Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Deputy Leader of the Council with Responsibility for Climate Change, Environment and Future Generations

Forward Plan Ref: 2024/330

Contact: Sarah Gilbert, Head of Climate Action (Sarah.Gilbert@oxfordshire.gov.uk)

Report by Director of Economy and Place (CA9).

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

a)    Note the underdevelopment of the market for Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies, and the risk this creates for meeting net zero.

b)    Support the recommendations to scale the market for CDRs through the council’s policy making and partnership activity, growing both the supply and demand side of the market, subject to funding.

c)    Subject to funding, commit to go ‘Beyond Net Zero’ - extending the council’s current carbon neutral target for the council’s own estate emissions to be ‘beyond zero’, with a target figure to be agreed at a later date.

Recommendations approved.

Professor Steve Smith from the University of Oxford addressed the Cabinet, emphasising the importance of carbon dioxide removal methods as part of the council's climate ambitions. He highlighted the need to scale up these technologies rapidly and said that Oxfordshire had the skills and vision to support these efforts. Professor Smith explained that carbon dioxide removal technologies were effective and currently removed approximately 1 million tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere annually. He stressed that while these technologies were at an early stage, they were necessary for achieving net zero and potentially becoming net negative.He also mentioned specific projects in Oxfordshire, such as woodland restoration and biochar, and highlighted the involvement of companies like Veolia in trialling agricultural fields for carbon removal.

Councillor Pete Sudbury, Deputy Leader with Responsibility for Climate Change, Environment and Future Generations presented the report.  He outlined the background to the report which underscored the Council’s commitment to leadership on climate change policies and the potential for Oxfordshire to play a significant role in advancing carbon removal technologies.

Councillor Sudbury moved and Councillor Howson seconded the recommendations, and they were approved.

RESOLVED to

a) Note the underdevelopment of the market for Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies, and the risk this creates for meeting net zero.

b)    Support the recommendations to scale the market for CDRs through the council’s policy making and partnership activity, growing both the supply and demand side of the market, subject to funding.

c)    Subject to funding, commit to go ‘Beyond Net Zero’ - extending the council’s current carbon neutral target for the council’s own estate emissions to be ‘beyond zero’, with a target figure to be agreed at a later date.