2025 Action Scorecards

North Yorkshire Council

Nation
England
Net Zero target date
No target
Index of multiple deprivation
4
Total population
440k - 640k
Urbanisation
Rural
Political control (June 2025)
NOC

About the Scorecards

Climate Emergency UK assessed all UK councils on the actions they’ve taken towards net zero. The Scorecard assessment consists of 93 questions across 7 different sections, created in consultation with over 90 different organisations and individuals. Each council was marked against these criteria and given a right to reply before the scores underwent a final audit. This work was completed between July 2024 and March 2025. Unless otherwise stated, council climate action from 1st January 2020 up until 31st October 2024 was assessed.

Key definitions

The question weighting determines the importance of that question to the overall section score. To ensure appropriate weighting to each question, each raw score for a question has been translated into a score out of one, two or three, depending on whether the question is weighted low (one), medium (two) or high (three). The questions that are weighted high are those we consider to have the biggest impact on emission reductions and a sustained long-term impact.

Click here for further information on Question Weighting.

The overall section score for a council is given in the table below. The final score is created from adding up the overall section scores and applying the section weighting. For example, receiving a 50% score in Collaboration & Engagement equals 5% of a council’s overall score. This is because Collaboration & Engagement is worth 10% of a council’s overall score.

Click here for further information on Section Weighting.

Action Scorecard: North Yorkshire

Councils have been scored across seven sections, each covering the important actions that councils can be taking towards net zero. The marks within these sections add up to make up the council’s overall score. Here you can see where a council performs well and not so well in each section — and compare it to other councils at this granular level.

Filter questions in the table


Legends for difference column

-- No change
NA New question (not in previous scorecards)

Anext to the score means the council is a top performer for that section. While anext to the change (versus column in the table) means the council is one of most improved councils this year.

Visit us again on a bigger screen

You'll find more options, like the ability to compare your council's Scorecard with other councils, and see a more granular breakdown of how they did on each question of the Scorecards.

QuestionsNorth Yorkshire CouncilNorth Yorkshire CouncilCouncils with full marks per question
2025VersusDifference2025 results
Questions: North Yorkshire Council
Buildings & Heating
2025
60%
2023
0%
Difference
--
60%0%--
1.1a

Has the council completed extensive retrofit work on any of its significant buildings to make them low carbon?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
69%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
1.1b

Does the council have a target to retrofit all significant council buildings (excluding homes) and has this been costed?

2025
0/3
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/3NANA
12%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
1.2

Are the council's operations powered by renewable energy?

2025
0/2
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/2NANA
7%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
1.3

Are the homes owned and managed by the council energy efficient?

2025
0/3
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/3NANA
8%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
1.4

Does the council have a target to retrofit all council-owned and managed homes and has this been costed?

2025
0/3
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/3NANA
19%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
1.5

Is the council part of a programme or partnership to support home retrofitting, through providing the skills and training needed or in other ways?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
67%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
1.6

Does the council have a staff member employed to work on retrofitting across the council area?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
77%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
1.7

Are the homes and buildings in the council area energy efficient?

2025
1/3
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/3NANA
0%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
1.8

Is the council actively enforcing Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards of homes in the private rented sector?

2025
2/2
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
2/2NANA
19%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
1.9

Does the council provide a service to support private homeowners to make their homes more energy efficient?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
92%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
1.10

Does the council offer funding to private renters or homeowners to retrofit their homes?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
96%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
1.11

Does the council have a scheme to allow residents to purchase renewable energy cheaply, through collective buying?

2025
2/2
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
2/2NANA
43%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
1.12

Has the council supported local community renewable energy creation?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
35%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
Transport
2025
16%
2023
0%
Difference
--

Penalty marks

North Yorkshire Council incurred a penalty of 4% in this section

3 = Total score (3.92) − Penalty points (-0.92)

16%0%--
2.1

Is the council transitioning their vehicle fleet to electric?

2025
0/2
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/2NANA
2%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
2.2

Has the council set up or supported a shared transport scheme that can be used across their whole area?

2025
2/6
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
2/6NANA
0%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
2.3

Does the council have enforced school streets across its area?

2025
0/2
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/2NANA
12%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
2.4

Is the council committed to making 20mph the standard speed limit for most restricted roads?

2025
0/1
2023
0/1
Difference
--
Visit question →
0/10/1--
60%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
2.7

Does the council have controlled parking zones across all the residential areas of the local authority?

2025
1/2
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/2NANA
5%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
2.8a

Are there any low emission buses used within the council's area?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
67%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
2.9

Does the council have a workplace parking levy?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
1%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
2.11

Has the council approved, expanded or built a high carbon transport project since 2020?

