Agenda item

To consider a motion proposed by Councillor Gwynne.

Council considered the following motion moved by Councillor Gwynne and seconded by Councillor C Dowden.

Humans have already caused irreversible climate change, the impacts of which are being felt in the UK and around the world.  Global temperatures have increased by 1.2°C from pre-industrial levels and the natural world has reached crisis point, with 28% of plants and animals currently threatened with extinction.

Unless we drastically change course, the world is set to exceed the Paris Agreement’s safe 1.5°C limit. Pledges like the Paris Agreement and updated emissions targets are not legally binding.  The gap between pledges and policies leaves the world on course for catastrophic warming of near 3%(or more).  As the 2018 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) made clear, every half a degree makes a world of difference: severe climate impacts with 1.5°C of warming, such as extreme weather patterns causing flooding and heat waves, get significantly worse with 2°C.  According to the IPCC’s 2021 report, limiting heating to 1.5°C may still just be possible with ambitious action from national and sub-national authorities, civil society, the private sector and local communities. 

The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world and more than one in seven of our plants and animals face extinction and more than 40% are in decline.  As an example, we have lost 95% of our hedgehog population.  The UK needs a legally-enforceable nature target so that by 2030 nature is visibly and measurably on the path of recovery, in line with the Global Goal for Nature and the Leaders' Pledge for Nature .

Council notes that:

  I.  Many local authorities are playing an important role in the UK taking action to achieve net zero carbon emissions, and to protect and revitalise local wildlife and natural habitats.

  II.  Parliament in May 2019 declared an Environment and Climate Emergency. This Council declared a Climate Emergency in the same year and has had a Biodiversity Action Plan in place since 2008.

  III.  There is a Bill before Parliament—the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill (published as the “Climate and Ecology Bill”), which, if it became law, would require the government to develop a strategy to address the emergency that would ensure:

A.  the ecological emergency is tackled shoulder to shoulder with the climate crisis in a joined-up approach;

B.  the Paris Agreement is enshrined into law to ensure that UK does its real fair share to limit global temperature rise to the most stringent end of the Paris agreement -1.5°C.

C.  the Leaders Pledge for Nature is enshrined into law to ensure that the UK’s ecosystems are protected and restored with a focus on biodiversity, soils and natural carbon sinks;

D.  the UK takes full responsibility for our entire greenhouse gas footprint (ie consumption emissions plus shipping, flights and land-based transport) by accounting for all of the emissions that take place overseas to manufacture, transport and dispose of the goods and services we import and consume;

E.  the UK takes full responsibility for our ecological footprint so that we protect health and resilience of ecosystems along both domestic and our global supply chains;

F.  an independent, temporary Climate and Nature Assembly is set-up, representative of the UK’s population, to engage with the UK Parliament and UK Government to help develop the emergency strategy.

Council therefore resolves to:

  I.  Support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill;

  II.  Inform the local media of this decision;

  III.  Write an open letter to Kit Malthouse MP and Mrs Caroline Nokes MP (shared with our residents through local and social media) urging them to sign up to support the Bill; and

  IV.  Write to the CEE Bill Alliance, (now known as Zero Hour), the organisers of the campaign for the Bill, expressing its support (joinus@ceebill.uk).

Councillor Johnston proposed an amendment to the motion that:

Council refers the motion to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for further consideration and response.

Councillor Parker requested that a recorded vote be taken on the amendment.  In accordance with the Constitution more than 10 members supported this and the recorded vote was as follows;

Councillor Johnson’s amendment therefore became the substantive motion, which was voted on accordingly and carried.

Resolved:

Council refers the following motion to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration and response:

That Council:

i.  Support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill;

ii.  Inform the local media of this decision;

iii.  Write an open letter to Kit Malthouse MP and Mrs Caroline Nokes MO (shared with our residents through local and social media) urging them to sign up to support the Bill; and

iv.  Write to the CEE Bill Alliance (now known as Zero Hour), the organisers of the campaign for the Bill, expressing its support (joinus@ceebill.uk).