Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) has climbed from dead last position in 2021 to rank 96th out of 164 district councils for its work to combat climate change.

HDC soared up through the ranking tables in the latest Climate Emergency UK (CEUK) scorecard results, achieving an overall score of 27 per cent.

A spokesperson for HDC said the results reflect the council's ongoing commitment to mitigating the effects of climate change and contributing to a more sustainable future for the community.

Executive Councillor for climate and environment, Lara Davenport-Ray, said: "We are pleased with our 27 per cent score this year and the improvement we have made.

"CEUK scored HDC's climate action at 0% in 2021. This improvement shows that our council's efforts and initiatives are indeed moving us in the right direction."

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HDC had ranked last with 0 per cent in 2021 because it did not yet have an action plan when all plans were assessed on September 20, 2021.

CEUK assesses councils across seven areas of activity, including buildings and heating, transport, governance and finance, planning, biodiversity, collaboration and engagement, and waste reduction and food.

HDC scored highly in buildings and heating (48 per cent), beating the national average of 23 per cent, but scored lowly in the other areas.

Also, HDC's overall score of 27 per cent was still 2 per cent lower than the national district average (29 per cent).

"The most highly scored district council this year achieved only 61 per cent," added Cllr Davenport-Ray.

"So even in areas that are taking drastic and swift climate action, tackling climate change is an immense challenge. We can all do more to reduce carbon emissions and prevent the loss of nature.

"While we celebrate our achievement, we remain dedicated to creating a sustainable future for our community.

"This fuels our determination to forge ahead in the fight against climate change. Together, we will continue to take significant steps to secure a cleaner, greener, and more resilient future for Huntingdonshire."

HDC adopted a new Climate Strategy in February 2023, allowing it to be ranked.

This strategy includes a plan for council operations to reach net carbon zero by 2040 and also outlines how the council will support and encourage local people to take climate action.