The research is intended to inform local governments approach to progressing towards the Net Zero Carbon 2030 for public sector and the Net Zero Carbon 2050 target  for Wales. The research has been designed to inform the work of decarbonisation practitioners, senior managers, lead members and key staff within local authorities that need to be engaged in the decarbonisation agenda. The work will also inform the national level work of the Local Government Decarbonisation Strategy Panel.

The research focuses on the following aspects of progress in Decarbonisation Planning, production, delivery, scope and ambition, governance, the nature of interventions in the plans, measurement of baseline greenhouse gas emissions, and support needs. The research used documentary evidence and the views of expert local authority practitioners to inform the findings.

All 22 authorities were engaged in the research with over 50 individuals engaged in individual, group and workshop discussions from July-September 2021.