Green Streets

The 'Green Streets' report analyzes the carbon footprint of York residents, finding an average of 12.58 tonnes of CO2 per person, slightly above the UK average. The study highlights significant variation between neighbourhoods, noting that rural and city-centre areas often have higher footprints, while student-heavy or poorer areas have lower ones. By correlating footprint data with resident attitudes and infrastructure, the report identifies specific neighbourhoods (such as Holgate and Osbaldwick for transport, and Heworth for housing) as having the highest potential for carbon reduction through targeted behavioural change campaigns.

• The average carbon footprint of a York resident is 12.58 tonnes of CO2 per year, which is slightly higher than the UK average of 12.12 tonnes and the Yorkshire and Humber average of 12.21 tonnes.
• Housing and transport are the primary contributors to York's carbon footprint, together accounting for 60% of the total. Specifically, housing contributes 3.62 tonnes and transport contributes 3.54 tonnes per person.
• Carbon footprints vary significantly by neighbourhood. The highest average footprints are found in Dringhouses Central (14.51 tonnes), Bishophill (14.46 tonnes), Heworth Without (14.40 tonnes), Wheldrake North East (14.34 tonnes), and Bishopthorpe North (14.33 tonnes). These high-footprint areas tend to be in the city centre or rural and commuter areas.
• The lowest average carbon footprints are found in Heslington (9.01 tonnes), followed by Clifton North West (10.24 tonnes), Tang Hall (10.36 tonnes), Westfield North West (10.48 tonnes), and Westfield Central (10.64 tonnes). These areas are typically poor areas of the city or those with high student concentrations.
• There is a general tendency for neighbourhoods with strong green attitudes to also have large carbon footprints. Heslington is the only neighbourhood identified as having both a strong level of green attitudes and a low carbon footprint.
• The report identifies specific neighbourhoods with the greatest potential to reduce their housing carbon footprint: Heworth Without Rural, South Bank Central, Heworth West, Heworth North, Westfield North West, and Huntington Far South.
• The neighbourhoods identified as having the greatest potential to reduce their transport carbon footprint are Holgate North West, Holgate East, Osbaldwick, and Holgate South East.
• The study suggests that the highest potential for behavioural change exists in households that combine a large carbon footprint, strong green attitudes, and local infrastructure that facilitates green actions.

APA

Haq, G., & Owen, A. (2009). Green Streets. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Rethinking-development/Sustainable_consumption_and_production/FinalGreenStreetsReportOct2009.pdf

Chicago

Haq, Gary, and Anne Owen. Green Streets. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2009. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Rethinking-development/Sustainable_consumption_and_production/FinalGreenStreetsReportOct2009.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Haq |first1=Gary |last2=Owen |first2=Anne |title=Green Streets |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=October 2009 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Rethinking-development/Sustainable_consumption_and_production/FinalGreenStreetsReportOct2009.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{haq2009green, author = {Haq, Gary and Owen, Anne}, title = {{Green Streets}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2009}, month = oct, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Rethinking-development/Sustainable_consumption_and_production/FinalGreenStreetsReportOct2009.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }