Agenda item

To consider a report requesting that the Council declare a Climate Emergency and to seek the recommendation of the Executive.

Recommendation

1.         That the Executive notes 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 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.         That the Executive recommends 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.

15.1    The Executive considered a report setting out the case for taking action to limit global warming, and for Waverley to become a carbon neutral council by 2030. The report was introduced by Cllr Steve Williams, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability. Cllr Williams explained that the Executive had spent a great deal of time drafting the recommendation to Council, and had deliberately framed it as the Council’s response the climate emergency rather than try to encompass other environmental and sustainability issues. The 2030 deadline was challenging and actions needed to achieve it would not be without consequences, but local communities could not opt out of taking action. Cllr Williams urged the Executive and Council to “Think globally, and act locally”.

15.2    In response to questions from Cllr Julia Potts and Cllr Jenny Else, the Leader provided the following information:

·         The Executive recognised that it was vital that Waverley residents and communities were engaged with the challenge and the actions needed to address it. Working with partners in town and parish councils, and engaging with residents, were explicit in the proposed approach but Waverley had an important leadership role to lead by example.

·         Whilst not wanting to pre-empt the outcome of the Council debate, work had already begun on looking at the Council’s base line position in order to understand the starting position.

·         Many new councillors elected in May had been elected on the basis of taking action to address climate change; Godalming Town Council had already passed declared a climate emergency and Farnham Town Council would be considering a similar motion shortly.

15.3    Cllr Richard Seaborne commended the intention, and suggested that Council might find it helpful to have more information about the different approaches to becoming ‘carbon neutral’ and the council’s broad direction of travel. Cllr Hyman was concerned that the council was certain that action was justified, and that actions would not be tokenistic.

15.4    The Executive welcomed the broad support for the motion. The proposed approach was measured, but the declaration of a climate emergency would mean that all decisions would have to taken in the light of the impact on climate change.

15.5    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.

15.6    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.]