In the most recent State of the UK Climate 2017 report, trends show that the UK climate is continuing to warm and that sea levels continue to rise:
The IPCC Special Report on
Global Warming published in October 2018 states that we have just
12 years to act on climate change if global temperature rises are
to be kept within the recommended 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The government has set a target date of 2050 for Britain to produce “net zero” carbon emissions. All governments (national, regional and local) have a duty to limit the negative impacts of climate change, and local authorities that recognise this should not wait for their national governments to change their policies.
In recent years, Rotherham Council has been reducing its carbon emissions by about 3% per year.
Recent statistics from the energy switching website migrate.co.uk suggest that over the last 10 years Rotherham has seen the fifth biggest reduction of our emissions overall amongst 21 local authorities in Yorkshire & the Humber.
Nationally to date over half of the Councils in England have declared a climatic emergency as has the National Government. Rotherham has previously developed a climate change strategy but now is the time to reassess our objective for the years ahead.
This Council notes that there are significant opportunities to
reduce RMBC’s carbon emissions over the coming
years:
1. The proposed development of a district heat network from Templeborough Power Plant, powered by sustainable biomass
2. The proposed introduction of a community energy switching scheme, moving properties including council homes onto 100% renewable sources of electricity
3. The recent installation of electric vehicle charging points, including for council vehicles, and future re-provision of the council’s fleet of vehicles
4. Encouraging external providers of Council services to reduce their carbon emissions as part of our Social Value Policy
5. The proposed planting of fifty million trees across the country, including potentially some in Rotherham, as part of the “Northern Forest”
This Council therefore resolves to:
1. Join other local authorities in declaring a climate emergency.
2. Create a Members working group to propose an informed target for the Council’s carbon reduction by 2025 and to review it every five years thereafter, and to develop a “Carbon Action Plan” towards these goals, and that this working group should report back to the Council no later than March 2020.
3. Develop a strategy for RMBC to play a leadership role in promoting community, public and business partnerships in reducing carbon emissions
4. Mandate officers to lobby government for additional resources to support this strategy where these are required
5. Pledge to produce, in January of each year, a Rotherham Climate Emergency Annual Report, detailing the Council’s progress against the Carbon Action Plan.
6. Pledge to ask our partner organisations across Rotherham to support us by making clear commitments to dealing with this climatic crisis.
7. Require all officer reports from April 2020 to Cabinet and Full Council to contain Impact assessments in relation to Climate change.
Proposer:- Councillor Roche Seconder:- Councillor Allen
Minutes:
Proposed by Councillor Roche and seconded by Councillor Allen:-
This Council:-
In the most recent State of the UK Climate 2017 report, trends show that the UK climate is continuing to warm and that sea levels continue to rise:
· We will be experiencing summers that are 2.5ºC warmer,
· Our winters will be milder with the average temperatures being 2.2°C warmer
· There may be a 16% decrease in summer rainfall making our summers much drier but more variable
· Winters will be wetter with an average of 14% more rainfall
· Mean sea levels around the UK have risen by about 16 cm since the start of the 20th Century.
The IPCC Special Report on Global Warming published in October 2018 states that we have just 12 years to act on climate change if global temperature rises are to be kept within the recommended 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The government has set a target date of 2050 for Britain to produce “net zero” carbon emissions. All governments (national, regional and local) have a duty to limit the negative impacts of climate change, and local authorities that recognise this should not wait for their national governments to change their policies.
In recent years, Rotherham Council has been reducing its carbon emissions by about 3% per year. Recent statistics from the energy switching website migrate.co.uk suggest that over the last 10 years Rotherham has seen the fifth biggest reduction of our emissions overall amongst 21 local authorities in Yorkshire & the Humber.
Nationally to date over half of the Councils in England have declared a climatic emergency as has the National Government. Rotherham has previously developed a climate change strategy but now is the time to reassess our objective for the years ahead.
This Council notes that there are significant opportunities to reduce RMBC’s carbon emissions over the coming years:
1. The proposed development of a district heat network from Templeborough Power Plant, powered by sustainable biomass
2. The proposed introduction of a community energy switching scheme, moving properties including council homes onto 100% renewable sources of electricity
3. The recent installation of electric vehicle charging points, including for Council vehicles, and future re-provision of the Council’s fleet of vehicles
4. Encouraging external providers of Council services to reduce their carbon emissions as part of our Social Value Policy
5. The proposed planting of fifty million trees across the country, including potentially some in Rotherham, as part of the “Northern Forest”
This Council therefore resolves to:
1. Join other local authorities in declaring a climate emergency
2. Create a Members Working Group to propose an informed target for the Council’s carbon reduction by 2025 and to review it every 5 years thereafter, and to develop a “Carbon Action Plan” towards these goals, and that this Working Group should report back to the Council no later than March 2020
3. Develop a strategy for RMBC to play a leadership role in promoting community, public and business partnerships in reducing carbon emissions
4. Mandate officers to lobby Government for additional resources to support this strategy where these are required
5. Pledge to produce, in January of each year, a Rotherham Climate Emergency Annual Report, detailing the Council’s progress against the Carbon Action Plan
6. Pledge to ask our partner organisations across Rotherham to support us by making clear commitments to dealing with this climatic crisis
Require all officer reports from April 2020 to Cabinet and Full Council to contain Impact assessments in relation to Climate change.
On being put to the vote, the motion was carried unanimously.