CED UK July through Sept 2019

Below are the UK local council, national, and dependency regions that have declared a Climate Emergency, in chronological order from 1 July 2019 onwards. Click the “motion text” links to see details of the motions they passed.

For UK declarations before 1 July 2019, go to https://www.cedamia.org/ced-uk-to-july-2019/
For UK declarations after September 2019, go to https://www.cedamia.org/uk-ced-from-oct-2019/

1 July 2019, Torridge District Council, England, UK, population 68,143

Declared a Climate Emergency.

motion text

Minutes are here.

Resolved:
That TDC declare its own “Climate Emergency” with a commitment to carbon neutrality by 2030 at the latest.(Vote: For 24, Against 5, Abstentions 2)

1 July 2019, Bovey Tracey and Heathfield Town Council, England, UK, population 4,729

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2025 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Minutes P6 are here.

Resolved: i) To declare a Climate Emergency –this will help to raise the profile of this vital issue and secure external support and funding. ii) Pledge to do whatever is in its power, working with residents, to make Bovey Tracey and Heathfieldcarbon neutral by 2025, taking into account both production and consumption emissions. iii) Initiate and support an environment working group comprised of Councillors, residents and interested parties to investigate possible local responses, make recommendations for actions to the Council and facilitatetheir implementation. iv) Call on Devon County Council, Teignbridge District Council and Westminster to provide the powers and resources required to make the 2025 target. v) Work withDevon County Council, Teignbridge District Council, neighbouring town and parish councils, government departments and otherorganisations to determine, implementand deliver actions to limit global heating to less than1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. vi) Review each of its proposeddecisions to assess how they contribute to achieving the target and adaptthem to do so wherever possible. vii) Add Climate Emergency to all relevant Council and committee agendas. viii) Invite the Neighbourhood Development Plan working group to consider how the Plan might be drafted to best address the Climate Emergency. ix) Will, within six months and at regular intervals thereafter, review progress and update actions to address this emergency. x) Will investigate all possible sources of external funding and match funding to support this commitment. xi) To set up a working party comprising Cllrs Allen, J Arnold, Fletcher, Mills and Morgan-West.

1 July 2019, Broadclyst Parish Council, England, UK, population 1,467

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Minutes can be downloaded here.

To agree the following: a. To put a statement on the parish council website: “Broadclyst Parish Council resolved on 1st July 2019 to acknowledge that we must play our part in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We intend to publicise measures to reduce GHG emissions; to use the Neighbourhood Plan to encourage new developments to include GHG emissions reductions measures; to reduce GHG emissions from our own activities, and to support initiatives within the parish to reduce GHG emissions and to sequestrate carbon.” b. To support low and net zero carbon emissions as a condition of planning consent within the Broadclyst Neighbourhood Plan. c. To appoint a “task and finish” group with two aims: firstly, to identify how the parish council can reduce GHG emissions from its own activities; secondly, to identify ways in which the parish council can support initiatives by residents and businesses in the parish to reduce GHG emissions. This support could be through publicity, through sourcing of grants, or even through direct funding. However, it may be that the parish will be unable to allocate any officer time to assisting with these measures until after the NP has been adopted, and the NP must take priority.” RESOLUTION: It was proposed by Cllr Jackson that the Council declares a Climate Emergency and ensures that policies in its Neighbourhood Plan reflect its commitment to becoming zero carbon by 2050. The National Trust would welcome working on the “task and Finish” group. This was seconded by Cllr Staddon. RESOLVED: the proposal to declare a Climate Emergency for Broadclyst Parish Council. was unanimously agreed.

1 July 2019, Fremington Parish Council, England, UK, population 4,310

Declared a Climate Emergency
Minutes are here.

2 July 2019, West Berkshire Council, England, UK, population 158,527

Declared a Climate Emergency
PROGRESS SO FAR:
28 October 2019: Hosting a climate conference
10 January 2020: Seeking feedback on draft Environment Strategy

motion text
Full agenda Item 15 (c) is here.
Excerpt:

West Berkshire Council therefore:
1. Declares a Climate Emergency.
2. Will create a strategic plan for West Berkshire, that aims to deliver carbon neutral by 2030.
3. Calls on HM Government to provide the Council with the powers and resources to make the 2030 target possible.
4. Will work with other authorities to determine and implement where practicable best practice methods to limit Global Warming to less than 1.5°C.
5. Will continue to work with businesses, residents and other stakeholders across the district to deliver this new goal via all relevant strategies and plans.
6. The newly formed Environment Board will provide an interim report to the Executive in September 2019 with the progress made to date.

2 July 2019, Denbighshire County Council, Wales, UK, population 95,330

Unanimously declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency

motion text
Minutes can be downloaded here.
Excerpt:

RESOLVED that the Notice of Motion that Denbighshire County Council will:
– Immediately declare a Climate and Ecological Emergency;
– Commit to making the authority net carbon zero by 2030 at the latest;
– Set up a task and finish group to draw up a clear plan within 6 (six) months to achieve the above, including ways to enhance biodiversity in Denbighshire;
– Call on the Welsh Government and UK Government to provide assistance and resources to enable us to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance biodiversity; and
– Work with partners across the public, private and third sector to help solve this climate and ecological emergency,
be unanimously agreed by the Council.

2 July 2019, Local Government Association, England and Wales, UK

The LGA General Assembly declared a Climate Emergency

3 July 2019, Cotswold District Council, England, UK, population 89,022

Declared a Climate Emergency
PROGRESS SO FAR:
19 February 2020: appointed a head of climate action

motion text
Full agenda Item 12 (ii) is here.


3 July 2019, Walmer Parish Council, England, UK, population 8,178

Declared a Climate Change Emergency
Minutes are here.

4 July 2019, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, England, UK, population 255,833

Unanimously declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Full agenda Item 16(b) is here.
Excerpt:

This Council therefore:
1. Declares a Climate Emergency which involves taking actions in the clauses a to f.
2. Notes that our current targets are inadequate to respond to the challenge of keeping global temperature rises below 1.5 oC. This Council requests that:
(a) the Cabinet set up a Stoke-on-Trent Climate Change Liaison Group immediately to respond to this challenge, that meets in public with wide representation including Councillors, residents, young citizens, both Universities and other relevant parties.
(b) the Cabinet through this Group sets a new target for Stoke-on-Trent to be carbon neutral and develops an action plan by the end of 2019, to achieve this.
(c) the relevant cabinet member with responsibility for climate change should take proactive steps to include young people and the public in the process.
(d) resolves to work with other local authorities and public, private and voluntary sector partners on carbon reduction projects to ensure the UK can deliver its climate commitments.
(e) requests a report from our pension funds and our investment managers on our levels of investment in the fossil fuel industry.
(f) Council calls on the Government to provide the resources and powers so that Stoke-on-Trent can make its contribution to the UK’s Carbon Reduction targets.

4 July 2019, Hythe Town Council, England, UK, population 14,516

Declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency

motion text
Agenda item (not repeated in minutes) is here. Minutes are here.

Hythe Town Council recognises and declares that we are facing a Climate and Ecological Emergency and will commit resources and align its policies to address this;
HTC will set a target of carbon neutrality from its activities of 2025 at the latest using the Carbon Trust framework, with an Action Plan for achieving this, to be drawn up by a sub-committee of full council which will bring recommended actions to full council for consideration, comment and approval;
HTC will report annually at full council on its progress towards the target;
HTC will work with partners and contract providers and will investigate all possible sources of external funding and match funding to support this commitment.

4 July 2019, Camelford Town Council, England, UK, population 2,945

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Minutes Item 10b are here.

It was resolved that CTC formally declare that there is aclimate emergency and will actively work towards addressing itin conjunction with CC and Camelford Area Network

8 July 2019, Enfield Council, England, UK, population 333,869

Cabinet declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Cabinet resolution is here.

2.RECOMMENDATIONS
2.1 To approve the Council in joining other local authorities to declare a ‘climate emergency’ that requires urgent action.
2.2 To approve, for recommendation to Council, a commitmentto make Enfield Council carbon neutral by 2030 –orearlier if possible –andundertaking to move all strategic, budgetary and policy decisionsinline with this shift.
2.3 To establisha Climate Emergency Task Force of officers and members to determinehow to achieve this target and to explore what more can be done to cut greenhouse gas emissionsin the Council’s operations and supply chain, as well as acrossthe borough, and to:
– Update the Sustainable Enfield plan by 2020and submit it to Cabinet for approval
– involve all our partners, but especially the Youth Parliament, in updating the plan 2.4 To recommend to the Pension Policy and Investment Committee that they consider revisions to the policy on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) within its Investment Strategy Statement.The new policy will require the Fund toreview its holdings in companies ensuring they do contribute towardsa de-carbonised economy. In particular, the Fund shouldcontinue to actively reduce its holdings in fossil fuel companies over a planned period of time.

8 July 2019, Brent London Borough Council, England, UK, population 330,795

Unanimously declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Full text of decision is here.
Excerpt:

Thus this Council resolves:
– To join our Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan in declaring a Global climate emergency. This is essential to protect our only planet, not only for us, but for all the life on it and, hopefully, all the generations of life to come.
– Do all reasonable in the Council’s gift to aim for carbon neutrality for 2030 and work with government to achieve the national 2050 target.
– Develop a Carbon Offset Fund and strategy, to enshrine the principle that developments, could and should fund projects that reduce carbon emissions elsewhere in the borough.
– At every opportunity, redirect our investments into renewable energy projects and carbon free or carbon neutral technologies.
– To continue delivering reductions in greenhouse gas emissions via the development of district energy networks and support for renewable alternatives
– Request that the appropriate scrutiny committee review the actions taken to reduce carbon emissions in Brent and the Council at the end of the municipal year.
– To empower a Lead Member to take responsibility for tackling climate change in Brent and charges that person with the responsibility to produce a report on this subject within 6 months, one that emphasises and promotes the importance of local biodiversity.
– Make representations to national government to urge them to provide the power and resources to the Mayor of London and local authorities to hasten the pace of carbon reduction and to immediately end the £10.5 billion of hidden subsidies with which central government supportsthe Fossil Fuel industry in this country.
– Explore the viability of there being an annual Green summit for interested parties, where issues can be discussed, good practice shared and ideas promoted.
Councillor Roxanne Mashari (mover)

8 July 2019, Freshford Parish Council, England, UK, population 551

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Minutes are here.

