Latest figures showed that carbon produced by South Lanarkshire Council had been cut by 65% since the baseline year of 2005/06.

The carbon reduction figure a year ago was 56%, though councillors were advised that some of the reduction in the last 18 months would be attributed to building closures and fewer vehicles being used, and other temporary changes in service delivery during the pandemic lockdown.

But Council Leader John Ross, chair of the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee, welcomed the downward trend in carbon produced.

He said: “The council has acknowledged the climate emergency and we are taking real action to do our bit in response to it. So, I am delighted that – to quote Greta Thunberg – our response is not just ‘blah, blah, blah’.

“We are now using more renewable energy in our buildings through use of solar power and biomass. We have made a large investment to replace petrol and diesel cars with electric vehicles. And we have dramatically cut the proportion of waste that we send to landfill.”

The improvements were highlighted in a report to the committee which gave an update on how the council was meeting its duties in terms of Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.