Motion to Support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill Council notes that

(i)            This council declared a climate and ecological emergency on 26th June 2019;

(ii)          Many local authorities are playing an important role in the UK taking action to achieve net zero

(iii)         There is a Bill before Parliament—the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill (published as the Climate and Ecology Bill)—according to which the UK Government must develop an emergency strategy that:

a. requires that the UK plays its fair and proper role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions consistent with at least a 66% chance of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures; this corresponds to the most ambitious global mitigation pathway available according to the 2018 IPCC 1.5C Report.

b. ensures that all the UK’s consumption emissions are accounted for, including international aviation and passenger shipping;

c. ensures that steps to mitigate emissions do not damage ecosystems, food and water availability, and human health;

d. ensures that steps taken to increase the health, abundance, diversity and resilience of species, populations and ecosystems follow the mitigation and conservation hierarchy - avoid, minimise, restore and offset;

e. restores and expands natural ecosystems, and enhances the management of cultivated ecosystems to protect and enhance biodiversity, ecological processes and ecosystem service provision, including optimising the state of resilient carbon sinks;

f. includes measures to protect, restore and enhance ecosystems in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, where activity is generated from within the United Kingdom that is harmful to ecosystems;

g. ensures an end to the exploration, extraction, export and import of fossil fuels by the United Kingdom as rapidly as possible; and

h. sets up an independent citizens’ assembly, 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:

1. Support the Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) Bill;

2. Inform the local media of this decision;

3. Write to local Members of Parliament, asking them to support or thanking them for supporting the CEE Bill; and

4. Write to the CEE Bill Alliance, the organisers of the campaign for the Bill, expressing its support (campaign@ceebill.uk)

Proposed by:  Councillor Tim Valentine

Seconded by:  Councillor Alastair Gould

In proposing the motion to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill, Councillor Tim Valentine spoke of the continued climate crises and stressed the urgency to take action. He referred to the Government’s spending plans on infrastructure and development including 300,000 new houses per year, many built to inadequate efficiency standards. Councillor Valentine explained the Government’s new target, set in December 2020, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 78% by 2035 and a ten point plan for a green industrial revolution but said the strategy for delivery lacked detail.  He explained that the current target for carbon reduction gave the world a 50% chance of limiting global heating to only one and a half degrees if every country delivered on its pledges.

Councillor Valentine referred to the Climate and Ecological Emergency declared by SBC in June 2019 aiming for the Borough to be net zero by 2030.  He spoke of the work and monitoring SBC had carried out but said that the Council lacked the power and budget to do all that was necessary.

Finally Councillor Valentine explained what would be required of the Government in the Bill, as set out in the Agenda. He highlighted the ecological, health and financial benefits, and sought Members’ support to agree the motion.

In seconding the motion, Councillor Alistair Gould reserved his right to speak.

The Leader said that the Climate and Ecological Emergency could not be relegated to the side-lines and had to be tackled globally.

The Leader of the opposition said everyone had a responsibility to act.

Councillor Alistair Gould spoke of the urgent need to take action and the impact if no action was taken.

There was full support for the motion from all groups.

Resolved:

(1)  That Council notes this Council declared a climate and ecological emergency on 26 June 2019.n

(2)  That Council notes that many local authorities are playing an important role in the UK taking action to achieve net zero

(3)  That Council notes there is a bill before Parliament – the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill (published as the Climate and Ecology Bill) according to which the UK Government must develop an emergency strategy that:

a.     Requires that the UK plays its fair and proper role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions consistent with at least a 66% chance of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures; this corresponds to the most ambitious global mitigation pathway available according to the 1018 IPCC 1.5C Report;

b.    Ensures that all the UK’s consumption emissions are accounted for, including international aviation and passenger shipping;

c.     Ensures that steps to mitigate emissions do not damage ecosystems, food and water availability and human health;

d.    Ensures that steps taken to increase the health, abundance, diversity and resilience of species, populations and ecosystems follow the mitigation and conservation hierarchy – avoid, minimise, restore and offset;

e.     Restore and expands natural ecosystems, and enhances the management of cultivated ecosystems to protect and enhance biodiversity, ecological processes and ecosystem service provision, including optimising the state of resilient carbon sinks;

f.      Includes measures to protect, restore and enhance ecosystems in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, where activity is generated from within the United Kingdom that is harmful to ecosystems;

g.    Ensures an end to the exploration, extraction, export and import of fossil fuels by the United Kingdom as rapidly as possible; and

h.    Sets up an independent citizens’ assembly, representative of the UK’s population to engage with the UK Parliament and UK Government to help develop the emergency strategy.

(4)  That Council supports the Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) Bill;

(5)  That Council informs the local media of this decision;

(6)  That Council writes to local Members of Parliament, asking them to support or thanking them for supporting the CEE Bill;

(7)  That Council writes to the CEE Bill Alliance, the organisers of the campaign for the Bill, expressing its support(campaign@ceebill.uk)