A CLEANER future is on the agenda for Cumbria as the county council aims to reduce its carbon footprint.

Cumbria County Council has revealed their Carbon Management Strategy, an effort to reduce its impact on the environment in-line with the national agenda of achieving a net zero carbon economy in 2050.

It was agreed in a cabinet meeting on Thursday that the county council would look to reduce harmful emissions from their buildings and land.

Councillor David Southward MBE, county council Cabinet Member for Economic Development said: “We’re going to put renewable energy into our buildings, there will come a time where we can make things better for the environment.

“The HQ in Carlisle is a fantastic facility but since we’ve moved our IT in there it gives off a lot of heat.”

“It creates an energy hierarchy. We are going to start by reducing demand and using power that we don’t need.”

He said: “Even during such difficult times as these, reducing our carbon footprint remains a top priority for the County Council.”

The council’s decarbonisation strategy involves replacing existing lamps with LEDs, replacing or upgrading equipment that is no longer efficient and installing heat recovery systems to reduce heat loss through ventilation.

Cumbria County Council's clean energy strategy registers an interest in solar and wind power with their current land being considered as sites for the renewable energy generation.

The council aims to combat the growing threat of a climate disaster due to global warming.

Coun Southward said: "Ultimately, the aim for this strategy is to reduce the Council’s Carbon Footprint, deliver savings, give opportunities to increase skills in our supply chain and improve our environment and the lives of the people of Cumbria.

"We can all play a part in reducing our impact on the world - small changes really can make a big difference.

He said: "I’d urge everyone to consider the changes they could make within their own homes and lifestyles to see what they can achieve too."

For the county council's full clean energy strategy, visit: https://cumbria.gov.uk/planning-environment/climatechange.asp