Woking has long been committed to protecting the environment. Our first climate change strategy was adopted in 2002, although our efforts began much earlier in 1990. We have achieved a lot since then and much has been made possible through working together with key stakeholders, commercial partners and volunteer organisations to meet our common environmental goals.
Woking 2050
Woking 2050 is our current climate change strategy, adopted in 2015. This sets out a vision guiding our collective efforts to create a sustainable borough by reducing our impact on the environment.
Woking 2050 is not just about carbon, it looks at our whole way of living and how it influences our environment. As a council we have a role to bring together our combined potential to make a difference for the future.
Our goal is a borough:
- that protects and enhances its high quality natural environment
- where resources are used wisely and biodiversity is conserved
- that has a built environment that is developed sustainably, which meets local needs and enables the local economy to prosper
- that recognises, prepares and adapts to the socio-economic
- environmental and demographic changes that the future will bring.
Our climate change projects and initiatives
Climate Change Working Group
We monitor delivery of Woking 2050 through our Climate Change Working Group, whose members include representatives from the community, business, environmental organisations, councillors and council officers.
Read more about our green initiatives
Natural Woking
Natural Woking, adopted 2016, is our equivalent strategy for biodiversity and green spaces.
Read about our nature and sustainability projects
We will review and update both strategies on a five year rolling basis.
Planet Woking
Planet Woking is our initiative designed to help local people and organisations to do what you can to make a positive difference for the environment.
There’s also information and activities to inspire your younger family members on the Little Planet Woking pages.
Visit the Planet Woking website
The Council declares a 'climate emergency'
On 25 July 2019, we pledged to become carbon neutral by 2030. We will reduce to zero any greenhouse emissions associated with our own estate and operations. Where any remaining emissions cannot be avoided, we will offset these through projects such as tree planting and maintain trade in renewable energy, thereby eliminating its contribution to climate change.
By definition, the council's own estate and operations covers all our owned assets to reflect the responsibility and influence that we have in terms of the carbon footprint associated with all buildings in its ownership. This includes:
- any council owned properties that are outside of the borough
- buildings that are owned by us but are used by other organisations
- council owned housing properties.
We have adopted a baseline year of 2018/2019 against which we will measure our progress.