Freshford PC resolves to recognise the existence of a climate emergency. The PC fully supports the B&NES declaration on the climate emergency. The PC will work with the Freshford community and community organisations, B&NES and other parish councils to establish specific local initiatives that will contribute to and enhance all aspects of our locality including transport, the built environment, the natural environment, ecology and renewable energy.

8 July 2019, Starcross Parish Council, England, UK, population 1,780

Declared a Climate Emergency.

motion text
Minutes Item 12.2 are here.

(i)To support TDCin their approach to climate change and to offer to link SPC’s response.
(ii)To declare a Climate Emergencyin Starcross
(iii)To put in place a permanent policy guideline that for all future actions and decisions of Starcross Parish Council within both its powers and the limits of its technical knowledge,SPC should take regard of this issue of climate change
(iv)Undertake a review of all current operations and come back to Council within 12 months with our own Action Plan
Proposer: Cllr Hawkins; Seconder: Cllr Debenham
AGREEDUNANIMOUSLY

8 July 2019, North East Derbyshire District Council, England, UK, population 100,780

Declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Motion text is here.
Excerpt:

This Council notes that climate change is one of the biggest threats facing our world and recognises that changing human behaviour to confront the danger to our planet and secure a sustainable, healthy and prosperous environment for us and for future generations to continue to enjoy. To confirm our commitment to this challenge, this Council declares a climate and ecological emergency. In recognising this urgency for change and to lead the way with positive action
for the transformation of our District and wider area, this Council therefore
resolves to:-
– Adopt a Climate Change Action Strategy with immediate effect that includes action planning.
– Adopt all targets set out in the Council Climate Change Action Plan and achieve at least an 80%, while aiming to achieve a 100%, reduction in our net carbon emissions by 2030.
– Implement a monitoring system and reporting mechanisms as set out in the Climate Change Plan, and establish a Climate Change Council SubGroup of cross-party membership (chaired by the Council’s Climate Change Portfolio Holder), which will also consider all necessary future actions as required.
– Promote and embed sustainable and energy efficient practices, buildings, workplaces and transport across our organisation and services with the target of 100% clean energy by 2030.
– Continue to harness our Streetscene Teams and planning processes to protect and enhance our natural environment, stimulate biodiversity and nurture our wildlife and pollinators.
– Introduce a communication strategy, organise community action events, establish ‘Climate Change Schools’ conferences, and work with our partners, businesses, schools, communities and other Councils to promote behavioural change, and develop new ideas and co-ordinated responses to climate change and plastic pollution.
In accepting the above initial steps, this Council also endorses the ongoing close review of, and a dynamic approach to, our climate change strategy to capitalise on new opportunities and technologies, and thereby continue to influence and inspire positive change in the local and wider areas

9 July 2019, Chichester District Council, England, UK, population 120,750

Cabinet declared a Climate Emergency
PROGRESS SO FAR:
9 January 2020: initial action plan developed, which sets out a carbon reduction target of ten per cent year on year until 2025 within the district.

motion text
Motion 7 is here.
Motion:

1) That Cabinet makes the following declaration of a climate emergency: “Chichester District Council declares a Climate Emergency and requests the Environment Panel to advise Cabinet and Council on how to move to a carbon neutral environment.
2) That the Environment Panel draft Terms of Reference as outlined in Appendix 1 are approved and that the Panel is tasked with evaluating priority actions for a Climate Emergency Action plan, and reports back to Cabinet in November 2019.
3) That the Environment Panel is asked in its report to identify and evaluate the resources needed to achieve delivery of the action plan, including the proposal for a Climate Emergency Officer funded from reserves and the potential for the use of the Zero Carbon Graylingwell payment for implementing carbon reduction initiatives.
4) That in the event that the Council is invited to accept a transfer of funds by Homes England associated with the Zero Carbon Graylingwell project, authority is delegated to the Director of Planning and Environment to accept the funds which are to be used towards specified carbon reduction projects, the spend for which will need to be first agreed in each case by both Homes England and the Council.

9 July 2019, Surrey County Council, England, UK, population 1,189,934

Unanimously (with one abstention) declared a Climate Emergency despite this conservative-dominate council rejecting a similar motion several months ago
PROGRESS SO FAR:
August 2019: Actions and community engagement measures added to council’s website

motion text
Full minutes are here.
Excerpt:

Therefore, this council resolves to:
1.commit to working closely with the Government, the Environment Agency, our Borough & District colleagues, local businesses, our residents and other partners in meeting this ambitious target.
2.deliver a strategy in 2019/20 involving a task group that clearly outlines how we plan to deliver the target including actions that will be taken.
3.write to the government asking them to confirm what support will be made available to local authorities to help achieve this goal.
4.declares a ‘Climate Emergency’, and commits actions to support businesses and all local authorities in their work to tackle climate changeby providing a strong unified voice for councils in lobbying for support to address this emergency, and sharing best practice across all councils.

9 July 2019, Watford Borough Council, England, UK, population 96,800

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Full motion text is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

Therefore Watford Borough Council approves the following:-
1) Join other Councils in recognising and declaring a climate emergency
2) Pledge to do everything within the Council’s power to make the whole of Watford carbon neutral by 2030
3) Within this develop an ambitious sustainability strategy for reducing the Council’s own emissions, with an objective that the Council becomes carbon neutral by 2030
4) Use all planning regulations and the Local Plan 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 Elected Mayor to write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to this effect
6) Continue to work with partners across the borough, 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) Report back to Council, via the newly established Sustainability Forum, on an action plan to address the climate emergency, and then every six months after this an update on progress being made. The proposed action plan to be on the agenda of the Sustainability Forum to be held 3rd October 2019
9) Dedicate enough staff and budget to achieve these aims, including the most appropriate training for members and officers to promote carbon neutral polices and to achieve these aims

9 July 2019, St Albans City & District Council, England, UK, population 147,095

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Minutes of the motion are here.

This Council:
· declares that it recognises that there is a Climate Emergency;
· pledges to do everything within its power to make the whole of St Albans City and District carbon neutral by 2030;
· pledges to develop an ambitious sustainability strategy for reducing the Council’s own emissions, with an objective that the Council becomes carbon neutral by 2030;
· calls on national government for more powers and resources to make this pledge possible;
· declares it will work with partners across the District and region to deliver this goal, through all relevant strategies and plans;
· calls upon Cabinet to
· recognise the Sustainable St Albans’ petition’s call for community-wide action
· establish a politically proportionate working group with co-opted (non voting) members of the public;
· enable that working group to address:
– the development of a strategy and detailed action plan which identifies the responsible Portfolio Holder(s), the financial and officer time budget, with key delivery dates;
– how the Council can best work with Rothamsted Research to make a success of their recently announced agricultural climate change fund https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/news/%C2%A335-million-climate-change-fund-established-shake-agri-food-sector
– how the Council can best work to access the £22million Energy Catalyst Round 7 https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/369/overview#eligibility
– how the Council can best help the Woodland Trust and Community Forest Trust’s plans to plant huge numbers of trees, given their beneficial impact on carbon capture, for example, the Northern Forest initiative https://www.urbangreenup.eu/news–events/news/northern-forest.kl
and on our own doorstep, the Heartwood Forest;
– how the Council can best work to support the proposed bottle deposit recycling scheme https://consult.defra.gov.uk/environment/introducing-a-deposit-return-scheme/supporting_documents/depositreturnconsultdoc.pdf
– how the Council can best work with Anne Main MP, in her capacity as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Prevention of Plastic Waste, to publicise the good work of that Group;
– how the Council can best work to deliver the ban on plastic straws, drink stirrers and plastic stemmed cotton buds locally https://www.gov.uk/government/news/gove-takes-action-to-ban-plastic-straws-stirrers-and-cotton-buds
– how the Council can best pick up the ideas suggested by Friends of the Earth in their paper, https://policy.friendsoftheearth.uk/insight/33-actions-local-authorities-can-take-climate-change
– how the Council’s emerging Local Plan can be used to deliver net zero carbon outcomes, for example with Passivhaus homes, zero carbon homes, requirements for new homes to have electric car charging points and tree canopy targets;
– how the Council can best support the early conversion of the local taxi vehicle fleet to electric cabs;
– how the Council can help to increase the District’s already high waste recycling rates;
– how best to monitor the local impact of the Government’s decision to legislate for net zero emissions by 2050 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-theresa-may-we-will-end-uk-contribution-to-climate-change-by-2050
· report back to Full Council by October 2019 on a strategy and action plan to address the emergency, co-produced with partners and local stakeholders, and then every six months after this on the progress being made;
· dedicate sufficient staff and budget to achieve these aims, including training all Council staff and Councillors;
· take account of climate impacts within existing decision-making processes.
and, recognising the need for urgent international collaboration to address the present Emergency,
• calls upon the Leader of the Council to share this motion with the elected Leaders of our twin towns and to establish what action they may be taking in respect of the Climate Emergency and what good practice they may be able to share.

9 July 2019, Richmond London Borough Council, England, UK, population 196,904

Declared a Climate Emergency. Council press release with motion texts is here.
PROGRESS SO FAR:
Published Climate Change Strategy document

motion text
Minutes are here.
Two motions were passed:

Council joins the rapidly growing number of councils that have declared a ‘Climate Change Emergency’. It rejects the idea that this declaration is a symbolic gesture and will give substance to its commitment.
‘Council therefore resolves to become recognised as the greenest London borough. It will undertake the factual analysis, target setting, and produce the strategy and action plans necessary by January 2020, in order to realise this goal and become carbon neutral by 2030.

and

Council:
1. Endorses Parliament’s declaration of a national climate change emergency;
2. Reaffirms the Council’s response to the Government’s Aviation Strategy consultation and condemns said strategy’s entirely inadequate approach to mitigating climate change;
3. Looks forward to the publication of a draft Borough Climate Change & Sustainability Strategy, its discussion at the July meeting of the ESCS Committee, the subsequent borough-wide consultation and the adoption of the finalised strategy and targets in the Autumn.

9 July 2019, Woodbridge Town Council, England, UK, population 7,749

Declared a Climate Emergency.

motion text
Minutes are here.

IT WAS RESOLVED
that Woodbridge Town Council formally declares a Climate Emergency for Woodbridge.

