The government will invest £40 million in cutting the carbon footprint of courts and tribunals across England and Wales by installing green measures.

Technologies, including solar panels, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and energy efficient heating and air conditioning systems will be used in a bid to cut courts’ emissions by 10%.

The move, which is part of a £285 million investment that is being spent on improvements to our prisons and courts, is forecast to save around 6,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2025.

The HM Courts and Tribunals Service has also developed a five-year strategy to minimise the environmental impact of its operations.

The plan includes smart meter technology to track water use, increase in pollinator planting and more efficient building insulation.

Courts Minister James Cartlidge said: “It is vital that we build back greener from the pandemic and take this opportunity to improve sustainability throughout the criminal justice system.

“This is part of our plan to roll out technology and modernise the estate to deliver a better service for all court users.”