Our carbon budget
Our carbon budget is a science-based method of tracking and reducing how much carbon dioxide we emit. Carbon dioxide emissions can also be called CO2 or carbon.
The budget was set by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research. It sets the total amount of carbon we can emit between 2018 and 2100. We divide the total budget into five-year periods. With a smaller amount of carbon allowed to be emitted every five years.
From 2020 to 2025, the carbon budget was 126,336 tonnes. We stayed within budget over the five years (emitting 122,000 tonnes of carbon). We did this by reducing the use of gas in Council buildings. We also fitted LEDs in our streetlights and used more electric vehicles (EVs).
From 2025 to 2030, the carbon budget falls to 79,300 tonnes. That's a reduction of about 41,500 tonnes over the five years.
We aim to save around 42,871 tonnes. Our key actions are to:
- buy renewable energy from a new solar farm – saving around 17,600 tonnes
- change to greener fuels and use more EVs – saving around 12,011 tonnes
- make Council buildings more sustainable – saving around 6,730 tonnes
- maximise the efficiency of street lighting – saving around 3,030 tonnes
- decarbonise the Manchester Energy Network – saving around 3,000 tonnes
- promote sustainable staff business travel – saving 500 tonnes
Figure 1: Actual carbon emissions and forecast for 2025 to 2038
Description of Figure 1: A line graph showing actual carbon emissions from 2009 to 2025. And a forecast of how they will reduce further from 2025 to 2038.
In detail: From 2009 to 2025, annual emissions fell from 69,717 to 25,373 tonnes of carbon dioxide. They could fall to around 15,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2030. The graph then shows a possible path to annual emissions of 3,099 tonnes in 2038.
Carbon budgets and the Climate Change Committee
The Climate Change Committee is an independent, statutory body that advises the Government. They give advice on carbon budgets and assess climate change risk. They also report on progress to adapt and prepare the UK for climate change. Find out more about the Climate Change Committee’s carbon budgets.
Notes on Figure 1
The proposed programme for 2025 to 2030 may be reviewed in 2025/26. This is when billing changes for 2024/25 are taken into account.
The estimated trajectory from 2030 onwards assumes:
- an average decrease of 12% pa following adherence to the Climate Change Action Plan 2025–30 budget period
- an ongoing power purchase agreement of 35GW pa
- a new programme of carbon reductions developed by 2030 and delivered from 2030 to 2038