Public performance reports
Sustainable Development and Climate Change
The Council Plan Connect, outlines the council priorities and outcomes for 2022-27. Connect Outcomes should not be seen in isolation, they interact with each other, and as we achieve success in one, we move closer to success in others. In delivering our vision to ‘improve the quality of life of everyone in South Lanarkshire’, our priorities show how our work links with our partners, including our Community Planning Partners.
For daily updates, stories, and what’s going on in your area, visit our information and news website South Lanarkshire View.
Each year, we produce Annual Performance Spotlights, which summarise how we have performed in achieving our Connect Outcomes. To complement these we have created a suite of individual Public Performance Reports which focus on key areas of council business. This report outlines the performance in terms of sustainable development and climate change, and how this links to our priorities of people, progress and planet.
The council has a key role in the transition to a low-carbon economy and society, with a legislative requirement to contribute to the national greenhouse emissions reduction target of net-zero by 2045. The council can contribute to this transition through policies and regulatory powers in areas such as waste management, housing strategy, development planning, local transport planning, countryside and greenspace management, air quality and environmental protection. The council also has a duty to prepare for and take adaptive measures to reduce the impacts that changes in our climate may have in our communities, on our properties, roads and infrastructure, and on our natural environment. Adaptive measures may include flood risk management, maintaining and enhancing biodiversity and greenspace, and green infrastructure. The measures below show progress in carbon emissions reductions for key services.
For more detailed information, please refer to our Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy 2022-2077 page.
South Lanarkshire Council’s carbon emissions (tonnes)
Target - to reduce carbon emissions compared to the previous year
What this means
This indicator measures the council’s carbon emissions from five main sources: the energy used in our buildings, household waste, fuel consumption from our fleet, energy from our street lighting, and our staff travel.
To determine our carbon tonnage for each source, we use conversion factors published by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Why this matters
This indicator shows how successful the council has been in reducing its own carbon emissions.
Our performance and how we compare
| Comparator | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | Are we improving? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SLC | 53,553 tonnes | 48,486 tonnes | 45,795 tonnes | Yes |
| Scotland | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
How we have performed in improving this public service
In 2024-25, the council’s carbon emissions were reduced by 7% compared with the previous year.
This decrease in emissions is due to a reduction in gas and electricity consumption within the council estate and a significant reduction in the emissions associated with household waste collection.
Energy consumption in South Lanarkshire Council buildings
Target - to reduce energy consumption each year compared to the previous year through effective energy management and investment
What this means
The energy used in our buildings is responsible for around 32,469 tonnes of carbon emissions each year. Energy efficiency measures are applied across all our buildings to reduce our energy consumption and, in turn, reduce our carbon emissions, thereby contributing to national greenhouse gas reduction targets.
Why this matters
This indicator shows the reduction in carbon emissions from the council’s buildings
Our performance and how we compare
| Comparator | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | Are we improving? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
SLC |
35,178 tonnes | 33,541 tonnes | 32,469 tonnes | Yes |
| Scotland | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
How we have performed in improving this public service
Carbon emissions for 2024-25 reduced by 3.2% compared to 2023-24. This is due to a reduction in the gas and electricity consumption for the council estate.
Domestic waste is a source of carbon emission. Scotland’s zero-waste plan contains a range of targets designed to assist the Scottish Government in achieving its vision of a zero-waste society. This includes a long-term target of recycling 70% of all of Scotland’s waste by 2025.
Recycling and Composting of Household Waste
Target – to reduce the level of household waste disposal compared to the previous year
What this means
The following figures show how carbon emissions from household waste disposal (tonnes) have reduced over the years. The reductions are affected by the amount of waste collected but are mainly due to the amount sent for recycling, and more recently sent to the Energy from Waste facility, enabling a much smaller proportion to be sent to landfill.
Why this matters
This indicator shows us to what extent South Lanarkshire Council is reducing its carbon emissions from household waste disposal.
Our performance and how we compare
| Comparator | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | Are we improving? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Lanarkshire | 8,625 tonnes | 5,945 tonnes | 3,603.45 tonnes | Yes |
| Scotland | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
How we have performed in improving this public service
The carbon emissions associated with household waste have reduced significantly by 39.39% in 2024 compared with 2023. Waste figures are reported per calendar year. An error affecting the transport emissions for the recycling and Energy from Waste (EfW) factors has been corrected by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. The transport emissions associated with these disposal approaches were reduced by 69.88%, leading to a significant reduction.
