Council chiefs will consider a new climate change policy which could be issued to staff throughout the region.
Councillors will meet this week to discuss Aberdeenshire Council’s new environmental policy and action plan.
If the draft is backed on Thursday, the document is expected to be signed by the council’s co-leaders and chief executive before being issued to all staff.
The updated policy, which has been backed by the sustainability subcommittee, takes into account the authority’s legal requirements to meet emissions targets.
The new guidelines encourage staff to monitor the environmental impact of all the council’s activities, and puts the reduction of carbon emissions at the heart of planning decisions.
In the long term council bosses are considering how council transport can be overhauled to be more environmentally-friendly.
This includes cutting staff travel and using more renewable energy.
Elsewhere there will be more focus on the natural world in Aberdeenshire’s schools and an effort to maintain the region as a Fairtrade zone.
The policy states: “To meet this commitment we will lead by example and use our influence to raise awareness and understanding of environmental and climate change issues and actively encourage responsible practices and behaviours.”
And in her report to the policy and resources committee, climate change coordinator Claudia Cowie states: “A new Aberdeenshire Council environmental and climate change policy has been drafted to enhance the previous environmental policy by including the council’s commitment to better mitigate and adapt to climate change.”
Earlier this year the Press and Journal revealed that the authority was failing to meet its climate change targets.
The move to implement a new policy comes as the council prepares to issue its first carbon budget.
Aberdeenshire Council has become one of the first public bodies in Scotland to adopt the scheme, which controls the environmental impact of everything the authority does.
A final carbon budget will be presented alongside the council’s financial budget next year.
