Devon has been challenged on its carbon overspend after the authority overshot its emissions cap.

Resident Mike Walton said the council had overspent on its carbon budget by 9 per cent, something that would “not be acceptable” if the council missed its financial targets by as much.

“This is clearly unacceptable and jeopardises a safe future for ourselves, our children and grandchildren,” he said.

“Devon has undertaken a lot of good work to reduce the county’s carbon pollution, but clearly the current interventions are not sufficient.

“We need a step change in our ambition and boldness, particularly to reduce transport carbon pollution.”

Councillor Andrea Davis (Conservative, Combe Martin Rural), the cabinet member for climate change, environment and transport, said the University of Exeter’s Centre for Energy and Environment calculates Devon’s carbon footprint, measuring the greenhouse gases emitted within Devon, Plymouth and Torbay.

“In 2022, Devon’s carbon footprint, including Torbay and Plymouth, was 7.15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent,” Cllr Davis said.

“This concludes the carbon budget period from 2018 to 2022, during which emissions exceeded the budget cap by 9 per cent.

“Although there has been a steady reduction in emissions since 2008, primarily due to the power sector’s decarbonisation (which has decreased by about 70 per cent since 2008), the transport, buildings, and agriculture sectors have seen little change in emissions since 2008.”

Cllr Davis added that as an authority, Devon County Council (DCC) had more than halved (56 per cent) the emissions it emits as an organisation since 2012.

Devon is taking steps to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including by expanding infrastructure for electric vehicles, creating routes for cyclists and pedestrians, and investing in electric buses and bus priority measures.