10 July 2019, Manchester City Council, England, UK, population 547,627

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Motion Item 5 is here, but note that an amendment strengthened the motion by setting an earlier carbon neutral target date. A webcast of discussion of this motion is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

– Declare a Climate Emergency.
– Continue working with partners across Manchester and GMCA to deliver the 2038 target, and determine if an earlier target can be possible, through a transparent and open review. Become carbon neutral by the earliest possible date.
– Encourage involvement in all wards by April 2020 through meetings as part of the Our Manchester strategy, to identify residents and partners who want to be actively involved in achieving the target, with provision for those who cannot attend. Ensure ward plans contain specific, measurable, achievable steps.
– Review all policies, processes and procedures to ensure the council can become carbon neutral. Present an action plan by March 2020 detailing how the city can stay within its carbon budget. Report back regularly to the NESC. Review the corporate plan.
– Work with the Tyndall Centre to review the actual emissions from aviation. Investigate the best way to include aviation in our overall carbon reduction programme in the long term.
– Make climate breakdown and the environment, an integral part of activity throughout the Council, including all decision making, ensuring key decisions take into account the impact on achieving the zero-carbon target and including an environmental impact assessment in all relevant committee reports.Ensure that everyone in the council receives carbon literacy training by the end of 2020. Make attendance easier by varying times and length of sessions.
– Encourage all staff on council business to use the lowest carbon, appropriate, travel.
– Investigate measures to ensure future procurement is carbon neutral. Increase the percentage of social value with an additional environmental element.
– Work with suppliers to green their supply chains, and support local production.
– Work with training providers to ensure Manchester residents can take on green jobs.
– Investigate and introduce measures to help reach domestic zero carbon levels including addressing fuel poverty and retrofitting existing homes.
– Investigate ways to ensure that future local plans place a mandatory requirement for all new development to be net zero carbon by the earliest possible date.
– Push GMCA to decarbonise public transport, heat and energy as early as possible.
– Through our role on GMPF, encourage divestment in fossil fuels as early as possible.
– Explore the possibility of introducing a 2030 target in line with the IPCC report and request that a report on its viability be brought back to the Executive before the end of the year.
– Call on the government to:
o provide powers and resources to make the zero-carbon target possible including funding for big capital projects.
o accelerate the reduction of carbon emissions from aviation.
o accelerate the decarbonisation of the electricity grid, funding low carbon energy generation.
o ensure that the UK prosperity fund focuses on enable the transition to a low carbon economy.

9 July 2019, Cirencester Town Council, England, UK, population 19,076

Declared a Climate Emergency

Minutes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bbNyuNUA5aeUcr2qUtaYLoyh02sYD3AU/view

9 July 2019, Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council, England, UK, population 130,508

Declared a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency

motion text
Minutes P6 are here.

RESOLVED: That the Notice of Motion (as amended) proposed by Councillor NHeslop and seconded by Councillor R Betts (set out below) be agreed:
1. The Borough Council’s recognition of global climate change and biodiversity emergencies be declared;
2. Consideration be given to how the Borough Council can strengthen local protection and enhance protection of species, habitats and ecosystems under available powers;
3. Services and operations be reviewed to ensure Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council has policies that support climate change mitigation, for example the provision of electric charging points across the borough, so that it is one of the most welcoming places in the country for driving electric and hybrid vehicles;
4. An initial reportbe made to the Cabinet setting out how, in partnership with other agencies, the Council will be making positive contributions to combat climate change and a revised draft Climate Change Strategy brought forward by May 2020 including deliverable performance indicators and an aspiration for Tonbridge and Malling to be carbon neutral by 2030.

9 July 2019, Ipswich Borough Council, England, UK, population 133,384

Council Executive body declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

It was RESOLVED:
a) that Ipswich Borough Council declare a Climate Emergency and that the Council starts working towards becoming carbon neutral by 2030.
b) that Executive calls on the UK Government to provide guidance and the powers and resources to make carbon neutrality possible.
c) that a Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan be developed, with a cross party working group and the necessary officer support to assist with investigative work, drafting the plan and the delivery of early projects. This plan was to be presented to Executive in June 2020.
d) that financial provision of £50k be made in the 2019/20 financial year for the necessary officer support to develop a Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan.
e) that financial provision of £100k per annum of Capital Expenditure be made within the Medium Term Financial Plan in respect of the Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, commencing in the 2020/21 financial year.

10 July 2019, Bury Council, England, UK, population 190,108

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Agenda Item P5 (amended at meeting to bring forward carbon neutral target date to 2030) is here.
Excerpt:

This Council resolves:
1.To declare a Climate Emergency and aspire for Bury to be Carbon Neutral by 2038;
2.To create a cross party, stakeholder panel to develop a Climate Emergency Strategic Plan and associated Delivery Plan. The membership of this stakeholder panel should include [but is not limited to pending further discussion]all public sector partners,community representation and the business community; This Strategic Plan would promote both big and small changes. It would have a particular focus on reducing carbon emissions, promoting the development of renewable energy initiatives and seeking to make Bury a leader in eco – business. The ambition should be that plans to tackle climate change should be mainstreamed into the borough’s plans for economic growth and those to improve population health;
3.The Stakeholder Panel should report back to Council within the next six months setting out the immediate steps the Council will take to address the Climate Change emergency, and the longer term actions that will be necessary;
4.The Council acknowledges that the public services in Bury alone cannot deliver the change that is needed and that leadership across our communities is required. On that basis, the Council will look to create Environmental Forums in each of the borough’s six townships to help develop a community response to the Climate Emergency;
5.The Council will actively lobby the Government to provide the additionalpowers and resources needed to meet the 2038 target

10 July 2019, St Helens Council, England, UK, population 176,843

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Minutes P5 are here.

Tackling the Climate Change Emergency
This council notes:
That the impacts of climate breakdown are already causing damaging effects across the globe. That the contents of the ‘Special Report on Global Warming’ published by the intergovernmental panel on Climate Change in October 2018 wherein they outline the enormous harm that a 2⁰C rise in global temperature is likely to cause compared with a 1.5⁰C rise. Nevertheless, they say that with ambitious action, it may be possible to limit global warming to the1.5⁰Crise.
That the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has set out how it plans to tackle theClimate Emergency and approved the development of a full climate action plan by December 2019.Given that it is Liverpool City Region’s ‘Year of the Environment’ and that the UK has contributed significantly to global warming, this council commits to:
Aiming to be zero-carbon by 2040.
Taking action towards increasing recycling and reducing landfill waste.
Achieve 100% clean energy across the Council’s full range of functions by 2040.
Ensure that all decisions, budgets, and approaches to planning decisions are balanced and in line with achieving the zero-carbon target.
Request that scrutiny panels consider the impact of climate change and theenvironment when reviewing council policies.
Ensure that all reports in preparation for the 2020/21 budget cycle and investment strategy will take into account the actions the council will take to address thisemergency;
Call on the UK Government to provide the powers, resources and help with funding to make this possible.
Consider other actions that could be implemented, including (but not restricted to): renewable energy generation and storage, providing electric vehicle infrastructure and encouraging alternatives to private car use, increasing the efficiency of buildings, in particular to address fuel poverty; proactively using local planning powers to accelerate the delivery of net carbon new developments and communities, coordinating a eries of information and training events to raise awareness and share good practice.
*Resolved that the Motion be approved.

10 July 2019, Burnley Borough Council, England, UK, population 88,527

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Full motion text is here.
Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

Full Council calls on Burnley Borough Council to:
1 Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’;
2 Call on the Executive to establish a cross-party ‘Climate Change Working Group’ (one member from each group) whose remit is to provide recommendations to the Executive, in light of the Climate Emergency, to make the Borough of Burnley carbon neutral by 2030,
taking into account both production and consumption emissions (scope 1, 2 and 3);
The working group’s first task will be to establish rules for and propose a citizen’s assembly for climate change action so that the public can provide feedback to theworking group in future so that they can take that into consideration when making recommendations to the Executive.
3 Call on Lancashire County Council and Westminster to provide the powers and resources to make the 2030 target possible;
4 Call on the Executive to report to Full Council within six months with the actions the Council will take to address this emergency and detailed reasons with supporting evidence (from within existing resources and expertise without incurring third party
expenditure) for the refusal of any recommendation(s) made by the Climate Change Working Group.

10 July 2019, Merton London Borough Council, England, UK, population 206,186

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Full motion text is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

This Council resolves to:
declare a climate emergency;
work towards ensuring that the borough is carbon neutral by 2050, in line with the Mayor and the Government’s targets. Achieving this will require significant investment and policy initiatives from the Government, and Council hopes it would be achieved earlier than 2050;
work towards ensuring that the Council is carbon neutral by 2030, recognising the leadership role it has in the borough;
develop a working group to support the Council move from declaration to delivery drawing in cross sector expertise, capacity and capability. The working group should draw on existing expertise within the borough as well as including residents who are representative of the borough as a whole;
set in place a process of engagement and collaborative action that enables an action plan to be considered by Cabinet and Council in early 2020, based on achieving the aforementioned targets.

10 July 2019, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, England, UK, population 98,496

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date
PROGRESS SO FAR:
17 January 2020: Council has teamed up with Keele University to deliver training sessions for District, Town and Parish Councillors as part of a long-tem partnership with Keele University who are working closely with Council on the climate change action plan.

motion text
Motion text is here. Minutes are here.

That this Council declare a Climate Emergency as many councils have already done all over the UK and will undertake to:
1. Start working with partners across the district and region towards making The Staffordshire Moorlands carbon neutral by 2030, taking into account emissions from both production and consumption.
2. Call on The Government to provide guidance, powers and resources to make carbon neutrality possible by writing to local MPs and all relevant government departments.
3. Develop a Carbon Neutrality and Climate Resilience Plan through a cross party working group with officer support and with a brief to draw on wider expertise to assist with investigative work, establishment of priorities, drafting of the plan and delivery.
4. Ensure that all Council Bodies and Scrutiny Panels consider the impact of climate change and the environment when making decisions and reviewing Council policies and strategies.
5. Review progress made on an annual basis via Scrutiny and Full Council.

10 July 2019, Eastbourne Borough Council, England, UK, population 107,000

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date
PROGRESS SO FAR
13 August 2019: The council has now added a mandatory field on the report template called ‘Environmental Impact Analysis’ that will require the author to assess the report content against the council’s sustainability policy and the 2030 carbon neutral target.

motion text
Minutes P3 are here.

Eastbourne Borough Council recognises there is a Climate Change Emergency and fully supports the Government and the Council’s initiatives in fighting Climate Change.
Eastbourne Borough Council acknowledges the work achieved by this administration since 2007 to offset the negative effects of climate change.
In keeping with our ambitious programme to date, EastbourneBorough Council commits to working in close partnership with local groups and stakeholders to deliver a carbon neutral town by 2030.

