A project to create a new woodland by planting 100,000 trees will help to cut Enfield’s carbon emissions to net zero by 2040.

The Enfield Chase woodland creation project forms part of the council’s Climate Action Plan, which sets out a range of measures to slash carbon emissions from transport, buildings and other sources.

Due to be created on 60 hectares of council-owned farmland in the north of the borough, the woodland will play a role in “carbon offsetting” – tackling emissions that cannot be eliminated. It will capture around 234 tonnes of carbon emissions every year.

Enfield Council aims to cut its own carbon emissions to net zero by 2030 by ensuring all its vehicles are electric, refurbishing buildings to make them energy efficient and divesting its pension fund from fossil fuel companies, among other measures.

As well as cutting emissions produced directly by the council, the action plan includes a commitment to tackle “scope 3 emissions” – those from sources that are not owned or controlled by the local authority.

It acknowledges the whole borough will take longer to become carbon neutral and aims to achieve this goal by 2040.

With transport in Enfield accounting for an estimated 39 per cent of the borough’s total emissions, more cycling and walking infrastructure will be created to reduce car use.

Low traffic neighbourhoods, school streets and play streets will play a role in cutting emissions, along with more charging points for electric vehicles.

All of the borough’s buildings are expected to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. This will be accomplished through measures such as building homes to low-carbon standards, retrofitting existing housing and switching to low-carbon power sources.

The council also aims to increase recycling rates and ensure no waste is sent to landfill by 2040.

While the council is committed to carbon reduction, the action plan states that it cannot do so without support from the Government – including extra funding.

The Climate Action Plan was adopted at a meeting of Enfield’s cabinet on Wednesday (July 15).

Enfield Council’s deputy leader and chair of the climate change task force Cllr Ian Barnes (Labour, Winchmore Hill) said: “Climate change is an existential threat to our way of life and the dangers it poses are evolving and accelerating.

“Our action plan is ambitious and innovative and will enable us to play our full role in meeting national and global targets for reducing carbon emissions and mitigating the effects of climate change.

“This is a far-reaching plan, which we will be delivering at a very challenging time for local government, so we will be monitoring progress including through an annual report and making sure the plan continues to be fit for purpose with a review every two years.

“We definitely cannot achieve these actions alone and, after a decade of cuts from Government and increasing pressure on services, we will need our partners to support us. After the recent critical report from the Committee for Climate Change, the Government must now get serious about climate change and offer financial support to local authorities.”

The full action plan is available here.