The Council has long been committed to protecting the environment. In fact, our first climate change strategy was adopted back in 2002, although our efforts began much earlier in 1990. Woking 2050 is our current strategy, and sets out a vision guiding our collective efforts to create a sustainable borough by reducing our environmental impact.
Check out the links below to get a flavour of what the Council has been doing to date to address climate change and sustainability locally; and what we’re doing to meet our carbon neutral targets having declared a ‘climate and ecological emergency’ last summer.
A lot of what we have achieved is thanks to partnership working with key stakeholders, commercial partners and community volunteers to meet our common environmental goals
The full report of Woking Borough Council’s carbon footprint assessment is now available to read. In July 2019, we declared a climate emergency and pledged to become a net zero organisation by 2030. As part of this pledge, a robust carbon footprint...
The Council’s Climate Change Strategy is currently being reviewed. The revised strategy will be the follow-up to Woking 2050 which was adopted in 2015. The significance of the year 2050 used in the strategy’s...
Brand new bus shelters are now being installed as part of a package of measures to improve the accessibility and attractiveness of the bus network in Woking borough. These improvements include raised kerbs to make stops more accessible; live departure information...
Climate Emergency UK (CE UK) has compiled a set of score cards based on local authority climate and ecological action across the country. Assessment was made against over 100 criteria covering themes such as plans for decarbonisation; collaborative working and action...
Climate change is a global issue but one that can be tackled locally. Planet Woking was launched in September 2020 to raise awareness of local action being taken by the Council and its partners to meet our carbon neutral goals; but also to inspire and encourage you –...
On 5 November 2021, Woking topped a list of green local authorities in Surrey in an article featured in the Surrey Advertiser. Seven environmental indicators were used to rank local authorities across the country on their green commitments. Woking was the highest...
500 energy efficiency installations have now been completed as part of the Green Jump Surrey initiative. Surrey’s domestic energy efficiency service, Action Surrey, has reached a major milestone after completing the 500th energy efficiency measure installation as part...
Woking Borough Council’s annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions report. Each year Woking Borough Council records information on the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) produced from its own buildings and operations. The information helps us better understand the environmental...
Climate change is a global issue but one that can be tackled locally. Planet Woking was launched in September 2020 to raise awareness of local action being taken by the Council and its partners to meet our carbon neutral goals; but also to inspire and encourage you -...
Did you know… The Great Crested Newt, Britain’s largest amphibian, can grow twice as big as other newts – up to 17cm long and live for up to 15 years.It is black and warty in appearance with an orange and black spotted underside.They can travel up to 1km to look for...
Only 50 years ago, peregrines came close to extinction in the British Isles. Not surprisingly, they are now given the highest possible legal protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Traditionally found on sea cliffs and upland crags, peregrine falcons...
Regarded as one of the most beautiful waterways in Britain, the Basingstoke Canal traverses the Borough from Brookwood to West Byfleet. It was built between 1788 and 1794 to open up routes from London to the coast but was never completed past Basingstoke. A two-mile...
Woking Borough Council has long been committed to the environment with local action dating back to the early 1990s. Having declared a ‘climate and ecological emergency’ in 2019, the Council pledges to become carbon neutral by 2030. Our climate change strategy - Woking...
Poole Road in Woking Town Centre is the location for a new low carbon energy centre. ThamesWey, together with construction partner Galliford Try, broke ground on the £20m combined heat and power energy centre in January 2020. Construction of the foundations started...
200 years ago, heathland covered most of West Surrey but now less than a fifth of this original heathland remains. This open landscape has been lost due to urban development, unmanaged forestry encroachment and general neglect, resulting in a severe lack of...
Locally, a growing number of areas of land are being used to grow wildflowers or to allow grass to grow taller – from private back gardens to roadside verges and areas of public green space. Wildflowers are great for biodiversity, especially pollinators like bees,...
Single use plastics Plastics make a significant contribution to almost every aspect of modern society. In 1950, the world’s population produced 1.5 million tons of plastic; half a century on and we now produce over 320 million tons of plastic. If we continue living...