10 July 2019, Grouville Parish Asembly, Jersey, UK, population 4,866

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2025 carbon neutral target date
Climate Emergency Action Working Group report is here.
Minutes are here.

11 July 2019, Eden District Council, England, UK, population 52,564

Declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Motion text is here. Minutes are here.

This motion calls on Eden District Council:
1.To declare a Climate Emergency and an Ecological Emergency.
2.To aim to make Eden District carbon neutral by 2030, taking into account both production and consumption emissions.
3.Critically to evaluate the ecological impacts of all Eden District Council’s decisions and actions; to refuse initiatives that will result in the degradation of the natural environment and biodiversity; and actively to promote the safeguarding and improvement of the natural environment.
4.To prepare, by the end of 2019, a strategic plan to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2030, across all activities for which the Council is responsible, working with independent expert advisory groups to ensure the council adopts best practice.
5.To call on the UK Government to provide the powers, resources and funding to meet a 2030 zero carbon target across Eden District.
6.To work together with other councils, public and private sector organisations (within Eden, Cumbria, the UK and internationally) to determine and implement best practice methods to achieve zero emissions in Eden District by 2030.
7.To facilitate the involvement of Eden’s residents, from schoolchildren to elders, in formulating plans to address the climate and ecological crisis, delivering those plans and monitoring their progress.

11 July 2019, Thanet District Council, England, UK, population 141,819

Unanimously declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Agenda item is here. Minutes are here.

This Council therefore resolves to:
● Declare a climate emergency;
● Pledge to do what is within our powers and resources to make Thanet District Council carbon neutral by 2030, taking into account both production and consumption emissions;
● Call on Westminster to provide the powers and resources to make the 2030 target possible;
● Continue to work with partners across the county and region to deliver this new goal through all relevant strategies;
● Requests the council investigate all possible sources of external funding and match funding to support this commitment;

11 July 2019, Pendle Borough Council, England, UK, population 91,405

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

It therefore resolves:
(1) To declare a climate emergency in the Borough of Pendle.
(2) To set up an all-party member and officer working group to research what actions other Councils were taking; to take evidence from local and wider sources on what action it could usefully take and what actions could be promoted in other ways in Pendle; to seek to work with other Lancashire Councils including Town and Parish Councils in Pendle and Lancashire County Council; to make recommendations to the Policy and Resources Committee on what short-term action could be taken; and to present an Action Plan to the Council within six months with the aim of taking the lead and making Pendle Council and its arms-length bodies carbon-neutral by 2030 and for working for Pendle as a whole to be carbon neutral by 2030 or as soon as possible thereafter.
(3) To audit and review the local development plan as part of this process and to include a climate emergency audit and statement as part of all significant new Council policies and plans.
(4) To seek to work with local schools, Nelson and Colne College and other education bodies, together with community groups of all kinds and local media to increase understanding of the climate emergency and to develop ways of tackling it in ways which promote freedom, fairness and equality and community strengths.
(5) To promote such short-term action as may be possible during the course of the current Council year.
(6) To present a full report and action plan to the Policy and Resources Committee and thereby to the Council meeting in March 2020.

11 July 2019, North Kesteven District Council, England, UK, population 115,230

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
See full text of Motion 6 here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

This Council therefore:
• Calls upon Her Majesty’s Government to explore supporting our Council in implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals through a funded partnership role;
• Will consider how our local priorities link with the overall ambitions of the Sustainable development goals; and
• Declares a ‘Climate Emergency’, and works with residents, businesses and other partners to tackle climate change, lobbying for support to address this emergency by 2030.

11 July 2019, Gloucester City Council, England, UK, population 129,285

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Full motion text is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

This Council resolves to:
Declare a climate emergency
Immediately carry out a carbon audit of the council’s corporate emissions
Commit towards zero carbon emissions for the council’s corporate carbon emissions by 2030 to include carbon offsetting if required
Lobby national government to commit to 100 per cent carbon neutrality for the UK by 2045
Agree that the city of Gloucester should become a carbon neutral city no later than 2045
Consider council contracts going forward to oblige all contractors to report their carbon emissions and to place a ‘carbon/environmental cost’ on competing bids.
To call on Central Government to provide additional powers and resources to support local and national action towards achieving carbon neutrality
Ensure that the City Plan and revised Joint Core Strategy include policies to deliver zero carbon new builds at the earliest date possible, but by 2030 at the latest
Work with other public and private bodies to achieve a carbon neutral city as soon as possible, but by 2045 at the latest
Provide an annual report to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee with a performance update on a quarterly basis on the council’s zero carbon strategy.

11 July 2019, Harlow Council, England, UK, population 86,594

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Motion text 8a is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

This Council believes it is still possible to restore a safe climate and therefore declares a climate emergency and will:
i) Aim to reduce its net carbon emissions as far as possible;
ii) Reduce its carbon footprint at a greater rate than it is already committed to doing so;
iii) Create a program of new tree and hedgerow planting across the town, starting with 1,000 in the next year;
iv) Encourage HTS (Property and Environment) to plan for a switch over from petrol and diesel vehicles, plant and machinery to electric vehicles, plant and machinery; and
v) Reaffirm its commitment to the Garden Town development’s principles of sustainable transport.

11 July 2019, Wyre Council, England, UK, population 111,223

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date for the entire Wyre area

motion text
Motion text Item 10 is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

The Council therefore commits to:
· Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’ that requires urgent action;
· Make the Council’s activities net-zero carbon by 2030;
· Achieve 100% clean energy across the Council’s full range of functions by 2030;
· Ensure that all strategic decisions, budgets and approaches to planning decisions are in line with a shift to zero carbon by 2030;
· Support and work with all other relevant agencies towards making the entire Wyre area zero carbon within the same timescale;
· Ensure the Council take responsibility for reducing, as rapidly as possible, the carbon emissions resulting from the Council’s activities, ensuring that any recommendations are fully costed and that the Executive and Scrutiny functions review council activities taking account of production and consumption emissions and produce an action plan within 12 months, together with budget actions and a measured baseline;
· Where necessary officer reports to Cabinet and Full Council contain impact assessments on Climate Change, including presenting alternative approaches which reduce carbon emissions where possible
….

15 July 2019, Stratford-on-Avon District Council, England, UK, population 127,580

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Motion text is Item 8 here.
Excerpt:

Therefore, the Council is requested to declare a ‘Climate Emergency’ as a pledge to take local action to contribute to national carbon neutral targets through the development of their own practices and policies.
Part 2
In addition Council calls on The Cabinet to:
· Ask the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) to convene a task and finish working group to consult with and invite input from representatives of local environmental groups, residents and businesses, and report back to The Cabinet and Council by January 2020 on the following areas:
(i) the effectiveness of the current activities undertaken by the Council to combat climate change;
(ii) how all council policy proposals could best consider the impacts of climate change and the mitigation and adaptation measures required;
(iii) a critical analysis of what additional actions the Council could take to contribute to national carbon neutral targets, and;
(iv) what adaptation measures the Council may need to put in place as climate change worsens;
(v) how the Council could best engage residents on the severity of the Climate Emergency, and the ways the Council could help facilitate local people and businesses to take independent action;
(vi) how the Council could work with local and regional organisations and environmental groups to raise awareness and combat climate change;
(vii) the changes in national regulations and policies that may be needed, so that Council could, where required, call on Westminster to provide the powers and resources needed.

15 July 2019, Wirral Council, England, UK, population 323,235

Declared an Environment and Climate Emergency
PROGRESS SO FAR:
16 August 2019: Replacing 26,000 streelights with LED alternatives
17 September: Developing Climate Emergency Action Plan

motion text
Motion text is here.
Minutes are here.

15 July 2019, Croydon London Borough Council, England, UK, population 385,346

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date
PROGRESS SO FAR
18 October 2019: A pilot scheme introducing ground source heat pumps for heating apartments

motion text
Motion text is here.

4.1. Note the impact that climate change is already having around the world and the
need for urgent action at an international, national and local level;
4.2. Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’;
4.3. Note the work and commitment that the Council has already made towards
sustainability;
4.4. Establish a target for Croydon Council be become carbon neutral by 2030;
4.5. Work with the Mayor of London to meet the aim for London to be a zero-carbon
city by 2050;
4.6. Call on the UK Government to provide the powers, resources and help with
funding to make this possible;
4.7. Work with communities across Croydon to ensure that all residents and
businesses are empowered and encouraged to play their part in making the
Croydon the most sustainable borough in London.
4.8. Note the important role of all elected Members in leading this agenda.

15 July 2019, Buckingham Town Council, England, UK, population 12,890

Declared a Climate Emergency and, in a second motion, resolved to develop a Climate Change Action Plan.

motion text
Motion text (Items 29 and 30) is here.

