YORK is lagging behind southern cities when it comes to CO2 emissions and low emission commuting, according to a new report.

UK Powerhouse, a report by legal firm Irwin Mitchell and the Centre for Economic & Business Research, suggests that cities in the south dominate in a number of key indicators relating to sustainability.

Although, the report paints a mixed picture for the city in terms of its environmental credentials, it also says York will have the fastest growing economy in the north by gross value added in the first quarter of 2021, the quarter when the transition period in the UK’s current EU withdrawal agreement is set to have ended.

The report looked at the areas with the highest number of solar panel installations and York came tenth with 3,100 installations and a four per cent share of the population. Out of all the cities in the report, York is ranked 11th for waste recycling. When it comes to carbon dioxide per capita, the latest figure revealed that York had reduced its year on year figure by 5.9 per cent putting it in 24th place with a figure of 4 kt CO2 per person.

The city appears 30th for the share of low emission transport at five per cent, however it was an impressive third for its share of population using zero emission transport. Out of all the cities in the report, York is ranked 11th for waste recycling

Vicky Brackett, CEO of Irwin Mitchell’s business legal services division, said: “York performs well in some indicators of environmental sustainability but poorly in others.

“If it can improve its share of low-and zero-emission transport, carbon emissions can decrease making it possible for York to become one of the most sustainable cities in the UK.”