2025
0/0
2023
NA
Difference
NA

Penalty marks: The maximum number of points for this question is 0. Read more about penalty mark questions.

Visit question →
0/0NANA
63%
single tier councils got no penalty marks for this question.
2.12a

Do the NO2 levels in a significant proportion of neighbourhoods within the council’s area exceed the safe World Health Organisation (WHO) air pollution guidelines?

2025
0/0
2023
NA
Difference
NA

Penalty marks: The maximum number of points for this question is 0. Read more about penalty mark questions.

Visit question →
0/0NANA
41%
single tier councils got no penalty marks for this question.
2.12b

Do the PM 2.5 levels in a significant proportion of neighbourhoods in the council’s area exceed the safe World Health Organisation (WHO) air pollution guidelines?

2025
-0.92/0
2023
NA
Difference
NA

Penalty marks: The maximum number of points for this question is 0. Read more about penalty mark questions.

Visit question →
-0.92/0NANA
19%
single tier councils got no penalty marks for this question.
Planning & Land Use
2025
30%
2023
0%
Difference
--
30%0%--
3.1

Is the council's area-wide net zero target a strategic objective of the Local Plan?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
36%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
3.2

Has the council committed to building all future council-owned or managed housing to a high energy efficiency or operationally net zero standard?

2025
2/2
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
2/2NANA
45%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
3.3a

Does the council require new homes to make an improvement on the Part L building regulations?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
39%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
3.3b

Does the council require a fabric first approach for new development?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
34%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
3.3c

Does the council set a requirement that all new homes to be built must be operationally (regulated) net zero?

2025
0/2
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/2NANA
25%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
3.4

Does the council require developers to carry out a whole life-cycle carbon assessment of new build developments?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
26%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
3.5

Does the council require a higher level of water efficiency for all new homes?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
56%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
3.6

Has the council removed minimum parking requirements for new residential homes across their area?

2025
2/2
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
2/2NANA
52%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
3.7

Does the council include a policy in the Local Plan to create 15/20 minute neighbourhoods?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
29%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
3.8

Has the council committed to avoiding new building developments on the functional flood plain?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
48%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
3.9

Does the council have a minimum requirement for on-site renewable energy generation for new building development?

2025
0/2
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/2NANA
11%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
3.10a

Has the council identified suitable areas for new solar energy, wind developments and district heat networks?

2025
1/3
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/3NANA
10%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
3.10b

Has the council approved any planning applications for new or expanded solar or wind developments, battery storage, or renewable district heat networks since 2019?

2025
5/5
2023
0/5
Difference
▲ 5
Visit question →
5/50/5▲ 5
43%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
3.11

Has the council approved a planning application for a carbon intensive energy system to be built or expanded from 2020?

2025
0/0
2023
0/0
Difference
--

Penalty marks: The maximum number of points for this question is 0. Read more about penalty mark questions.

Visit question →
0/00/0--
61%
single tier councils got no penalty marks for this question.
Governance & Finance
2025
39%
2023
0%
Difference
--
39%0%--
4.1a

Does the council's corporate plan include a net zero target and make tackling the climate emergency one of its main priorities?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
44%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
4.1b

Does the council's medium term financial plan include the council's net zero target and make tackling the climate emergency one of its main priorities?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
24%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
4.2

Does the council's Corporate Risk Register accurately identify the risks of climate change to the local area?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
42%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
4.3a

Is the council reporting on its own greenhouse gas emissions?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
56%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
4.3b

According to the council's own reporting, have the council's own greenhouse gas emissions reduced since 2019?

2025
2/4
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
2/4NANA
3%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
4.4

Has the council's area wide carbon emissions decreased, according to UK Government data?

2025
2/4
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
2/4NANA
1%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
4.5

Has the council adopted a new governance or decision making process to put tackling the climate emergency at the heart of every council decision made?

2025
1/2
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/2NANA
17%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
4.6a

Does the council have a sustainable procurement policy that includes an area wide net zero target and makes tackling the climate emergency one of its main priorities?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
27%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
4.6b

Does the councils' procurement policy require tenders to take action to reduce waste, carbon emissions or other environmental actions?

2025
0/2
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/2NANA
13%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
4.7

Does the council have a Cabinet member or Portfolio Holder that has climate change explicitly in their remit?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
87%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
4.8

What percentage of the council's overall staff work on implementing their Climate Action Plan or other climate change projects?