Motion – Climate Emergency
It is now clear that the world has less than 12 years to switch away from fossil fuels to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Reducing energy use and switching to clean energy will also increase energy security, improve air quality, minimise fuel poverty, boost the local economy and provide jobs and training.It is proposed that Buckingham Town Council declares a climate emergency and commits to going carbon neutral by 2030. This will help to raise the profile of this vital issue and secure external support and funding. It is also proposed that Buckingham Town Council also signs up to the Covenant of Mayors to track our progress and link with towns around the world who are cutting emissions. Proposer Ruth Newell, Seconder Robin Stuchbury
Motion – Climate Change Action Plan
Proposed by Cllr. Newell and seconded by Cllr. Stuchbury.We call on Buckingham Town Council to support the need for a Climate Change Action Plan for Buckingham Town, so that we take the first step towards taking some concerted actions to reduce and move towards a Net Zero Carbon Footprint for the town. There are so many no-cost and low-cost options available that when combined with the funding available to community and other organisations we can start to play an increased role in combating climate change

15 July 2019, Lewes District Council, England, UK, population 102,744

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date
PROGRESS SO FAR:
17 September 2019: Budgeted £100,000 to support the immediate development of a comprehensive Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy
February 2020: On top of the £100,000 already allocated, put £500,000 in the budget to fund climate and sustainability related projects

motion text
Full motion text is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

We call on the Council to
Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’ and enact the following proposals in order to:
Reduce Council greenhouse gas emissions to net zero and become fully ‘climate-resilient’ by 2030.
We call on the Council1.
To develop a comprehensive Climate Change Strategy within 12 months that addresses all inward and outward-facing Council functions and implement appropriate monitoring and reporting mechanisms in order to:
– Ensure that all strategic decisions, budgets and approaches to planning decisions are in line with a shift to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030;
– Ensure that appropriate resources and capacity are put in place to progress theactions needed to address the ‘climate emergency’ effectively; and
– Support and work with relevant agencies and stakeholders towards making the entire District zero carbon and climate resilient by 2030.
2.To request Scrutiny Committee to set up a Climate Change Scrutiny Panelthat receives progress reports on the policy and actions enacted by the Council to address the ‘Climate Emergency’. This incorporates the existing request to ScrutinyCommittee to monitor the implementation of recommendations made by the Climate Change Action Group. The Panel will also invite appropriate experts to support Council climate change actions.
3.To request that a Community Climate Change Forumis convened with representation and participation from across the district. Invitees to include but not berestricted to representatives from local communities, parish and town councils, organisations, business, education, nature groups, agricultural, food, health and transport groups.
4.To request that the Council is especially proactive in taking steps to include young people in the ‘Climate Emergency’ process, ensuring that they have a voice in shaping the future.
5.To report on an annual basis to the Audit and Standards Committee on the level of investment in the fossil fuel industry that our pensions plan and other investments have, and review the Council’s investment strategy to give due consideration to climate change impacts in the investment portfolio.
6.To ensure that all reports in preparation for the 2020/21 budgeting take into account actions the Council will take to address this emergency.
7.The Portfolio Holder write to the Government to set out the Council’s intentions and call on the UK Government to provide the powers, resources and help with funding to make this possible, and ask our local MP to do likewise.

15 July 2019, Burgess Hill Town Council, England, UK, population 30,635

Declared a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency

motion text
Minutes P9 are here.

The Council declared its recognition of global climate and biodiversity emergencies and committed to a range of measures as set out in agenda item 17 dated 15 July 2019.

15 July 2019, Chudleigh Town Council, England, UK, population 4,011

Declared a Climate and Environmental Emergency
Minutes are here.

16 July 2019, Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council, England, UK, population 113,136

Declared a Climate Emergency
Motion text is here.

16 July 2019, Loders Parish Council, England, UK, population 518

Declared a Climate Emergency (by adopting the Dorset declaration)
Minutes are here.

16 July 2019, Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council, England, UK, population 395,784

Declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date
PROGRESS SO FAR:
17 December 2019: endorsed more than 150 proposed actions needed to make Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole carbon neutral by 2050

motion text
Motion text is here.
Excerpt:

Declare a ‘Climate and Ecological Emergency’;
Pledge to make BCP Council and its operations carbon neutral by 2030, taking into account both production and consumption emissions (scope 1, 2 and 3)5;
Work with partners, businesses and the wider community to investigate, make recommendations and set a target date for how early the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole region can be made carbon neutral, ahead of the UK target of 2050;
Call on Westminster to provide the powers and resources to make the 2030 and other interim targets possible;
Work with other governments (both within the UK and internationally) to determine and implement best practice methods to limit Global Warming to less than 1.5°C;
Continue to work with partners across the city region to deliver this new goal through all relevant strategies and plans;
Set-up a Citizens’ assembly to enable views of the general public to be taken into account.
Report to Full Council within six months with the actions the Council will take to address this emergency. As discussed with officers an action plan with clear quantifiable milestones should be submitted to Full Council in December 2019.

16 July 2019, Worcester City Council, England, UK, population 101,328

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Motion text is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

The Council will:
Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’;
Pledge to make the city of Worcester carbon neutral by 2030, taking into account both production and consumption emissions (scope 1, 2 and 3)*;
Call on Westminster to provide the powers and resources to make the 2030 target possible;
Work with other governments (both within the UK and internationally) to determine and implement best practice methods to limit Global Heating to less than 1.5°C;
Continue to work with partners across the city and region to deliver this new goal through all relevant strategies and plans;
Appoint the already budgeted new Environmental Sustainability Officer in a timely way, create a cross-party steering group and report to Environment Committee on 28th January 2020 on actions the Council will take with key stakeholders to address this emergency. This work will be led by the Chair of the Environment Committee.

16 July 2019, Newark & Sherwood District Council, England, UK, population 121,566

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Motion text is here (but was amended to remove the citizens’ working group). Minutes are here.

Newark and Sherwood District Council therefore:
· Declares a Climate Emergency;
· Notes that we need to develop measures and set targets to contribute to the challenge of keeping global temperature rises below 1.5°C; and
· Will take the following measures:
(a) to establish a Newark and Sherwood District Climate Change working group to respond to this challenge, that meets in public with wide representation including from all party groups;
(b) set a target for Newark and Sherwood District to be carbon neutral and develop an action plan by the end of 2020 that will achieve this;
(c) to provide a Climate Change impact assessment on every decision the council makes, within every service review undertaken and every planning application considered;
(d) to work with other local authorities and public, private and voluntary sector partners on carbon reduction projects;
(e) to lobby the Government for the necessary resources and powers so that Newark and Sherwood District Council can make its contribution to the UK’s Carbon Reduction targets; and
(f) to provide and publish an annual review of measures taken by Newark and Sherwood District Council and their impact on the District’s carbon footprint.

16 July 2019, Chelmsford City Council, England, UK, population 168,310

Unanimously declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Minutes of meeting are here.
Excerpt:

Council therefore resolves to:
• Declare a ‘Climate and Ecological Emergency’ that requires urgent action to
make the Council’s activities net-zero carbon by 2030;
• Achieve 100% low carbon energy across the Council’s full range of functions by 2030;
• Ensure that all strategic decisions, budgets and approaches to planning decisions are in line with a shift to net-zero carbon by 2030;
• Support and work with all other relevant agencies towards making the City of Chelmsford and surrounding area net-zero carbon within the same timescale;
• Ensure that Officers and political leadership teams within Chelmsford City Council embed this work in all areas and take responsibility for reducing, as rapidly as possible, the carbon emissions resulting from the Council’s own activities;
• Ensure that any recommendations are fully costed and that the Executive and Overview & Scrutiny bodies regularly review Council activities, taking account of production and consumption emissions, and produce an action plan within 12 months together with budget actions and a measured baseline;
• Request that the Council’s Overview & Scrutiny Committee considers the impact of Climate Change and the Environment when reviewing Council policies and strategies;
• Work with, influence and inspire partnerships across the city to help deliver this goal through all relevant strategies, plans and shared resources by developing a series of meetings, educational events for City Council staff and the wider community and partner workshops focusing on the Climate and Ecological Emergency;
• Request that the Council and its partners take steps to proactively include young people in the process, ensuring that they also have a voice in shaping the future;
• Establish a Chelmsford Climate Change Partnership within the remit of the Chelmsford Policy Board, involving councillors, residents, young people below voting age, academics and other relevant parties, to prioritise carbon reduction measures, identify related benefits to employment, health, agricultural and transport sectors and develop a strategy in line with the ‘net-zero carbon by 2030’ target;
• Establish a baseline for Chelmsford’s ecological status and monitor progress year on year;
• Report on the level of Council investment in the fossil-fuel industry and review the City Council’s investment strategy to give due consideration to Climate Change impacts in their investment portfolio;
• Ensure that all reports in preparation for the 2020/21 budget cycle and investment strategy note the actions the City Council will take to address this Emergency;
• Call on the UK Government to provide such new powers and resources as are necessary to make this possible, and to work within the LGA to encourage other councils to back this plan.

16 July 2019, Hertfordshire County Council, England, UK, population 1,184,365

Unanimously declared a Climate Emergency. The council press release is here.

16 July 2019, Barrow Borough Council, England, UK, population 67,137

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Agenda motion P3 is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

Council declares a climate emergency and confirms that it is committed to reducing its carbon emissions and will establish a working group comprising Members, Officers and other interested parties to look at all areas of policy and delivery. A Climate Change Policy and Action Plan will be developed to demonstrate and clarify our position and ambitions and will be reported to Council in Autumn 2019.

16 July 2019, Crediton Town Council, England, UK, population 7,835

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Minutes Item 1907/064 is here.

The decision to declare a Climate Emergency was taken by the Town Council’s Town Strategy Committee and that decision stands.

17 July 2019, Wandsworth London Borough Council, England, UK, population 326,474

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date and a 2050 zero carbon target date

motion text
Article and motion is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

To ensure this Council is playing its part, it
resolves to:
1) declare a climate emergency;
2) aim to be net carbon neutral by 2030;
3) aim to be carbon zero by 2050;
4) continue the Council’s work to improve energy efficiency and reduce its carbon
footprint;
5) endorses the proposed Environmental and Sustainability Strategy which commits
the Council to continue all relevant OSC, Executive and officer activities to produce a
comprehensive climate action plan by the end of 2019 which will deliver these
objectives;
6) work with partners across the Borough to deliver these new goals;
7) Expedite the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) review of our
pensions investments with particular reference to decarbonisation and climate
change;
8) continue to campaign strongly against Heathrow expansion

17 July 2019, Crawley Borough Council, England, UK, population 112,448

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Full motion text is here.
Excerpt:

Crawley Borough Council welcomes the various recent initiatives taken in Parliament and by West Sussex County Council and many other local authorities to increase awareness of the urgency of addressing the issue of reducing CO2 emissions and resolves to:
1.Declare a Climate Emergency
2.Pledge to aim to reduce carbon emissions generated by Crawley Borough Council activities by at least 45% by 2030 and to zero by 2050 as recommended by the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC).
3.Call upon central government to provide the powers and resources to make these targets possible.
4.Work with other councils and partners to determine and implement best practice methods to reduce carbon emissions and so limit Global Heating to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius
5.Request that the Overview and Scrutiny Commission (OSC) urgently sets up a Scrutiny Panel to look into and make recommendations focusing upon the workings and activities of Crawley Borough Council relating to carbon emissions and to report to Council as soon as is practicable. Council further requests that OSC co-opts a member or members of the Youth Council to the Scrutiny Panel.
6.Request that the Head of Corporate Finance will undertake a review of the ethical investment policy in the Treasury Management Strategy with a view to incorporating the Council’s climate change declaration.
7.Encourage all Crawley residents to commit to the West Sussex CountyCouncil Climate Pledge published in May 2019.

