Public performance reports

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

How we have performed in improving this public service
In 2023-24, the council’s carbon emissions were reduced by 9.46% compared with the previous year.

This decrease in emissions is due to a reduction in gas consumption for the council estate, a reduction in the Fleet size in 2023-24 compared with 2022-23, and the procurement of 50 modern commercial vehicles that offer improved fuel efficiency.

Energy consumption in South Lanarkshire Council buildings

Target is 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 33,541 tonnes of carbon emissions each year (69.2% of the council’s carbon footprint). 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

How we have performed in improving this public service
Carbon emissions for 2023-24 reduced by 4.66% compared to 2022-23. This is mainly due to a reduction in gas 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 achieve its vision of a zero-waste society. This includes a long-term target of recycling 70% of all Scotland’s waste by 2025.

Recycling and Composting of Household Waste

SLC Target – to recycle 50% of all household waste

What this means
The following figures show how carbon emissions from household waste disposal 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
Councils have targets for reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill and reducing carbon emissions. This indicator shows us to what extent South Lanarkshire Council is meeting its targets.

Our performance and how we compare

How we have performed in improving this public service
The carbon emissions associated with the household waste have reduced significantly by 31.1% in 2023 compared with 2022. Waste figures are reported per calendar year.  The amount of waste being processed at the Energy from Waste (EfW) facility, as an alternative to landfill, continues to increase, contributing to this reduction in emissions. The household recycling rate also increased by 2.88% compared to 2022.

See Waste Management Public Performance Report. 

Council wide transport emissions

Target – to reduce vehicle emissions in 2023-24 compared to previous year

What this means
Fuel consumption from the council’s fleet is responsible for around 6,967 tonnes of SLC measured carbon emissions each year (14.4% of the council’s carbon footprint). This indicator shows how well the council is doing in terms of contributing to a reduction in council 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 2050.

Our performance and how we compare

How we have performed in improving this public service
An emissions reduction of 11.2% was achieved from fleet vehicles in 2023-24 compared with 2022-23. 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 40 vehicle types performing a wide range of tasks including refuse collection, mechanical sweeping, passenger transport and non-EV pool cars. This decrease in 2023-24 is due to the overall reduction in the fleet size compared with 2022-23 and the procurement of 50 modern commercial vehicles that offer improved fuel efficiency

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. 

Sustainable development education involves learning about and taking action on global and local challenges such as climate change, biodiversity and habitat loss, and the unsustainable use of resources. It encourages learners to think about how today's actions will impact the future and to take responsible steps toward positive change.

Scotland’s Learning for Sustainability Action Plan, "Target 2030: A Movement for People, Planet, and Prosperity," seeks to create a movement for change, with the goal of making every educational setting for students aged 3 to 18 a sustainable learning environment by 2030. This initiative supports schools in recognising the importance of climate and social justice, equality, and outdoor learning as essential for students' future lives and careers in the 21st century. The aim is to integrate these concepts into students’ daily learning experiences and overall educational journey.

Professional development opportunities and teaching resources are shared with SLC schools to incorporate outdoor learning, sustainable development education, and global citizenship, ensuring that the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are central. The goal is to strengthen the commitment to Learning for Sustainability across all educational levels, aligning with the General Teaching Council’s Professional Standards.

The South Lanarkshire Youth Forum on Climate Change and Sustainability provides secondary school students with a platform to engage with peers from across the authority. This forum gives students a voice in driving change. Additionally, 32% of schools are participating in the Eco-Schools programme, a sustainability-focused initiative. Schools that complete a Green Flag application receive the Green Flag Award, a visible sign of their commitment to Learning for Sustainability and an internationally recognised certification of excellence in sustainable education.

In SLC, sustainable development education empowers students to address global challenges and build a better future. Scotland’s goal of making all educational settings sustainable by 2030, along with curricular plans and initiatives like the South Lanarkshire Youth Forum and Eco-Schools programme, ensures that sustainability remains central to learning and drives meaningful change.

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.

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 council committees on progress against the Resource Plans. In addition, reports detailing progress against the Council Plan Connect Priorities are prepared. See Quarter 2 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. At the core of the framework is an agreed suite of performance indicators. We report the results for these indicators, over time, on the website. Additionally, you can compare our LGBF results with other councils' using the mylocalcouncil tool. Not all local authorities are alike and so family groups of eight ‘similar’ councils have been set up for comparison purposes. Workshops take place throughout the year to discuss the indicators and results – South Lanarkshire Council is actively involved in these discussions.

The information contained within this report reflects the position based on the data available at the time of publication (March 2025).