This is thanks to carbon emissions falling, nature targets being exceeded and further investment being made in cleaner, more efficient buildings and homes...
The council has set its net zero target based on usage with its fuel, electricity, water, business travel and leased assets with a 2019/20 baseline. These carbon emissions are now 21.4% lower than the 2019 baseline, while fuel and electricity emissions have fallen by 26.2%, exceeding the 2025 target of a 22% reduction. Borough-wide emissions have also reduced by 23.5% since 2019, with emissions per person down by 27%
Investment in renewable energy and building improvements is already delivering results. Emissions from Watford’s leisure centres fell by 18%, including a 27% reduction at Woodside Leisure Centre, where rooftop solar panels became operational in 2025. The reopened Watford Colosseum also includes decarbonisation measures such as cavity wall insulation and solar panels, while the council is continuing to explore further rooftop solar opportunities across its estate.
Progress for nature has been particularly strong. The council is now managing 42% of its green spaces to support nature, exceeding its 2030 target. Tree canopy cover across Watford has also reached 26%, already above both the 2027 and 2030 targets, while the council’s ongoing tree planting programme has seen 26,000 trees planted or given away.
The publication of Watford’s new Green Spaces Strategy is another important milestone, setting out a long-term vision for greener, more accessible spaces that support wildlife, healthier communities and greater resilience to climate change. Watford currently has 17 Green Flag Award parks, the most in Hertfordshire.
Residents are also benefiting from action to make homes warmer and more energy efficient. A successful £3.75 million Warmer Homes grant programme is already delivering improvements to save circa 7,000 CO2 (kgCO2/year)*, including solar panels, air-source heat pumps and external wall insulation. Work is also underway to improve social homes across the borough.
The project aims to improve properties to an Energy Performance rating of at least EPC C or above. A typical three bedroomed semi-detached 'D; rated property has utility bills of £2,419, whereas an EPC 'C' is £1,756 (saving an average of £663 per year).
The council has also continued to support community action, including Great Big Green Week events, the Watford Repair Café and the Library of Requirements, helping residents to repair, reuse and borrow items rather than buy new. Separate food waste collections have also been rolled out to flats, alongside work to improve recycling and waste monitoring.
Elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor, said: “We have made really encouraging progress, from cutting emissions and investing in renewable energy to improving our green spaces and supporting residents to make their homes more efficient.
Councillor Ian Stotesbury, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Sustainability, said: “These achievements show what sustained local action can deliver, by the council, by businesses and of course by residents and community groups.
“We must continue, as a town, to work together to make Watford greener, healthier and more resilient as there is still a very long way to go. We must also recognise that to truly deliver on our international commitments our national government must ensure that climate and nature action is funded properly, and more must be done to support home insulation, affordable travel and better access to active travel.”
The annual report also recognises that there is still more to do. Water use remains above target, borough recycling needs to improve, and reaching net zero will require continued investment, further action on climate adaptation and support from partners across the borough and beyond.
The Environmental Strategy, adopted in 2023, sets out Watford Borough Council’s approach to tackling the climate and ecological emergency through the themes of Leading by Example and People Power, alongside work on net zero, nature, responsible resource use and adapting to change. Find out more at watford.gov.uk/sustainable-watford
