- Carbon Action Plan - Delivering the council’s carbon-neutral commitment
- Greenhouse Gas Reporting - Tracking emissions from council operations
- West Oxfordshire Climate Change Strategy - pathway and actions to district-wide net-zero by 2050
- Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans - Supporting active travel
- West Oxfordshire Food Plan - Promote sustainable and healthy food systems
- Sustainability Impact Assessment Tool - All Executive, Full Council, and Committee reports include an assessment of environmental and socio-economic impacts.
Climate and nature action plans
The Council has declared a climate and ecological emergency and is committed to becoming a carbon-neutral council by 2030 and achieving net-zero across the district by 2050. To support this ambition, we have developed a series of strategies and plans that provide a clear framework for action. These guide our work to reduce emissions, build climate resilience and enhance nature across the district.
- Nature Recovery Plan - Enhancing green spaces, embedding biodiversity in planning, and working with local partners to restore habitats.
- 2025 Overview and Scrutiny report on the Nature Recovery Plan
- 2026 Overview and Scrutiny report on the Nature recovery Plan
- Biodiversity Duty Report – Sets out current actions and future commitments to protect and enhance biodiversity.
In partnership with Oxfordshire’s District and City Councils and Oxfordshire County Council, the Council contributes to a number of key working groups, strategies and plans:
- Pathways to Zero Carbon Oxfordshire - Evidence-based pathways and scenarios to achieve net zero across Oxfordshire, outlining required actions, investment needs and sector changes.
- Net Zero Route Map and Action Plan - Countywide actions for Oxfordshire to achieve net zero through collaborative local authority action.
- Project LEO - Trials generating evidence on technologies, markets and behaviours needed for a flexible, low-carbon and fair local energy system in Oxfordshire.
- Local Area Energy Planning - Strategic planning to guide the transition of Oxfordshire’s energy system net-zero, including infrastructure, investment and local low-carbon energy solutions.
- Oxfordshire Retrofit Strategy - Strategy and support programmes providing advice, funding and delivery pathways to improve home energy efficiency and accelerate retrofit across Oxfordshire.
- Oxfordshire Adaptation Routemap - A framework for preparing Oxfordshire for climate impacts and strengthening resilience across communities, infrastructure and nature.
- Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership - A partnership-led strategy guiding habitat restoration, biodiversity recovery and climate resilience, supported by evidence, mapping and coordinated local action.
- Oxfordshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy - A tool to help restore nature, created with people and organisations across Oxfordshire.
- Oxfordshire Local Wildlife Sites (LWS) - A countywide collaboration between Oxfordshire local authorities, Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre (TVERC) and Berks Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT), protecting areas of wildlife rich habitats, designated as non-statutory protected sites.
- Oxfordshire Food Strategy - A countywide strategy promoting a sustainable food system to improve health, reduce emissions, support local economies and address food insecurity.
Some of our recent Council-led projects and funding successes include:
- Secured Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) funding to support the decarbonisation of leisure centres.
- Community Action Plan for Zero Carbon Energy (CAPZero) - a first-of-its-kind, community-led plan for achieving a net zero energy system by 2050 in the Eynsham area.
- Partnered with Oxfordshire County Council to deliver the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG 2), offering fully funded energy efficiency improvements and low-carbon heating to low-income homes.
- Provided funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) to support green skills training and local carbon reduction projects (grants between £10,000 and £20,000).
- Supported the Coronation Community Orchard Scheme, which enabled 26 groups to plant 512 fruit trees; ran two orchard pruning workshops and an eight-month orchard meadow creation workshop series.
- Nature Connected - A public health funded project working in communities facing greater socioeconomic barriers, restoring habitats and increasing communities’ connection to nature.
- Launched the Nature Recovery Guide for Town and Parish Councils, funded through UKSPF and developed with Wild Oxfordshire. Supported 1,000 wildflower plantings in Eynsham's Carnival Meadow, using UKSPF funds as a demonstration project for biodiversity enhancement.