BOURNEMOUTH council says it is “strengthening its resolve” to tackle climate change in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.

The town’s climate change successes to date include helping to reduce residents’ annual carbon dioxide emissions from home, business, and transport energy use, from 5.6 tonnes per person in 2005 to 3.6 tonnes in 2016.

LED street lighting has been installed across the town, reducing energy use by 73 per cent and saving 3,700 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.

In 2013, Bournemouth was named the greenest city in the LSH UK Vitality Index rankings.

And last year, the town became the third UK council to become fully compliant with all the requirements of the Compact of Mayors – a voluntary scheme open to cities across the world who want to share their climate commitments.

Bournemouth, and the 596 other Compact of Mayors cities worldwide, have made commitments that are equivalent to reductions of nearly one billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually by 2030.

A spokesperson for Bournemouth council said: “We believe that reducing energy use does not hold back the economy, but instead will help Bournemouth become internationally recognised as a green economy leader – a place to live, work and visit - because of our fantastic local environment and our wish to help safeguard the global environment too.”

They added: “We hope to attract more companies and talented individuals who share our way of thinking and want to play their part to help us succeed. We already have many local employers who are doing great things to make their companies greener by using less energy, cutting their waste and sourcing products responsibly.”

As outlined in its climate change strategy, Bournemouth has a target to reduce CO2 emissions by 30 per cent by 2020, helping the UK hit its target of 34 per cent CO2 reduction by that year.

Recently, Cllr David Smith, portfolio holder for planning and environment, said he was “extremely disappointed” Mr Trump had decided to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, adding the council would “continue with their commitment to reduce carbon emissions in this town.”

The Paris Agreement commits countries to holding global temperature rises to "well below" 2C above pre-industrial levels, which will require global emissions to be cut to net zero by the second half of the century.