A consultation has been launched to reduce Cambridgeshire’s carbon footprint and to support others in their efforts.

Cambridgeshire County Council has set up an officers working group and a cross-party member steering group to develop a draft strategy.

It comes following its declaration of a climate and environment emergency in May 2019.

The strategy looks at what the council can do, where they can collaborate with others and the next steps they should take.

Councillor Steve Count, leader of the county council, said: "As a council we have done lots already we can be proud of to reduce our carbon footprint.

"We have planted 25,000 trees, already investing £22million into carbon reductions and having a further £56 million identified in our business plan to continue to support measures to protect our environment.

"We are not a council that rests on our laurels. We are looking towards the future and the decisions we must take today to address the urgent changes needed to protect our environment."

The council is keen to understand what the wider community thinks, especially younger people, of the targets and actions it plans to set itself and its suppliers.

The energy team is already booked to do a range of presentations at schools across Cambridgeshire.

They will also be speaking to the wider population at parish council meetings and residents' forums events and local organisations interested in learning more.

"The message on climate change is clear - none of us can afford not to do this," said Cllr Josh Schumann, chairman of the council's commercial and investment committee, who seconded the motion on December 19.

"This strategy sets ambitious yet realistic targets, based on clear research and highlights how we can achieve them."

The consultation runs until January 31 during which time the council will be gathering feedback at a range of events across the county, and via an online survey at https://consultcambs.uk.engagementhq.com/climate-strategy