The amount of waste being processed at the EfW facility, as an alternative to landfill, continues to increase, also contributing to this reduction in emissions.
Work is continuing to increase recycling facilities for households and reduce recycling contamination rates where possible.
See Waste Management Public Performance Report.
Council-wide transport emissions
Target – to reduce vehicle emissions in 2024-25 compared to the previous year
What this means
Fuel consumption from the council’s fleet is responsible for around 7,655 tonnes of SLC measured carbon emissions each year. This indicator shows how well the council is doing in terms of contributing to a reduction in area-wide transport emissions.
Why this matters
This indicator matters because it measures whether the council is on course to meet the overall Scottish Government ambition for almost complete decarbonisation of road transport by 2045.
Our performance and how we compare
| Comparator | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | Are we improving? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SLC | 7,848 tonnes | 7,705 (correction) tonnes | 7,655 tonnes | Yes |
| Scotland | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
How we have performed in improving this public service
An emissions reduction of 0.65% was achieved from fleet vehicles in 2024-25 compared with 2023-24. This figure relates to all the council’s Fleet ICE vehicles (internal combustion engine vehicles powered by oil-derived resources such as petrol or diesel). South Lanarkshire’s Fleet consists of 1,385 vehicles with 40 vehicle types performing a wide range of tasks, including refuse collection, mechanical sweeping, and passenger transport. The small decrease is largely due to services managing their vehicle assets in an increasingly efficient and effective manner.
Biodiversity, short for biological diversity, is the term used to describe the variety of life in the environment. All local authorities have a duty to further the conservation of biodiversity. The council's Biodiversity Duty Implementation Plan outlines our commitment to supporting biodiversity, from simple direct actions like the introduction of new wildflower initiatives, to educating others and raising awareness by providing training to volunteers on identifying non-Scottish (invasive) plants.
We will take forward the following key areas for improvement:
- continue to improve the council’s compliance with public sector climate change duties through annual statutory reporting
- implementation of the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy 2022-27, across 4 themes:
- People
- Place and Communities
- The Natural Environment (Planet)
- a Green Economy (Planet)
- climatic factors in South Lanarkshire are also reported in South Lanarkshire's State of the Environment report
- Scotland’s Climate Change Declaration was signed by the council in 2007. The declaration acknowledges the reality and importance of climate change, and by signing it, we are required to respond to the challenges highlighted in the declaration. These commitments are carried out through our Sustainable Development and Climate Change strategies
- since 2015, the council has been reporting on its climate change duties. This mandatory report demonstrates compliance and is submitted each year by all Scottish public sector organisations. Our Public Bodies Climate Change Duties reports are available to view on the Sustainable Scotland Network website. A copy of the 2024/25 report is also available to view
Resource Plans are prepared each year by all Resources to outline the key developments to be taken forward in the year. Performance and actions relating to sustainable development can be found in the Community and Enterprise Resource Plan.
Twice a year, performance reports are presented to Resource committees on progress against the Resource Plans. In addition, reports detailing progress against the Council Plan Connect Priorities are prepared - see Quarter 2 and Quarter 4 performance reports for further information.
More information on our objectives can be found in the Council Plan Connect and also the Annual Performance Spotlights.
Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF) allows councils to work together, to use performance information in a way which will help understand variations, share knowledge, expertise and good practice, with a view to making improvements. For more information and links relating to this framework, go to the 'Benchmarking' paragraph on the Improvement and how we compare page on our website.
The information contained within this report reflects the position based on the data available at the time of publication (March 2026).
- Public performance reports
- Assets
- Benefits and funding administration
- Children and families social work
- Community care
- Justice social work
- Economic development
- Education of children
- Environmental health and trading standards
- Housing and homelessness
- Leisure and culture
- Planning and building standards
- Finance and workforce
- Roads, transportation and fleet
- Grounds maintenance and street cleaning
- Sustainable Development and Climate Change
- Waste management
- Working with communities
- Assessment and review
- Financial sustainability and budget transparency
- Employability