Climate action

Achieving net zero in Islington 

Islington Council set out its approach to achieving a net zero borough by 2030 in its strategy, 'Vision 2030: Building a Net Zero Carbon Islington by 2030'. In Vision 2030, we identified our priority areas for action and commitments to deliver change.

We are working on refreshing our Climate Action Plan, to set out our priorities not just as a council, but as a borough. This refresh will be developed through conversations and engagement with residents, businesses, community groups, schools and other members of the Islington community, as well as staff here at the council. 

Sign up for our 'Greener, Healthier' newsletter to hear more.

How the council has been delivering climate action

Buildings, homes and infrastructure 

Improving energy efficiency of and reducing carbon emissions from all buildings and infrastructure. This includes:

• continuing our work on the insulation of properties and seeking ways of converting heating systems away from gas where possible
• delivering projects to install low carbon heating solutions on our estates
• working with borough partners such as schools and colleges, universities, housing associations and the NHS to support them to reduce carbon emissions from their estates

Reduce transport emissions 

Reducing emissions in the borough from transport by encouraging walking, cycling and public transport. Our Transport Strategy is:

• creating people-friendly streets and liveable neighbourhoods
• delivering better, cleaner and more accessible public transport services.

We are also reducing and electrifying our fleet and encouraging residents and local people to do the same by ensuring the appropriate infrastructure is in place. 

Sustainable and affordable energy generation and supply

• Increasing local renewable energy generation and supporting residents in fuel poverty.
• Working to increase the use of smart, zero carbon district heating and solar power generation in the borough, considering the whole energy system.

See our Energy pages for more about this.

Green Economy

Working with businesses across our borough and:

• fostering circular economy principles
• supporting energy efficiency
• encouraging social value
• promoting access to green skills and jobs.

Natural Environment, waste reduction and recycling

Integrating our natural environment initiatives which aim to address biodiversity loss, climate change adaptation and mitigation. Activities include:

• tree planting
• community food growing
• greening of the public realm
• delivering Greener Together community projects.

We are also reducing waste and increasing recycling as well as promoting circular economy principles across the borough.

Planning

Ensuring that our planning policies require sustainable growth, that building developments meet the best possible emissions reductions targets and that low carbon / energy efficiency improvements are encouraged and supported.

We are developing new Supplementary Planning Documents and a retrofit handbook for to support residents making carbon reduction and energy efficiency improvements to their homes. These will be published in October 2025. 

Finance and Investment

Working closely with our partners in the borough, London and nationally to identify and maximise funding sources, advocating for reasonable and sustained funding from central government.

We are also looking to innovative green financing mechanisms to provide value for money in the investments we make in net zero carbon initiatives.

Engaging, empowering, and partnering

Working closely with residents, local businesses, community groups and others to enable and encourage them to take climate action through promotion and adoption of low-carbon choices and behaviours.

Reporting

We present a six monthly Climate Action progress report to to the Environment Scrutiny Committee. The September 2025 report is available on our democracy website.

Carbon emissions

Carbon emissions for each district in the UK are published annually by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). The most recent data is from 2023.