Revised environment and climate change policy agreed at Aberdeenshire Council
Aberdeenshire Council has revised its Environment and Climate Change Policy while removing its target to reduce 75% of its emissions by 2030.
The policy ensures that, despite removing the 2030 target, climate change and the drive to net zero remains at the heart of how the council makes decisions and delivers services as laid out in its Council Plan 2024-2029.
Aberdeenshire Council Co-leader Cllr Anne Stirling said: “The council has reduced its emissions year-on-year, aiming for a straight line of annual targets toward a 75% reduction by 2030. However, we have not always met our carbon budgets. We recognise that to continue to do so requires actions outside our direct control—such as improvements in external supply chains and dedicated funding for emission-reducing projects. As such, our future carbon budgets will instead follow a more realistic linear path in line with the Scottish Government, one that is aimed at net zero emissions by 2045.”
Co-leader Cllr Stewart Adams said: “This updated policy helps us to act sustainably and comply with our legal obligations in line with national targets that address climate change. The policy applies to everyone involved in our operations—from staff to leadership to external suppliers—highlighting the shared responsibility we all have in reducing emissions, adapting to the risks that our future climate presents, and playing our part in supporting a greener, fairer, and more resilient future for us all.”
Chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Sustainability Committee Cllr Sarah Dickinson said: “It is crucial that we are open about what we can achieve and our ambition must be underpinned by realistic targets. By aligning ourselves with the 2045 linear path, we remain accountable while providing a clear picture of the good progress we have made to date. Importantly, transparency also means being honest about the barriers we face. Even the most robust plans will be out of reach without appropriate funding and, today, we are choosing a path that reflects our financial reality while maintaining a transparent and measurable drive to net zero.”
Approved at full council on Thursday 26 February 2026, the revised Environment and Climate Change Policy promotes sustainable practices across all council operations while helping the local authority adapt and become more resilient to expected changes in climate.
Despite all the carbon-reduction projects being implemented, the council exceeded its carbon budgets over the last three years while they were aligned with the ambitious 2030 target. However, for the same period, emissions were below the linear path to net zero by 2045, showing the new trajectory is both achievable and reflective of the progress made.
Also on 26 February, the Council approved a 2026/27 carbon budget of 46,763 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) in line with net zero by 2045. For comparison, maintaining the previous 2030 target would have made the carbon budget just 34,459 tCO2e.
To learn more about the emission interventions taking place at Aberdeenshire Council, visit its Climate View dashboard at aberdeenshire.gov.uk/climate-change
Aberdeenshire Council was the first local authority to publish and share its ClimateView dashboard publicly as part of the Scottish Climate Intelligence Service programme.
ClimateView dashboards help to provide a consistent yet flexible approach to how local authorities share knowledge, collaborate, and attract funding to deliver more efficient and effective climate interventions across Scotland.
The draft of the Environment and Climate Change Policy presented at the meeting of Aberdeenshire Council can be found via the council’s committee pages.
