Sustainability
North East Community Forest
The North East Community Forest is a 30-year, multi-million-pound project. It aims to plant tens of thousands of trees and new woodland in the region. In the latest update, over 500,000 trees have been planted since 2021 across 551 sites. This is estimated to lead to the removal of 167,653 tonnes of Co2 from the atmosphere by the time the trees reach maturity.
Blue Green Newcastle
Blue Green Newcastle aims to better protect the city centre from flood risk. The sustainable drainage (SuDS) solutions we hope to use will also improve biodiversity, ecology and amenity.
You can find more information about the project by visiting the project page on the Council website.
Food Newcastle
Food Newcastle are a non-profit network of organisations that operate across the city. They co-ordinate healthy, sustainable and locally sourced food action. The Council has match funded Food Newcastle on two projects.
The Good Food Movement was a public awareness campaign and Food for the Planet focused on procurement and public sector.
FlexCollect
Newcastle is one of nine councils taking part in a funded trial called FlexCollect. It aims to capture plastic bags and wrapping which are not currently recyclable. The trial has expanded to 40,000 homes. The trial has begun ahead of national roll out in 2027. Read more about the trial.
Energy recovery facility
Newcastle alongside other North East local authorities are developing an energy recovery facility. This Tees Valley facility will process our city's residual waste (left after recycling). The facility will process an estimated 450,000 tonnes of waste a year. It will also export enough electricity to power 60,000 typical homes.
Green economic study
Newcastle City Council has created a Green Economic Study, partnered with Cambridge Econometrics. The report sets out the current green economy in the North East.
The report also includes a 10-point action plan for the Council and city partners to carry out. This will support the future transition to a green economy to reach Net Zero.