Oxford City Council Reports 8% Drop in Carbon Emissions
The council's latest report details a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for the 2024/25 period, contributing to its net-zero ambitions.
By Laura Medhurst
••3 min read
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Generic image of a digital thermometer showing a downward trend, with a blurred background of green foliage and a building.
Oxford City Council has reported an 8% annual reduction in carbon emissions for the 2024/25 period, bringing its total organisational emissions to 5,088 tCO₂e and marking a 31% decrease from 2019/20 baseline levels.
The latest Greenhouse Gas Emissions report, covering 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, details the council's efforts to reduce emissions associated with energy and water use, fleet operations, and business travel. The council is working towards a target of becoming net zero carbon across its own operations by 2030, aiming for an annual reduction of 10% against 2019/20 baseline levels.
Greenhouse gas emissions fell from 5,581 tonnes in 2023/24 to 5,088 tonnes in 2024/25, an 8% decrease year-on-year. This improvement is partly attributed to changes in the council's reporting scope, excluding certain site categories following third-party advice. A cooler average temperature during the reporting year also led to increased heating demand.
The council continued to invest in long-term decarbonisation projects, estimated to save around £100,000 in energy costs annually and reduce emissions by approximately 150 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. These projects include exploring plans for a potential city centre heat network and undertaking studies for communally heated residential buildings.
Other emission reduction initiatives over the years have involved LED lighting replacements, solar panel installations, enhanced building management systems, and improving the performance of heat pumps across council facilities.
Looking ahead to 2026/27, planned activities include progressing the city centre heat network in partnership with stakeholders and completing heat decarbonisation studies across various council buildings.
Beyond its own operations, the council collaborates with major organisations in Oxford through the Zero Carbon Oxfordshire Partnership, aiming for net zero carbon emissions across the city by 2040 and Oxfordshire by 2050.
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"I am pleased that we have continued to reduce our carbon emissions and have now achieved a 31% reduction against our 2019/20 baseline. Publishing this report each year helps us remain transparent about our progress and the challenges we face on our journey to becoming a net zero Council by 2030."
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"We have continued to invest in decarbonisation projects and develop a clearer understanding of the measures needed to reduce emissions across our estate. From heat network projects and building optimisation studies to future heat decarbonisation plans, we are taking important steps to support our long-term climate ambitions."
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"These projects are not only helping to cut carbon emissions, but also reduce our energy costs, with work commissioned during 2024/25 expected to save around £100,000 each year. This helps ensure we are delivering value for money for taxpayers while reducing our environmental impact."
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"While this year's results are encouraging, we know there is still more to do if we are to meet our net zero target by 2030. Achieving an 8% reduction is positive progress, but we must continue to accelerate our efforts, invest in low-carbon solutions and identify further opportunities to reduce emissions across our operations in the years ahead."
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"As an organisation we are responsible for around 1% of Oxford’s carbon emissions, but we remain committed to leading by example and working with partners across the city to tackle the climate emergency."
Based on information from the official source: Oxford City Council (14/10/2026)
