Guildford and Waverley lead the way with new approach to cutting carbon
We've agreed to adopt Internal Carbon Pricing (ICP) as a tool to push climate factors to the forefront of our decision making. It places a calculated cost on carbon emissions associated with our projects and activities. This ensures the environmental impact is considered alongside financial cost from the outset.
By putting a value on carbon, we can make better-informed choices that:
- reduce emissions and
- support greener alternatives.
This work demonstrates the strength of the collaboration between the two Councils. Both authorities are working together to:
- combine expertise,
- share best practice,
- drive innovation
- and deliver best value for residents.
Cllr Angela Goodwin, Lead Councillor for Environment and Sustainability at Guildford Borough Council, said:
"We're one of the first councils in the country to adopt Internal Carbon Pricing and I'm proud that we're demonstrating our commitment to innovation and climate leadership.
"It helps us look at the full picture when we're making decisions. For example, when choosing between traditional diesel vehicles and electric alternatives, this approach allows us to consider not just the upfront cost, but the carbon emissions and long-term impact over the lifetime of those vehicles.
"By factoring carbon into our business cases in this way, we can see more clearly where lower-carbon options deliver better value over time. It's a practical tool that encourages smarter investment and supports one of our key priorities, to become a more sustainable borough."
Cllr Adam Duce, Waverley Borough Council's Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability, said:
"We're delighted to be working with Guildford on this pioneering approach. Internal Carbon Pricing gives us a clear way to factor in the environmental impact of our decisions and make choices that support our net zero ambitions. It's a practical tool that avoids tokenism and helps us deliver greener outcomes for our communities while ensuring long-term value."
Internal Carbon Pricing in simple terms
ICP is a way for the Councils to better understand the environmental impact of its decisions.
When we considers a project, such as:
- buying vehicles,
- refurbishing buildings
- or delivering services
we already look at the financial cost. ICP adds one more piece of information to consider; the impact of the carbon emissions linked to that decision.
It does this by putting a financial value on each tonne of carbon dioxide the Council produces. This value is based on Government guidance at national level. It reflects the real cost of reducing emissions in the future and the wider societal impacts of carbon emissions and climate change.
By seeing both the financial cost and the carbon impacts side-by-side, we can compare different options. It helps to factor in wider and longer term implications also. In many cases, this shows that lower-carbon choices offer better value over the lifetime of a project.
It's an internal decision making tool that doesn't create new charges for businesses or residents. It helps us to make smarter, more sustainable choices.
The pricing doesn't create any extra cost to us either. It is an indicative figure of the potential impact of decisions to carbon emissions.
We first declared a Climate Emergency in July 2019, and we're committed to becoming net zero by 2030.
Find out more about what we're doing to fight climate change.
Published on Wednesday 14 January, 2026.