Climate news archive

Read past press releases and news stories related to the climate and ecological emergency

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a skylark on the ground at Ham Hill's plateau fields

Somerset Council is urging visitors to Ham Hill to tread carefully and keep pets on leads when exploring the popular plateau fields at the south end of the site, to…

More about Protect our skylarks: Somerset Council urges careful steps at Ham Hill
Contract technicians fitting solar panels to the roof of a house.

Somerset Council is excited to announce a special event to address the growing need for Retrofit Coordinators and installers in the Southwest. Partnering with Retrofit Academy and Bridgwater and Taunton…

More about Retrofit Academy event to recruit new retrofitters in Somerset
Flooding in and around the Somerset levels in the UK.

Somerset Council teams have continued to support communities following the recent flooding experienced at the end of January.   As flood water subsided council teams worked hard to clear roads of…

More about Somerset residents invited to join a flood recovery drop-in event
An artist's impression of the new visitor centre planned for Ham Hill.

A new visitor centre and other improvements are on the way for an iconic Somerset landmark as a major project at Somerset Council’s Ham Hill Country Park starts soon. The…

More about Uncovering Ham Hill’s Past for Its Future: A New Chapter Begins
Representatives from Somerset Council and Kier standing in front of corporate branded roller banners at the decarb event.

Somerset Council has hosted an event to drive forward the ‘greening’ of road transport in the county. The successful session brought together more than 70 highways and transport experts from…

More about Experts on the road to cutting carbon
1. Tree planting at Collett Park Shepton Mallet : From left to right: Andy Turner (Landscaper, 360Landworks), Councillor David Crisfield (Chair), Angela Morley Garden Design Consultant with Gary, Trevor, Danny (Town Rangers)

Somerset Council has secured £0.5 million of Government funding to bring 100’s of trees to towns across the county. The £500,000 grant from the Urban Tree Challenge Fund will see…

More about Somerset gets tree-mendous boost for urban tree planting drive
Landscape of Chard Reservoir, featuring water and trees.

Work is due to start this month to remove a small number of trees along the embankment wall of Chard Reservoir Dam and to cut back 2 further trees due…

More about Tree removal work to start at reservoir
A group of Children from Northgate Primary School on their bikes with Councillor Richard Wilkins posing for the camera on the new cycle route between Linham road and the docks in Bridgwater.

A new cycling and walking route complete with eco-friendly lighting and forming part of an ever-growing network has been opened in Bridgwater. Children from Northgate Primary School were on hand…

More about Pupils use pedal power to help celebrate new active travel route in Bridgwater
A black man wrapped in a blanket at home looking at his fuel bill.

Somerset Council is shining a spotlight on Fuel Poverty Awareness Day, which takes place on 27 November, to highlight the challenges faced by households struggling to afford adequate heating. Fuel poverty…

More about Somerset Council highlights Fuel Poverty Awareness Day
Staff from Chard Reservoir receiving their check from a representative at Tesco's in Chard.

An innovative mobile classroom is on the way for Somerset Council’s Chard Reservoir Local Nature Reserve thanks to a £1,500 grant from the Tesco Stronger Starts scheme. The grant, applied…

More about Chard Reservoir Local Nature Reserve bags £1,500 from Tesco
An aerial view of Wellington Sports Centre showing an array of solar panels and other decarbonisation features including air source heat pumps.

A major milestone has been reached as Wellington Sports Centre announces the official completion of its £3.6million decarbonisation and refurbishment project. The centre, which is operated by Everyone Active in…

More about Work complete on green transformation for Wellington Sports Centre
A view of the platform at Bishops Lydeard Railway station.

Somerset Council and West Somerset Railway PLC have jointly submitted a Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) to the Government to restore scheduled train services between Taunton and Bishops Lydeard. In…

More about Reviving the rails: Somerset’s bold Plan to restore historic train services
A little boy helping to plant a tree in a garden.

As part of its ongoing commitment to the Somerset Tree Strategy,  the Council is asking people to use the awareness week as a chance to think about trees and take…

More about Somerset Council’s tree planting drive marks National Tree Week
A woman's hand setting a program on an energy efficient washing machine.

Since October, the energy price cap for households using gas and electricity has gone up by around 10%, which makes it the perfect time to look for ways to cut…

More about Protect your pennies and the planet with our energy saving tips
Strawberry Line Ribbon Cutting

Somerset Council has joined residents and volunteers to celebrate the opening of another 2 new sections of the Strawberry Line, a traffic free greenway through the county. On 8 November,…

More about Strawberry Line celebrates sweet success with grand opening
Chard Reservoir with lightly rippled water on a partially sunny day, including reeds, waterfowl and foliage in the background.

A major scheme that will strengthen Chard Reservoir’s barrier and help protect local communities from its potential to flood is due to get underway. The Council is budgeting up to…

More about Contract awarded for Chard Reservoir works
New Somerset Council Green Estates Rangers, featuring from L to R: Lydia Winthorpe, Erica Cox and Julia Kennaby.

Somerset Council recently welcomed three new members to its Natural Environment Team. A grant from the Government Department of Culture’s Levelling Up Programme has allowed the Council to create these…

More about Somerset Council welcomes new Green Estates Rangers thanks to Government funding
Two workers on a tiled roof of a home fitting new solar panels.

Somerset homeowners are encouraged to take steps towards more energy-efficient homes and lower energy bills with a Somerset Council-backed Lendology loan. With energy prices rising this winter, Lendology CIC, a…

More about Somerset Council and Lendology low-cost loans can help homeowners keep the heat in
A beautiful sunny day view of the river Tone near Taunton, with flourishing trees on the bankside.

Somerset Council is asking for community opinion to shape the future of Taunton’s cherished waterways. The Taunton Waterways Strategy and Guidance is now open for a 6-week consultation and the…

More about Somerset Council wants your views to shape the new Taunton Waterways Strategy and Guidance
An internal view of the children's area at the new refurbished Wellington Library

On Monday, 30 September at 9:30 am, Wellington Library will reopen its doors, to welcome the community back to its historic Fore Street location after being refurbished. An official opening…

More about Wellington Library is celebrating return to historic home