globally received an A grade rating over 2022 and 2023, with the regional European average rating noted as a B rating and the global as a C rating.

·  The item had been brought at the Committee’s request for feedback after Leeds’s submission to the CDP in November 2023.

·  A list of other A grade rated Council’s within the UK was provided, as well as a list of grade definitions as D, disclosure, C awareness, B management and A leadership. The highest grades required integrated plans for climate action and adaptation.

·  The process required transparency, with the Leeds submission available on the CDP website as well as being contained online as part of an Executive Board report.

·  As the CDP project progressed annually, the target requirements become more stringent in order to encourage better practice and further action.

·  The 2024 submission was to be informed by the 2023 review and for improved scores, feedback from CDP requires that the Council better explain flood alleviation scheme progress, public engagement on climate adaptation policies—especially with those more vulnerable, better explain Connecting Leeds progress, provide new data for public travel methods at a local and district level, provide more detailed tree planting metrics, provide area wide targets for renewable energy generation, and disclose Leeds’s carbon credit requirements to achieve net zero.

·  The next steps were outlined as the CEGS team to continue co-ordination of the 2024 submission, engaging with relevant departments and partners as part of the process. The team will also explore new data sources for improved transparency and accountability of the city’s progress. Council officers requested the support of CEAC to consider relevant plans and options.

·  Key dates for the 2024 submission were for CDP to publish questionnaires and guidance in April 2024, CDP to open the questionnaire in June 2024, Leeds to complete the submission and publish it alongside the annual report due for Executive Board in September 2024, and for results to be published in early 2025.

During discussions the Committee discussed the following:

• A message of thanks and congratulations was extended to officers for their work on the submission and the A grade rating.
• With the reference to Leeds being within the top 13% of performers, it was outlined that relative positions compared to other cities were not provided as part of the CDP results and only the grade rating for each city were received. Officers agreed to further scrutinise the results and data and feedback any notable findings to the Committee.
• The work on expected usage of carbon credits was difficult to scope and officers noted it was unlikely to be contained in the 2024 submission, however, conversations regarding the process were opening.
• Engagement with other A grade cities was ongoing and had uncovered similar queries with regards to developing best practice for understanding carbon credits.
• It was confirmed that the criteria for ratings was changing annually to encourage improvements (e.g. there had been a greater focus on climate adaptation in recent years), in line with Paris Agreement targets.
• Contact with a CDP representative had outlined that the 2024 rating criteria had not been finalised and it was alluded that the 2024 results for Leeds would likely remain as A grade, with opportunities to improve Leeds’s score had been identified.
• The forward plan for the Committee could help examine data and review the specific asks of the CDP through scrutiny of items brought to the Committee and associated working groups.
• The results displayed many positives which covered a vast range of topics and Leeds had developed good models for flood alleviation, tree planting and transport which can be expanded for future submissions.

RECCOMENDED –

a)  That the report, along with Members comments, be noted.

b)  That the feedback used to develop the CEAC Main Committee forward plan, be agreed.