17 July 2019, Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council, England, UK, population 326,088

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2038 zero carbon target date

motion text
Full motion text in minutes of the meeting is here.
Excerpt:

The impact of climate change is already causing serious damage around the world and all governments (national, regional and local) have a duty to act. Strong policies to cut emissions have associated health, wellbeing and economic benefits. This council therefore declares a ‘Climate Emergency and commits to taking urgent action: (50 Words)-
This Council will:
Work with our GM neighbours and other key stakeholders to make the Council’s activities net-zero carbon by 2038 or sooner, and to support other relevant agencies to help make the entire GM region zero carbon within the same timescale;
Improve our air quality, meeting World Health Organisation guidelines on air quality by 2030 and supporting the UK Government in meeting and maintaining all threshold for key air pollutants at the earliest date. Promote our move to a circular economy, recycling 65% of our municipal waste by 2035 and reducing the amount of waste we produce.
….

17 July 2019, Melton Borough Council, England, UK, population 51,100

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 zero carbon target date

motion text
Motion text is here. Minutes are here.

17 July 2019, Liverpool City Council, England, UK, population 494,814

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 zero carbon target date
PROGRESS SO FAR:
15 August 2019: Awarded an additional £652,000 by the Government to complete its clean air plan focusing on reducing carbon emissions from transport

motion text
Motion text is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

Council therefore declares a ‘Climate Emergency’
Action is required to eliminate the impact on climate change of our behaviours, actions and policies. Liverpool City Council will work to eliminate the impact on Climate Change by its own estate and activities to zero carbon by 2030. The City will work with individuals and partners across the city to support them to reach a net zero carbon position by 2030.
Council welcomes initiatives already undertaken by Liverpool to impact on its environmental sustainability, including delivering in an expected 42% reduction in the city’s carbon production by 2020. (figures obtained from Council Briefing)
Council also pays tribute to the many efforts of individuals, civic society, companies and public sector organisations who have made changes and adopted new ways of living, working and leisure in order to move towards a zero carbon lifestyle. However, it recognises that governmental action at all levels will not meet the levels of climate change mitigation required without a cultural change in the way that individuals and businesses think about the effects of their own actions.
Council believes the UK Government and Liverpool City Region need to greatly increase efforts to meet the challenge of mitigating climate breakdown.

17 July 2019, Broxtowe Borough Council, England, UK, population 113,272

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2027 zero carbon target date

motion text
Motion text is here.
Excerpt:

To that end, this council resolves to:
1. Declare a “Climate Emergency” that requires urgent
action.
2. Produce a new Carbon Management Plan, which will
include the setting of a net carbon neutral target for
Broxtowe Borough Council by 2027.
3. Ensure that political and chief officer leadership
teams embed this work in all areas and take
responsibility for reducing, as rapidly as possible, the
carbon emissions resulting from the Council’s
activities, ensuring that any recommendations are
fully costed and that the Executive and Scrutiny
functions review council activities taking account of
production and consumption emissions and produce
an action plan within 12 months, together with budget
actions and a measured baseline.
4. Integrate this commitment into the new Broxtowe
Borough Council four-year Corporate plan which will
be produced in the next few months.
5. Request that the Council and partners take steps to
proactively include young people in the process,
ensuring that they have a voice in shaping the future
6. Include an assessment of climate and sustainability
impact in all relevant reports to committees.
7. Ensure that all reports in preparation for the 2020/21
budget cycle and investment strategy will take into
account the actions the council will take to address
this emergency.
8. Work with, influence and inspire partners across the
district, county and region to help deliver this goal
through all relevant strategies, plans and shared
resources by developing a series of meetings, events
and partner workshops.

17 July 2019, Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough Council, England, UK, population 185,426

Declared a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency
PROGRESS SO FAR:
10 January 2020: Established a resident-led Climate and Ecological Emergency Commission to spearhead Climate Emergency work. The commission is made up of a small group of residents chosen for their passion and expertise. Actions include fining idling motorists.

motion text
Motion text is here. Minutes are here.

17 July 2019, South Gloucestershire Council, England, UK, population 279,027

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 zero carbon target date

motion text
Motion text is here.

17 July 2019, Elmbridge Borough Council, England, UK, population 136,626

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 zero carbon target date

motion text
Motion text is here.
Excerpt:

This Council therefore calls on the Cabinet to:
1. Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’;
2. Pledge to make Elmbridge carbon neutral by 2030, taking into account both
production and consumption emissions; and
3. Report to full Council within six months setting out the immediate action the
council will take to address this emergency, offer best efforts to forecast
progress towards meeting the 2030 target and produce a methodology to
compare the borough with other local lower tier districts.

17 July 2019, Colchester Borough Council, England, UK, population 192,523

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 zero carbon target date

motion text
Agenda Item 8(ii) is here.
Excerpt:

This Council therefore resolves to:
1. Declare a climate emergency and publicise this to the people of Colchester Borough to raise awareness and support the public to take effective action.
2. Support the newly formed Conservation and Environmental Sustainability Task and Finish Group to consider the following actions:
a. Commission an environmental audit which identifies pollution hotspots, wildlife biodiversity and environmental health issues, and an urban impact assessment with an aim to identify areas of improvement across the borough.
b. Consult expert opinions in the field, as appropriate.
c. Collaborate with regional and neighbouring local authorities, as well as communities, to encourage practical measures to reduce emissions, reduce carbon footprints and develop community-based renewable energy projects.
d. Encourage all sectors of the economy across the borough to take steps to reduce waste and become carbon neutral.
e. Develop a roadmap for Colchester Borough Council to go carbon neutral by 2030.
f. Report to Cabinet and Full Council within six months with an action plan setting out conservation and environmental sustainability goals to address targets by 2030; incorporating proposals on the investment implications of this proposed activity.
3. Pledge to ensure future housing and community development projects meet a carbon-neutral standard by 2029.
4. Call upon the Leader of the Council to write to the Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth requesting that national policy is urgently developed to reflect the seriousness of the current emergency, and to release funds to local authorities, encouraging them to take the necessary measures at local level.

17 July 2019, Chesterfield Borough Council, England, UK, population 104,628

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Agenda Item 5 is here.
Excerpt:

This Council therefore:
(a) declares unequivocally that our town and borough, country and planet are facing a CLIMATE EMERGENCY;
(b) agrees to establish a Chesterfield Climate Change working group to respond to this challenge, with representation from key borough stakeholders including our schools, college and university, the private sector and community and voluntary organisations, including Transition Chesterfield, Chesterfield Climate Alliance and young people’s representative groups, with the shared purpose of enabling Chesterfield to become a low carbon, resilient and sustainable borough;
(c) invites the working group to report back and make recommendations to Full Council on a realistic date for Chesterfield to be carbon neutral, and to develop a costed action plan, by March 2020, setting out the required work to achieve this outcome;
(d) resolves to work with other local authorities and public, private and voluntary sector partners on carbon reduction projects;
(e) calls on the Government to provide the necessary resources and powers for Chesterfield Borough Council to achieve its ambition of becoming a carbon neutral town and borough.

17 July 2019, Wolverhampton City Council, England, UK, population 262,008

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2028 carbon neutral target date for council operations

motion text
Motion text is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

Therefore, in order to address this emergency, the Council commits to:
– Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’ that requires urgent action;
– Make the Council’s activities net-zero carbon by 2028;
– Ensure that all strategic decisions, budgets and approaches to planning and regulatory decisions are in line with a shift to zero carbon by 2028;
– Support and work with all partners in the City towards making the city zero carbon within the same timescale;Ensure that all Council leadership teams embed this work in all areas and take responsibility for reducing, as rapidly as possible, the carbon emissions resulting from the Council’s activities;
– The Council’s Scrutiny Panels consideringthe impact of climate change and the environment when reviewing Council policies and strategies;
– Work with, influence and inspire partners across the city, Black Country, Combined Authority and wider region, to help deliver this goal through all relevant strategies and plans;
– Develop “Future Generations: Climate Change and Energy Strategy” and present this for agreement atFull Council in January 2020;
– Proactively include young people in the process, ensuring that they are involved in the co-production and co-design of the Future Generations Strategy and have a voice in shaping the future of the City;
– Welcome the appointment of a CouncillorChampion for Climate Change, and request the Sustainability Advisory Group to develop its role to provide oversight of the Future Generations Strategy;
– Report on the level of investment in the fossil fuel industry that the West Midlands pension fund has, and request a review of the investment strategy to give due consideration to climate change impacts in the investment portfolio;
– Ensure that all reports in preparation for forthcoming budget cycles take into accountthe actions the Council will take to address this emergency;
– Call on the UK Government to provide the powers, resources and help with funding to make this possible, and ask local MPs to do likewise.

17 July 2019, Cannock Chase District Council, England, UK, population 100,109

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Motion text Item 9(i) is here.
Excerpt:

In light of the above, Council thereforeagrees to:
1.Join other Councils in declaring a Climate Emergency, and commit to the vision of carbon neutrality by 2030 at the latest.
2.Continue to call on Westminster to provide the necessary powers and resources to make local action on climate change easier.
3.Encourage this Council to explore the expansion of community energy to keep the benefits of our local energy generation in our local economy.
4.Continue to work with partners anchored in the area to deliver carbon reductions and grow the local economy.
5.Establish a Citizens Assembly made up of a representative range of our citizens to establish the facts and make recommendations for our council.

17 July 2019, Rochdale Borough Council, England, UK, population 220,001

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date for council operations

motion text
Agenda Item 5 is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

This Council resolves to:
• declare a climate emergency;
• work towards ensuring that the borough is carbon neutral by 2050, in line with the Mayor and the Government’s targets. Achieving this will require significant investment and policy initiatives from the Government, and Council hopes it would be achieved earlier than 2050;
• work towards ensuring that the Council is carbon neutral by 2030, recognising the leadership role it has in the borough;
• develop a working group to support the Council move from declaration to delivery drawing in cross sector expertise, capacity and capability. The working group should draw on existing expertise within the borough as well as including residents who are representative of the borough as a whole;
• set in place a process of engagement and collaborative action that enables an action plan to be considered by Cabinet and Council in early 2020, based on achieving the aforementioned targets.

