'Ambitious' projects, including more charging points for electric vehicles and restoring peatland to trap carbon, are needed to reduce the impact visitors to the Broads have on climate change.
That is according to consultants commissioned by the Broads Authority to research how to cut the carbon footprint of people who live, work and visit the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads.
Consultants from Small World Consulting estimate that nearly 800,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions are produced each year due to industry, residents and visitors.
The authority, which has cut its own carbon footprint by 21pc since 2019, has already outlined how it intends to encourage boaters to switch from petrol and diesel vessels to electric craft, so the more polluting boats can be phased out.
But the authority wants to work towards cutting the overall impact created through the use of the Broads and is seeking money from the government's Pioneer Places scheme - which could land it £8m to help get to net zero.
John Packman, chief executive of the Broads Authority, said: "We are developing ambitious projects to address transport, boating and farming emissions in the Broads.
“To have a far-reaching impact, we are working with partners at the Norfolk Climate Change Partnership, the Suffolk Climate Change Partnership, as well as local MPs and councils, who all agree to increase efforts to ensure that we achieve net zero."
Among the projects the authority is pursuing is helping farmers lock carbon into soils by restoring peatland and putting in more charging points for electric vehicles.
One of the findings of the report was that transport to and from the Broads is the largest single source of CO2 in the tourism economy.
A partnership with car manufacturer BMW will see more electric vehicle charging points installed in the Broads.
But the authority also intends to encourage people to use public transport to get to the Broads, where possible.
They say taking the train from Norwich to Wroxham to hire a dayboat cuts the CO2 produced during the journey by 80pc, while opting for an electric day boat saves 15kg of CO2 each day, compared to diesel.
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