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The study finds that the average York resident has a carbon footprint of 12.58 tonnes of CO2 per year, with housing and transport accounting for 60% of this total. Analysis of Lower Layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) reveals significant variation: the highest footprints are found in city centre, rural, and commuter areas, while the lowest are in disadvantaged urban areas or student-heavy neighbourhoods. The report identifies a gap between green attitudes and actual behaviour, noting that some neighbourhoods with strong green attitudes still maintain high footprints. By combining data on emissions, resident attitudes, and local infrastructure, the report identifies specific neighbourhoods with the 'highest potential' for change. For housing, these include Heworth Without Rural and South Bank Central; for transport, the Holgate and Osbaldwick areas are highlighted. The findings support the 'York Green Streets Challenge', a project targeting 100 households to achieve a 10% reduction in their carbon footprint in 2010.

The report investigates the feasibility of reducing transport-related CO2 emissions in Yorkshire and Humber using the REAP model. It tests three scenarios: Business as Usual, Step Change, and Accelerated. Findings indicate that while a combination of practical measures (such as Bus Rapid Transit, teleworking, and rail improvements) can flatten emission growth, they are insufficient to meet the theoretical targets of the Stabilising Carbon Trends scenario. Aviation is identified as a major driver of emissions that remains largely outside regional policy control. The report concludes that the scale of investment required for these reductions is unprecedented and likely unaffordable under current funding mechanisms.

The Resources and Energy Analysis Programme (REAP) is a software tool developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) to track the environmental consequences of economic activity by analyzing consumption patterns across various spatial scales. It calculates ecological, carbon, and greenhouse gas footprints by combining consumption data with production impacts throughout the supply chain. In the UK, REAP has been applied in over 50 projects, including evaluating regional strategies and creating footprint reduction roadmaps. The tool emphasizes a lifecycle approach, highlighting that consumption-based emissions can exceed production-based emissions due to trade balances, as seen in the UK and Sweden.

The report identifies that the Leeds City Region must reduce housing-related CO2e emissions by 38 million tonnes by 2026 to align with national 2050 targets. The most impactful measure is the major retrofit of existing homes, which could provide 53.2% of the required reduction. Other essential measures include behavioural change (22%), low and zero carbon technologies (12.4%), and stricter new build standards (9%). The study concludes that a combination of these measures, supplemented by either external wall insulation, additional LZC installations, or selective demolition and rebuild of inefficient properties, is necessary to meet the target.

The report finds that UK baby boomers (50-64) have the highest carbon footprint due to high spending on travel and consumption, while the oldest group (75+) has the highest climate impact per pound spent, primarily due to home heating. Despite general fear and motivation to act, older adults face barriers such as the cost of public transport and high capital costs for home energy efficiency.

The report uses the Resources and Energy Analysis Programme (REAP) to model 15 housing policy scenarios for the Leeds City Region between 2003 and 2026. It finds that a 'business as usual' approach based on the draft Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) would lead to an 8% increase in CO2 emissions from housing by 2026. Retrofitting existing housing stock is identified as the most effective single measure for reducing emissions, with potential net savings between 19% and 39% compared to the baseline. The most significant reductions are achieved through combined scenarios involving energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy targets, and increased demolition rates, which can save up to 43 mt of CO2.