17 July 2019, Dacorum Borough Council, England, UK, population 154,280

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Agenda Item 5 is here.
Excerpt:

B.In recognition of the factors noted above the Council resolves to –
1.Join other councils at all levels of Local Government in declaring a climate emergency that requires urgent planning and action, and commits to work towards reducing carbon emissions across the full range of council activities to net zero by the end of budget year 2029/30, this to include the production of a strategy and action plan to make the activities of Dacorum Borough Council carbon neutral by 2030 in accordance with the IPCC recommendation
2.Evaluate all practical means to reduce then impact of council services on the environment as soon as possible.
3.Work with the established groups of Hertfordshire Public Sector Organisationsto review their services and implement measures to reduce their impact on theenvironment and climate breakdown.
4.Urge the two Dacorum Members of Parliament to impress upon Central Government the need for regulations and resources that will support communities to meet the goal of carbon neutrality by 2030.
5.Ensure the new Local Plan and associated regulations when adopted contains all available measures to cut carbon emissions and reduce the impact on the environment.
6.Having regard for the duties required under the General Fund Account and the Housing Revenue Account, and consider the use of available reserves to introduce improvements to social housing energy efficiency.
7.Implement evolving environmental best practice wherever/whenever there is an opportunity to re-specify services at reasonable and cost-effective intervals.
8.Engage with local residents and businesses, in all sectors of our communities to publicise this declaration and gain their active support in reducing and preventing environmental harms and tackling climate change by making wise, early, significant choices towards achieving carbon neutrality and environmental sustainability.

17 July 2019, Salford City Council, England, UK, population 254,408

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Motion text in agenda Item 15 is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:
Therefore, Salford City Council agrees:
– To declare a ‘climate emergency’.
– To establish a new task and finish group, with a remit to:
oSeek advice from experts to develop a 5 Year carbon budget and set a challenging target date of 2038 for carbon neutrality in Salford;
oConsider systematically the climate change impact of each area of the Council’s activities;
oMake recommendations and set an ambitious timescale for reducing these impacts;oTo assess the feasibility of requiring all risk and procurement assessments to include CarbonEmission Appraisals, including presenting alternative approaches which reduce emissions wherever possible. oReport to full Council with the actions the Council needs to take to address this emergency.
– To task a Director level officer with responsibility for reducing as rapidly as possible, the carbon emissions resulting from the Council’s activities.
– To equip all our staff with an awareness of the CO2 costs and impacts of everyday activities, and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions through widespread Carbon Literacy
– To produce a report to the next Full Council on the levelof investment in the fossil fuel industry that our pensionsplan and other investments have.
– That the City Mayor will write to the Prime Minister to inform her that Salford City Council has declared a climate emergency and ask her to provide the resources and powers necessary to deal with it

17 July 2019, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, England, UK, population 118,054

Declared a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency

motion text
Agenda Item 11 is here.
Minutes showing resolved text are here.

17 July 2019, West Lancashire Borough Council, England, UK, population 113,949

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

That in light of the above, this Council will:
1.Join with other Councils in declaring a Climate Emergency, and have a vision of, and aspire to carbon neutrality by 2030 at the latest.
2.Continue to call on Westminster to provide the necessary powers and resources to make local action on climate change easier.
3.Work to explore the expansion of community energy to keep the benefits of our local energy generation inour local economy.
4. Continue to work with partners anchored in West Lancashire to deliver carbon reductions and grow the local economy.
5.Encourage local councillors to take action in their communities, with a view to establishing a Citizens Assembly made up of a range of representatives from our local citizens to establish the facts and make recommendations for our council.
6. That the following comments be forwarded to the Local Plan Cabinet Working Group for consideration:
(i)As part of the current local plan review, consider the new housing numbers planned to reflect only the numbers required each year for local need.
(ii) Consider, through the new local plan, all new homes built to be built to zero carbon home design codes.
(iii) Consider, through the new local plan, all new commercial properties including warehouses to be built to the highest carbon reduction design codes and to offset through, e.g. tree planting, any remaining carbon emissions
(iv) Encourage through policies in the new local plan, additional planting of woodland in West Lancashire
7.That the Housing Portfolio Holder be asked to consider initiating through the council’s housing capital account, a multi-year programme of insulation and other energy efficiency measures to the Borough’s council housing stock.

18 July 2019, South Tyneside Council, England, UK, population 150,265

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Motion text is here.
Excerpt:

This Council resolves to:
1. Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’;
2. Take all necessary steps to make the borough of South Tyneside carbon neutral by 2030, taking into account both production and consumption emissions (scope 1, 2 and 3);
3. Set an interim target of cutting carbon emissions in the borough by at least 60% by 2025;
4. Lead by example and commit to making South Tyneside Council and all its operations carbon neutral by 2023;
5. Call on Westminster to provide the powers and resources to make meeting these targets possible;
6. Produce a comprehensive Action Plan for the next five years which will be operational within six months. The Plan will detail how the Council will meet both of its 2023 and 2025 carbon reduction targets, and set annual carbon reduction targets;
7. Ensure that fairness and community empowerment are at the heart of all climate policies by establishing a Citizens’ Assembly, comprised of people of all demographics, to ensure that the formation and implementation of the Action Plan serves
to benefit our most vulnerable communities.
South Tyneside Council
18 July 2019
8. Be accountable to the public by publishing a bi-annual report detailing emission reduction progress and feedback from the Citizens’ Assembly. The conclusions of this report will be discussed every six months at a Full Council meeting.
9. Ensure that all strategic decisions, budgets, and policy documents are in-line with a shift to zero carbon by 2030;

18 July 2019, East Hampshire District Council, England, UK, population 120,681

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 zero carbon target date

motion text
Motion text (P47) is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

This Council therefore calls on the cabinet to
1 Declare a Climate Emergency.
2 Pledge to make East Hampshire District Council carbon neutral by 2030.
3 Set up a cross party working group to include officers, councillors and key local stakeholders including schools, colleges and youth groups to provide ideas of achieving a carbon neutral East Hampshire District by 2030 and carbon Zero by 2050.
4 Report to Full Council within 6 months (to be made publicly available) settingout the immediate and longer-term actions that the Council will take and how it plans to measure the districts progress towards meeting the 2030 target.This report will also include a full review of the implementation and outcomesof the East Hampshire District Council Energy Strategy 2014-2019.
5 Work with partners and other Local Authorities across the South region to deliver these new goals of being Carbon neutral by 2030 through developingstrategies and implementation plans which draw on local and national best practice where available.
6 To actively lobby the Government to provide the additional powers and resources needed to meet the 2030 targets.
7 To prioritise mitigating the impact of Climate change in an updated East Hampshire District Council Corporate Strategy.
8 To consider the impact and mitigation of climate change on all policy and key decision making and carrying out a green audit across the Council to ensure that this is being implemented.
9 To encourage plastic free alternatives and ban the use of single use plastics within all council employee premises. Implement an ethical procurement framework to ensure suppliers reduce their own carbon footprint.
10 To expand infrastructure for walking, cycling, and public transport and to actively promote greater use of electric vehicles.

18 July 2019, Rugby Borough Council, England, UK, population 107,194

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 zero carbon target date

motion text
Full minutes (Page 6) are here.

RESOLVED THAT – this Council therefore declares a climate emergency and in doing so, commits to:
• establishing a cross party working group to advise on the actions and timescales required to make the Council’s activities carbon neutral by 2030. The working group will report initial findings and recommendations back to Cabinet within 6 months;
• engaging with partner councils (specifically Warwickshire County Council and Warwickshire’s 5 District and Borough Councils), local businesses, environmental groups and residents to inform our future actions; and
• where required, call on Government to provide the powers and resources to enable Rugby Borough Council to help deliver the UK’s carbon reduction targets.

18 July 2019, Harrow London Borough Council, England, UK, population 250,149

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 zero carbon target date

motion text
Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

In light of the above, the Council resolves to:
1.Join other councils indeclaring a Climate Emergency;
2.Call on the UK Government to provide the necessary powers and resources to make local action on climate change easier;
3.Aim to make London borough of Harrow carbon neutral by 2030, taking into account both production and consumption of emissions;
4.Create a working group of officers and members to urgently review and make recommendations to Council for actions that the local authority can take in order to achieve this target;
5.Continue to work with across London and through the LGA to deliver widespread carbon reductions.

18 July 2019, Eastleigh Borough Council, England, UK, population 131,819

Declared a Climate Change and Environmental Emergency and set a 2025 zero carbon target date for council operations and a 2030 target date for the borough as a whole
PROGRESS SO FAR:
November 2019: Released 2020-2030 strategy and interim emergency action plan

motion text
Council news article and motion text is here. Minutes are here.
Full motion text:

Eastleigh Borough Council has a long history of tackling climate change; throughout the life of its current Climate Change Strategy the Council has installed thousands of kWh of renewable energy, supported residents and community groups to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, lobbied Government and worked with partners to improve the resilience of the Borough.
“Council reaffirms its existing commitment by joining other local authorities and institutions in declaring a Climate Change and Environmental Emergency. In doing so it agrees to:
put in place measures to ensure that the Council’s own operations and functions achieve carbon neutrality by 2025,
work with partners to aim for all projects and services delivered in the
Borough to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030,
ensure that the Council’s procurement policy recognises carbon neutrality as one of the primary considerations,
recognise the urgency of action to mitigate and adapt to climate change in every decision taken by the Council,
establish a cross-party working group to develop a plan for how the Borough of Eastleigh could achieve carbon neutrality by 2030,
to be Chaired by the Cabinet Lead for the Environment and to include representatives from within the local community and businesses,
to report to Council within six months with a new Climate Change Strategy alongside immediate actions the Council will take to address this emergency,
to be followed by a detailed Action Plan to be developed to include reporting requirements and assessment of the associated resource implications; and
include all of the recommendations above in a revised Climate Change Strategy to be completed and approved by Council in 2019-20.

18 July 2019, Wokingham Borough Council, England, UK, population 167,979

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 zero carbon target date
PROGRESS SO FAR
25 July 2019: Announced that solar power will be installed on the borough’s schools, leisure centres, libraries and suitable council-owned properties
3 January 2020: Set aside £24 million in budget for climate actions, including:
Solar farm sites to be built in borough
Council hopes to launch its own energy company
Green Bank will lend residents cash to fund greener homes
250,000 trees to be planted across borough
Push for environmentally friendly transport networks
Bid to include school pupils in carbon neutral plans
Plan to boost recycling so crisp packets can become benches
Education programme to raise awareness of schemes
24 January 2020: Published climate emergency action plan
20 February 2020: Allocated 10% of budget to climate emergency action

motion text
Agenda item 28.2 is here. Minutes are here.