2025
1/3
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/3NANA
4%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
4.9

Have all senior management and councillors in the cabinet or committee chairs received climate awareness training?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
9%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
4.10a

Has the council raised ring-fenced income for climate action from property development?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
26%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
4.10b

Has the council launched a Climate Bond, Community Municipal Investment or equivalent?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
8%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
4.10c

Has the council raised income for climate action from any other sources?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
92%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
4.11a

Has the council passed a motion in support of divestment from all fossil fuels from the councils' pension funds?

2025
0/2
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/2NANA
18%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
4.11b

Has the council's pensions fund committed to divesting from all fossil fuels?

2025
0/2
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/2NANA
3%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
4.12

Does the council have direct investments in airports or high carbon intensive energy industries?

2025
0/0
2023
NA
Difference
NA

Penalty marks: The maximum number of points for this question is 0. Read more about penalty mark questions.

Visit question →
0/0NANA
82%
single tier councils got no penalty marks for this question.
Biodiversity
2025
36%
2023
0%
Difference
--
36%0%--
5.1

Does the council use peat-free compost or soil in all landscaping and horticulture?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
18%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
5.2

Has the council banned the use of pesticides on all council owned and managed land?

2025
0/1
2023
0/1
Difference
--
Visit question →
0/10/1--
6%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
5.3

Has the council stated they are mowing their green spaces less for wildlife?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
92%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
5.5

Does the council have a target to increase tree cover and is a tree management plan agreed as they grow?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
30%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
5.6

Does the council turn off or dim their street light network to reduce light pollution?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
54%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
5.7

Have the council's parks been awarded Green Flag status?

2025
2/2
2023
2/2
Difference
--
Visit question →
2/22/2--
43%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
5.8

Does the council employ a planning ecologist to scrutinise planning reports for improvements to biodiversity in new developments, such as biodiversity net gain?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
63%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
5.9

Does the council require a higher biodiversity net gain commitment from new developments?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
3%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
5.10

Has the council introduced a Green Space Factor to increase habitat in new developments?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
20%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
Collaboration & Engagement
2025
73%
2023
0%
Difference
--
73%0%--
6.1

Do the council's climate pages include information about behaviour changes that residents can make, and are they easy to find?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
80%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
6.2a

Has the council published a Climate Action Plan with SMART targets?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
86%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
6.2b

Has the council published an up to date and easy-to-read annual report on their Climate Action Plan?

2025
2/3
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
2/3NANA
40%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
6.3

Has the council lobbied the government for climate action?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
32%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
6.4

Is the council working with external partners or other councils to seek to influence national governments on climate action, or to learn about and share best practice on council climate action?

2025
2/2
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
2/2NANA
51%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
6.5a

Does the council have an ongoing way for residents to influence the implementation of the council's Climate Action Plan?

2025
1/2
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/2NANA
27%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
6.5b

Does the council's ongoing engagement with residents include those most affected by climate change and climate action policy?

2025
0/2
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/2NANA
17%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
6.6

Does the council provide funding for community climate action, for example through an environment fund or climate action fund?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
65%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
6.7

Is the council working in partnership with health services on active travel, home insulation, air pollution, green spaces or other climate action policies?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
79%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
6.8

Is the council working in partnership with cultural institutions and organisations to encourage decarbonisation within culture and arts locally?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
57%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
6.9

Is the council working in partnership with schools or other education settings to deliver climate action that young people can engage with?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
80%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
6.10

Is the council working in partnership with local businesses to encourage decarbonisation?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
87%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
6.11

Has the council passed a motion to ban high carbon advertising and sponsorship?

2025
0/1
2023
0/1
Difference
--
Visit question →
0/10/1--
4%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
6.12

Does the council have an ongoing way for employee representative bodies (including recognised trade unions) to influence the development and delivery of the council’s Climate Action Plan?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
11%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
Waste Reduction & Food
2025
53%
2023
0%
Difference
--
53%0%--
7.1b

Has the council encouraged the reduction of single use plastic at external events on council land, property or public spaces such as roads and parks?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
23%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
7.2

Has the council taken steps to support a circular economy locally?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
74%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
7.3

Does the council support initiatives to redistribute surplus food?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
70%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
7.4a

Does the council have a sustainable food strategy?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
34%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
7.4b

Is the council part of a sustainable food partnership?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
56%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
7.5

Has the council taken steps to support local food growing?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
85%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
7.6

Do schools in the council area serve less meat in school meals?

2025
1/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
1/1NANA
47%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
7.7

Does the council provide kerbside food waste recycling?

2025
0/1
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/1NANA
67%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
7.9

How low is the councils' area wide level of household waste produced?

2025
0/2
2023
NA
Difference
NA
Visit question →
0/2NANA
13%
single tier councils got full marks for this question.
Total score
2025
42%
2023
0%
Difference
NA
42%0%NA
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