Southwark Council Climate Action Plan
Southwark Council is addressing rising procurement emissions, climate adaptation, and biodiversity, while reviewing waste management and cycleway funding.
In October 2026, Southwark Council's Executive committee received an update revealing a 10% increase in Scope 3 emissions from council purchasing between 2023 and 2024, despite an overall borough-wide reduction. Concurrently, the Environment Scrutiny Commission, meeting in October 2026, faced calls to accelerate action on the biodiversity crisis, with concerns raised about the pace of implementing measures to protect local wildlife.
The Environment Scrutiny Commission also discussed climate adaptation in October 2026, with councillors questioning the council's authority to mandate climate resilience measures in schools and raising concerns about solar panel installations on council housing with older district heating systems. Separately, the Overview & Scrutiny Committee reviewed the Lower Road Cycleway in October 2026, making Phase 1 permanent but noting funding uncertainty for Phase 2.
The Southwark Council Climate Action Plan, adopted in July 2021, sets out the council's strategy to address climate change and achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. It outlines actions for climate change mitigation and adaptation, aiming to reduce the borough's environmental impact.
Key facts
- Southwark Council's Scope 3 emissions from purchasing increased by 10% between 2023 and 2024. Source
- The Environment Scrutiny Commission met on October 14, 2026, to scrutinise biodiversity progress and discuss climate adaptation. Source 1 Source 2 Source 3
- The Lower Road Cycleway Phase 1 was made permanent following a review by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee in October 2026. Source
- Southwark Council is reviewing its waste management and street cleaning services due to the 'aerial contract' expiring in 2033. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 15 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.