Non-profit climate organisation CDP (formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project) has included Edinburgh on its 2022 A List.
A total of 1,002 cities in total received a rating for their climate action plans in this the fifth CDP cities scores, a rise on the 965 cities scored in 2021. Just 122 cities (12%) received an A this year.
The CDP project ranks cities worldwide based on the transparency and stringency of their emissions reduction targets and credibility of their climate adaptation plans. The data is submitted through questionnaire by jurisdictions and organisations and made publicly available through the CDP web site.
Edinburgh rated highly for having publicly disclosed a city-wide emissions inventory. The city also has an ambitious target of net zero emissions by 2030 and has published a plan to reach that target embedded in Edinburgh’s 2030 Climate Strategy.
On adaptation, the city is in the process of updating a climate risk and vulnerability assessment that was last completed over a decade ago. The new risk assessment will identify priority areas for adaptation and weigh the costs and benefits of investing in climate adaptation.
Edinburgh was the first city in Scotland to be named on the A list by CDP in 2021. This year it’s joined by Dundee.
The city was previously ranked among the top three councils in the UK in 2022 by the Council Climate Plan Scorecard project for its climate strategy.
Council Leader Cammy Day called the CDP recognition “incredibly rewarding”, and urged the city “to keep these programmes moving forwards”:
“This is a key priority for the Edinburgh Partnership, and work is well underway on several major projects to support clean, green active and public transport to connect communities across the city, from the Trams to Newhaven project’s delivery next spring to the Low Emission Zone, which will not only drive down air pollution in the city centre but is expected to have a knock-on effect around the Capital.”
Day added: “We can’t do all of this alone, and we can’t avoid the reality that hitting our targets is becoming increasingly tougher, as we are already seeing with the challenging economic situation this year. As a Council, we directly contribute to around 3% of emissions in the local area, and we’ll need everyone - particularly the UK and Scottish Governments and private sector - to step up and continue to support in protecting the environment that sustains us all.”