Issue - meetings

To receive a Motion on Notice.

Councillor S Bell submitted the following motion on notice:

“Man-made climate change is the biggest threat that humanity faces. In 2018 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report stated that we have just 12 years to act on climate change if global temperatures rises are to be kept within the recommended 1.5 degrees celsius.

 All governments whether national, regional or local have a duty to limit the negative impacts of climate change and need to commit to aggressive reduction targets and carbon neutrality as quickly as possible.

 East Herts District Council has a pivotal role to play in tackling climate change and enabling sustainable living. 

 We recognise the importance of tackling climate change both in the terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to minimise future global climate change and planning for the unavoidable local impacts of climate change.

 Therefore, East Herts District Council will :-

1)  Join with other Councils in recognising and declaring a Climate Emergency,   

2)  Pledge to do everything within the Council’s power to support the whole of East Herts District to become carbon neutral by 2030,

3)   Develop an ambitious sustainability strategy for reducing the Council’s own emissions, with an objective that the Council becomes carbon neutral by 2030,

4) Include in all planning regulations and the Local Plan measures to cut carbon emissions and reduce the impact on the environment,

5)  Call on National Government for more powers and resources to make this pledge possible, and ask the Council’s Leader to write to the Secretary of state for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to this effect,

6)  Continue to work with partners across the District, County and Region to deliver this new goal, through all relevant strategies and plans,

7)  Take account of climate impacts within existing decision-making processes,

8)  Set up an Environmental and Climate Emergency Forum, in line with the recommendation D16 from the Task and Finish Group which was approved by this Council on 5^th March, 2019,

9)  Reconvene the Climate Change task and finish Group, and require it to monitor progress on delivering the pledge, and to report back to the Council every 6 months,

10)  Dedicate enough staff and budget to achieve these aims, including the most appropriate training for members and officers to promote carbon neutral policies and to achieve these aims.”

Councillor Bell spoke in support of the motion.  Regarding the amendment proposed by Councillor G McAndrew, she questioned why the amendment omitted the word “emergency”, when numerous other councils including the government and Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) had declared a climate emergency.  She said her proposals gave a framework for practical measures to be taken by the Council in view of the global imperative to stop emissions of greenhouse gases.  She urged the Council to support the motion. 

Councillor J Frecknall seconded the motion.  He said Government had declared a climate emergency, and all levels of government should take action.  Using Cllr McAndrew’s work from the task and finish group  ...  view the full minutes text for item 87