- Corporation and Square Mile on track to meet net zero by 2040
- 24% cut in carbon emissions across the Square Mile – equivalent to powering 81,000 homes for a year
- Over 2,500m2 of climate-resilient greening installed across this year
The Square Mile and the Corporation, which governs the area, are on track to reach net zero by 2040, according to figures published in the organisation’s latest Climate Action Strategy progress report.
Carbon emissions across the Square Mile have fallen by 24% between 2017 and 2022 – the equivalent of powering 81,000 homes for a year – while net emissions across the City Corporation’s own entire value chain have been reduced by 28% since 2018, equivalent to powering 50,000 homes for a year.
The report also highlights the organisation’s key achievements made against its climate resilience goals between April 2024 and March 2025.
In the last year alone, the City Corporation has:
- Installed 2,500m² of climate-resilient vegetation across the Square Mile, creating more green havens.
- Planted 72 new trees, helping cool City streets by up to 6°C.
- Created over 70 hectares of wildflower meadows across its open spaces which span London and southeast England – equivalent to nearly 100 football pitches.
Walking, wheeling, and cycling now also make up 85% of on-street travel in the City, supported by 214 metres of new cycle lanes, helping reduce emissions and improve air quality.
Policy Chairman at the Corporation, Chris Hayward, said:
“Despite wider challenges such as the slow decarbonisation of the UK grid, we remain firmly on track to achieve our 2040 net zero carbon and climate resilience targets across both the City Corporation’s activities and the Square Mile.
“From cutting emissions across our own value chain by over a quarter to creating climate-resilient green spaces and generating our own clean power, bold climate action is delivering benefits across the board – reducing costs, protecting communities, and safeguarding the Square Mile’s future.”
Climate Action Lead for the Corporation, Alderman Alison Gowman, said:
“Since launching the Strategy in 2020, we have made strong progress in cutting carbon and reducing climate risks – from greening and sustainable drainage to decarbonising the Square Mile through transport and planning initiatives.
“Our investment has accelerated delivery, putting us on track for net zero across our full value chain and the whole Square Mile by 2040.
“This achievement is down to collaboration with our supply chains, tenants, and communities. But we are going further, and faster – scaling up heat networks, greening our infrastructure, and embedding sustainability across our investments.”
This year, the City Corporation retained its place on the Carbon Disclosure Project’s (CDP) ‘A-list’, placing it among the top 15% of assessed cities worldwide.
Since 2018, the organisation has purchased 100% renewable electricity, and since 2021 over half of its electricity has been sourced through a Power Purchase Agreement with a Dorset solar farm, which also powers iconic landmarks across the City, including Tower Bridge and the Barbican Arts Centre.
In the past year, 132 solar panels were installed on the roof of the City Corporation’s The London Archives, generating 10% of the building’s annual electricity needs and saving £25,000 a year.
The City Corporation’s 11,000 acres of open spaces across London and southeast England – including Epping Forest and Hampstead Heath – also remove an estimated 16,230 tonnes of carbon annually, equivalent to two thirds of its 2024/25 operational carbon footprint.
ENDS
Notes to editors
ABOUT THE CITY OF LONDON CORPORATION:
The Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile, dedicated to supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally successful UK – .
Launched in 2020, the City Corporation’s Climate Action Strategy seeks to create a responsible, sustainable and competitive City.
The Strategy commits the organisation to achieving net zero carbon emissions in its own operations by 2027 and its full value chain by 2040, as well as supporting the whole Square Mile to reach net zero by 2040 – a decade ahead of national targets.
The full report can be found online here – https:///services/environmental-health/climate-action/our-climate-action-progress.
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