Decision details

To recommend to Council the declaration of a climate emergency.

1.         The Executive RESOLVED to note that:

i)          the continuing rise in greenhouse gases, if not addressed, represents an existential threat to our civilisation on this planet.

ii)         the impacts of climate breakdown are already causing serious damage around the world.

iii)        the recent 2018 IPCC report stated that we had just 12 years to act on climate change if global temperature rises are to be kept within the recommended 1.5 degrees Celsius; this assumes we reduce emissions to net zero by 2050 from the current 40+ billion tonnes.

iv)        such a reduction will require (in the words of the IPCC) “rapid and far-reaching transitions in energy, land, urban and infrastructure (including transport and buildings), and industrial systems. These systems transitions are unprecedented in terms of scale, but not necessarily in terms of speed, and imply deep emissions reductions in all sectors, a wide portfolio of mitigation options and a significant upscaling of investments in those options”.

v)         all governments (national, regional and local) have a duty to act, and local governments that recognise this should not wait for their national governments to change their policies.

vi)        strong policies to cut emissions also have associated health, wellbeing and economic benefits.

vii)       central government has committed to a zero-carbon national target and has adopted a policy whereby sales of new petrol and diesel engine cars and vans, one of the main causes of emissions resulting in climate change, are to be totally phased out.

viii)      a growing number of UK local authorities have already passed ‘Climate Emergency’ motions in recognition of the urgency of the climate crisis.

ix)        Waverley Borough Council and other local authorities working to ambitious targets for achieving net zero carbon emissions will require additional urgent support from central government in order to achieve their goals.

2.         The Executive RESOLVED to recommend to Council that:

i)          Waverley Borough Council declares a ‘Climate Emergency’ requiring urgent action.

ii)         Waverley Borough Council aims to become carbon neutral by 2030, taking into account both production and consumption emissions, and takes a leadership role to achieve this working with other councils, including town and parish councils within the borough.

iii)        Waverley Borough Council recognises that the achievement of the target will require central government to provide the powers, funding and other resources to achieve the target and therefore calls on the government to provide such powers, funding and other resources as appropriate to facilitate achieving the 2030 target.

iv)        Officers be instructed to provide to the Council’s Executive, within six months of the date of this decision, a report on the actions the Council and the local community can take to address these issues together with an action plan, specifying year on year milestones and metrics to show progress towards achieving the goal of carbon neutrality by 2030 noting any additional costs that might be involved.

Reason: Waverley Borough Council acknowledges the urgent need for global society to reduce carbon emissions and conserve biodiversity, recognises the part the council has to play and commits to taking an active role in achieving this.

[This matter is recommended to Council for decision and is not subject to the call-in procedure.]