To mark London Climate Action Week, Westminster City Council and PwC have worked together to raise awareness of the urgent need to tackle climate change and reduce our carbon emissions.
On Thursday 1 July 2021, the City Council and PwC hosted the installation of an innovative Carbon Bubble a Westminster Cathedral Piazza. The Carbon Bubble represents a tonne of carbon, to help people visualise how their daily activities can impact emissions and make them think about how to reduce their carbon footprint. The Lord Mayor of Westminster was joined at the event by children from St Vincent De Paul Primary School.
On 2019 estimates, the average person in the UK produced 5.3 tonnes of CO2 per year.
Westminster City Council declared a climate emergency in 2019. The Council has committed to becoming net zero by 2030, with the aim of Westminster becoming a net zero city by 2040.
Councillor Rachael Robathan, Leader of Westminster City Council, said:
“Westminster City Council is committed to cutting our carbon emissions and achieving net zero emissions by 2040. Council emissions make up around 2% of Westminster’s total carbon emissions which is why it’s so important for us to work together with our partners, and to encourage our residents, businesses and visitors to play their part.
This bubble really helps us to visualise the climate challenge – it’s just a tiny portion of our daily carbon emissions, but it is a stark reminder of the impact we can all have through our day-to-day activities. By making small changes and by working together, we can tackle the climate emergency and secure a Greener and Cleaner future for the next generation.”
Kevin Ellis, PwC UK Chairman & Senior Partner, said:
“Large cities like London are amongst the biggest emitters of carbon but this means they can play a massive role in cutting emissions. As a business with offices in the capital, we have to play our part in changing behaviour. Raising awareness among employees, commuters, visitors and residents is crucial to achieve Net Zero emissions. We’re headquartered in Westminster and are proud to work with Westminster City Council to do this. The carbon bubble may look light but its message is hard hitting.”
