Ludlow has long been a centre of green activity, with an emphasis on protecting the environment and reducing emissions. It has championed local food, slow food, reducing carbon emissions and biodigestion. Soon it will have a pioneering pyrolysis plant producing biochar.
Data compiled by the Centre for Sustainable Energy show Ludlow to have the lowest carbon footprint of all the market towns in Shropshire. The consumption of Ludlow residents leads to emissions of 10.3 tonnes CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) per household per year. The average across Shropshire is nearly one third higher at 13.4 tonnes CO2e. Ludlow households are on average responsible for fewer carbon emissions than any other town in the county.
Since the Paris Agreement in 2015, which aimed to limit global temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, a language and methodology has evolved for carbon accounting. If we can’t describe the contribution of countries, industries and even households to global warming, we can’t work out how to reduce emissions and slow, even halt dangerous climate change. We see the dangers of climate change all the time. The last 10 years have been the warmest on record, with 2024 being the hottest year globally and the first to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Weather patterns are disrupted, there are more and bigger storms, more droughts and more wildfires. This why understanding how many carbon equivalents we are responsible for individually and households is important and why it is helpful to compare Ludlow with elsewhere in the county.
Using data from Impact Community carbon calculator, Ludlow tops the Shropshire league table for a low carbon footprint of 10.3 tonnes CO2e per household. Much Wenlock is at the other end of the scale with 14.0 tonnes CO2e.
Comparing this to Shropshire as a whole.
Looking at this is more detail, using the five measures used by the Centre for Sustainable Energy. The image shows carbon footprint for the whole Ludlow Town Council area (i.e. not including Ludford).
Ludford has an annual household carbon footprint of 12.3 tonnes CO2e, a fifth higher than Ludlow.
Ludlow is leading the county on lower emissions. But there is no room for Ludlow, or any other town or village to be complacent about carbon emissions. The whole world needs to work at limiting the impact of climate change. Its proving a hard battle to get emissions down at the moment due to the political situation but that doesn’t mean we should stop trying.
Notes
The numbers in this article have been calculated using data from the Community Impact Calculator produced by the Centre for Sustainable Energy, an independent environmental charity that has been serving the environmental community for nearly half a century. The full methodology is explained on the website.
It may be good news of a sort, but let’s remember..fifteen years ago the average Carbon footprint in the UK was just over 9 tonnes – and we need to get globally to an average of 1.4 tonnes (yes, ONE point FOUR) to ensure that the world stops heating up. So far, only Bhutan has reached net zero. The rest of us, for all our efforts, are continuing to trash the planet. And, now the Americans (Bless them) have put Donald Trump back in the White House, the chances of reaching net zero are even slimmer than they were. The prospects for the planet are now bad, very bad or absolutely dreadful. How bad they are going to get is still up to us; but we’re not making a very good fist of it right now. Sorry folks, but that ‘s just the way it is.