Devon emissions fall again as Dartmoor projects help drive countywide carbon cuts

Devon’s carbon emissions have continued to decline, according to new data released by the Devon Climate Emergency (DCE) partnership.

The DCE, a group of local councils, public bodies, businesses and community organisations, recently published its latest carbon-footprint figures covering Devon, Plymouth and Torbay.

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New data shows emissions fell by 4 per cent between 2021 and 2022, and by 25 per cent since 2010. 

Figures are based on national datasets released two years in arrears, with the most recent published in the Devon Climate Emergency Carbon Footprint Update 2022.

The biggest sources of emissions in Devon remain buildings (35 per cent) and transport (31 per cent), but both sectors are showing early signs of improvement, according to the partnership.

ABOVE: Dartmoor Headwaters Natural Flood Management Project (Credit: Dartmoor National Park)

DCE data notes improvements in transport and building emissions, and local Dartmoor projects such as river restoration, home retrofits and rail restoration are among the efforts helping to drive that trend.

As previously reported in The Moorlander, the “Dartmoor Headwaters” project is restoring the moor’s river sources, slowing water, storing water naturally and helping manage carbon and flood risk.

The reopening of the Dartmoor Line between Exeter and Okehampton in 2021 has also been noted by the DCE as helping by increasing rail use and reducing car dependency on the northern edge of the moor, according to DCE.

Work across rural Devon to improve home energy efficiency is also mentioned, including free advice from the Energy Saving Devon helpline.

ABOVE: A train departing from Okehampton Station (Credit: Xander Turnbull)

More projects are planned over the next year, including the rollout of zero-emission buses on key routes serving communities around the national park.

Separate figures previously published by the Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) show the organisation has been reducing its own operational emissions.

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Between 2018/19 and 2022/23, DNPA reports a 7 per cent cut in its Scope 1 and 2 emissions and a 14 per cent fall in its overall organisational footprint according to Authority reports from 2023, with the authority saying this forms part of ongoing work to reach carbon neutrality.

Despite recent improvements, Devon still remains behind its long-term targets.

DCE reports that the county exceeded its overall 2018-2022 carbon budget by 9 per cent, meaning faster cuts are required to meet the goals of the Devon Carbon Plan, which aims to halve emissions by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050.

Claire Pearce, Chair of the Devon Climate Taskforce, said:

“The four per cent reduction in Devon’s carbon footprint is an encouraging step forward and a testament to the collective efforts across the county.

“We know that to stay in Devon’s carbon budget, the pace of change still needs to accelerate.”

Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Biodiversity and Transport, Cllr Jacqi Hodgson, said:

“This latest reduction in Devon’s carbon footprint is a clear sign that change is happening, but we know we must go further and faster.

“Together, through collaboration and ambition, we can meet the goals of the Devon Carbon Plan.”

DCE says its priorities for the coming year include:

• Supporting residents to retrofit homes,
• Encouraging the uptake of electric vehicles
• Enabling more renewable-energy developments in suitable locations.

The partnership also says it will continue working with communities across Devon, including those in and around Dartmoor, to keep emissions on a downward trend.