Motion 417 submitted by John Halsall
Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) believes the world is now in a climate emergency. More concerted and urgent action is needed at local, national and international level to protect our planet for future generations. As such, this Council commits to playing as full a role as possible –leading by example as well as by exhortation –in achieving a carbon neutral Wokingham Borough by 2030 and report within six months as to what actions are required.

18 July 2019, Darlington Borough Council, England, UK, population 106,566

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Motion text Item 10 is here.
Excerpt:

Council therefore resolves to:
a) Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’;
b) Sign up to a science-based carbon reduction target that is consistent with achieving the Paris Agreement of no more than 1.5’C global temperature increase;
c) Work with nurseries, schools and colleges to include age appropriate learning about climate change while calling for the national curriculum to be reformed to include “the ecological crisis as an educational priority”;
d) Work to make the borough of Darlington carbon neutral by 2030 and call on central government to provide the funding and powers to make this possible;
e) Work with other organisations and governments within the UK and internationally to determine and implement best practice methods to limit Global Warming to less than 1.5°C;
f) Work with partners to run a conversation with residents, Trade Unions, public sector organisations, businesses and the third sector on developing a plan with the actions and milestones required to reach this target;
g) Report the progress to Full Council every 6 months.

18 July 2019, Keswick Town Council, England, UK, population 5,243

Declared a Climate Emergency and appointed a ‘Climate Champion’

motion text
Agenda can be viewed here.

18 July 2019, Canterbury City Council, England, UK, population 164,553

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Agenda Items 9 and 10 (several proposed motions) can be viewed here. Minutes are here.

(a)That a climate change emergency be declared by Canterbury City Council;
(b) That in response to this emergency the Council sets a target to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero by 2030 in its corporate plan and set annualtargets to meet this commitment ensuring robust, transparent monitoring is in place.
(c)That all future reports to council include an Environmental ImpactAssessment.
(d) That a councillor working group be set up to oversee the development of the Council’s approach to climate change including drawing up a strategy andaction plan to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero by 2030;
(e) That there be an annual report back to this Committee on progress made in implementing actions to reduce carbon emissions; with an interim report after six months;
(f) That the Council lobbies the government on climate change and seeks to be a pilot authority for government initiatives in this area;
(g) That the Council works with all stakeholders including housing developers and builders and with other public bodies and organisations in the District and across Kent to jointly reduce carbon emissions, including setting up a Canterbury Climate Change Board to develop a joint action plan with thosebodies;
(h)That officers report back to this Committee on how the reprovision of the Council’s Military Road offices can be made at least carbon neutral;
(i)That in setting up the new refuse collection LATCO and letting its next park and ride contract the Council seeks to provide the most environmentally friendly method of service delivery;
(j)That the review of the local plan and the transport strategy be used to improvethe energy efficiency and carbon neutrality of future developments;
(k)That £500,000 be set aside in a climate change reserve to fund one off actions required to meet carbon reduction targets (to be funded from theGeneral Fund reserve);
(l)That a citizens assembly, as a first priority, be explored by the Councillor Working Group and Climate Change Board; and that crowd funding of carbon reduction initiatives and independent peer review of the council progress towards its reduction in emissions also be assessed.
(m)That the Council agrees to add a member to the Plastic Free Herne Baystrategic group and that it supports plastic free initiatives in the area; and
(n)That the information provided in response to the resolutions of the April Policy and Resources Committee in appendices 3 and 4 to the report of the 17 July 2019 Policy and Resources Committee be noted.

18 July 2019, Adur & Worthing Councils, England, UK, population 173,894

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Minutes are here.
Agenda motion is here.
Excerpt:

1. declared a ‘Climate Emergency’;
2. agreed to go beyond the previously set 2050 target adopted by Adur &
Worthing Councils in 2018 and work towards becoming carbon neutral by
2030;
3. called on the government to provide the powers and resources to make the 2030 target possible;
4. agreed to continue to work with partners across the county and region to deliver this goal; and
5. requested the production of an outline strategy on how the Councils would work towards the carbon neutral target. The strategy was to be produced by 30 January 2020 at the latest.

18 July 2019, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, England, UK, population 148,942

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Motion text in agenda is here.
Excerpt:

Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’.
Commit to a target of making Blackburnwith Darwen carbon neutral by 2030, taking into account both production and consumption emissions (scope 1, 2 and 3 of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol – GHG Protocol establishes comprehensive global standardised frameworks to measure and manage greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from private and public sector operations, value chains and mitigation actions).
Request an update report within six months setting out the immediate actions the Council has taken and will take to address this emergency and a plan to measure annual borough-wide progress towards meeting the 2030 target.
Work with partners across our towns and across the region to deliver this new goal through all relevant strategies and plans and drawing on local and global best practice.
Actively lobby the Government to provide the additional powers and resources needed to meet the 2030 target.

18 July 2019, Sefton Council, England, UK, population 273,790

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Minutes P11 are here.
Excerpt:

Sefton Council is committed to reducing carbon emissions and resolves to go further than the UK100 Agreement and to act in line with the scientific consensus that we must reduce emissions to net zero by 2030, and therefore commits to:
Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’ that requires urgent action.
Make the Council’s activities net-zero carbon by 2030.
Commit to municipalisation of energy supply by utilising public sector sitesto generate energy where appropriateEnsure that all strategic decisions are in line with a shift to zero carbon by 2030.
Support and work with all other relevant agencies towards making the Sefton area Zero Carbon within the same timescale.
Achieve 100% clean energy across Sefton Council’s full range of functions by 2030.
Convene an assembly of interested groups not directly represented on Council in 2020 to oversee and feed into the development of related actionplans and budgets across the Borough.
And to take the following actions:

18 July 2019, Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council, England, UK, population 175,729

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2025 carbon neutral target date for council operations and a 2030 target date for the entire borough

motion text
Agenda Item 20 is here.
Excerpt:

This Council resolves to request Cabinet to:
1.Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’;
2.Make Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council operations carbon neutral by Dec 2025by ensuring that 100% of its heating and electrical needs are meet from renewable sources and cease the purchase and/or lease of any vehicle that is not low carbon;
3.Pledge to work towards making Basingstoke & Deane net zero carbon by 2030, ahead of the current 2050 target, ensuring that reducing carbon emissions is embedded in all relevant Council decision making;
4.Develop carbon reduction pathways, climate compliant strategies and plans, working with the County Council, LEP and other partners in both the public and private sector to prioritise all opportunities to introduce such zero carbon and sustainable policies, action plans and targets;
5.Undertake a Local Plan review where the Borough proposes policies for adoption in all areas that will drive zero carbon and sustainable development in Basingstoke & Deane;
6.Ensure local people are able to contribute to the formulation and
scrutiny of the strategic actions needed to address the environment and climate emergency by consulting on proposals and by organising an annual ‘Tackling the Environment and Climate Emergency’ meeting, hosted by the CEP Committee, in addition to the wide-range of existing opportunities for local people to make representations to the Council;
7.Receive a report in early 2020 on what strategic actions the Council is taking to address the environment and climate emergency, including an action plan and milestones to achieve emissions reductions within the Council’s control, and to share details of representations being made to other institutions to achieve reductions in emissions outside of the Council’s direct control.

18 July 2019, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, England, UK, population 182,463

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Minutes P19 are here.

Given the special situation of this Borough geographically, ecologically and environmentally, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council therefore declares a Climate Emergency requiring urgent action and commits to the following six actions, andin so doing calls on the Government to provide the powers, resources and help with funding to achieve them, and urges its local MPs to support this action and lobby Government accordingly –
1.ensuring action is taken to achieve net-zero carbon by 2030 if not earlier for its activities, supporting and working with all other relevant agencies towards making the Borough zero carbon by that date and that all strategic decisions, budgets and approaches to planning decisions are aligned with a shift to zero carbon and achieving 100% clean energyacross the Council’s full range of functions by 2030 if not earlier, as partof the Borough’s 2050 Vision;
2.ensuring that this work is embedded within all political and senior officer leadership teams in all areas to effect the reduction, as rapidly as possible, of carbon emissions resulting from the Council’s activities, with any recommendations fully costed and that the Executive and Scrutiny Committees review Council policies, strategies and activities taking account of production and consumption emissions and produce an action plan within 12 months, together with budget actions and a measured baseline. This leadership to be led across the Council by key roles selected by the Chief Executive and the Cabinet.
3.working with, influencing and inspiring partners across the Borough and region to help deliver this goal through all relevant strategies, plans andshared resources and sets up a Climate Change Partnership group, involving Councillors, residents, climate science and solutions experts, businesses and other relevant parties, and in particular the young peoplewho will have to live with the consequences of our actions, to consider strategies and actions being developed by the Council and other partner organisations and develops a strategy in line with a target of net zero emissions by 2050 if not earlier, including ways to maximise local benefits of these actions in other sectors;
4.reporting on the level of investment in the fossil fuel industry alongside sustainable and renewable energy schemes that our pensions plan andother investments have, and review the Council’s investment strategy to give due consideration to climate change impacts in the investment portfolio;
5.ensuring that all reports in preparation for the 2020/21 budget cycle and investment strategy will take into account the actions the Council will lead and take to address this emergency;6.considering other actions that could be implemented, such as renewable energy generation and storage, providing electric vehicle infrastructure and encouraging alternatives to private car use, increasing the efficiency of buildings, in particular to address fuel poverty;
proactively using local planning powers to accelerate the delivery of net carbon new developments and communities, coordinating a series of information andtraining events to raise awareness and share good practice

19 July 2019, West of England Combined Authority (WECA), England, UK, population 938,150

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Decision text P7-8 is here.

The Combined Authority recognises:
1. The challenge and threat of the current climate emergency.
2. The huge significance of climate change and its impact on the health, safety and wellbeing of our residents, and the very real concerns of residents on these issues.
3. The foresight and leadership shown on this issue and positive actions being taken by the West of England authorities; and welcomes the respective motions agreed recently by these councils on the climate emergency and actively taking up the challenge of achieving carbon neutrality.
4. That a huge amount of work is taking place across the region and that the West of England has already made a strong commitment to clean and inclusive economic growth.
In recognition of the seriousness of the global climate emergency, the Combined Authority resolves:
To declare a climate emergency and continue to work with West of England authorities and The West of England Local Enterprise Partnership to agree an action plan to underpin the West of England Energy Strategy, recognising this will be a key tool in seeking the additional government investment necessary to enable us to deliver the ambitious target of carbon neutrality by 2030;
progress reports will be brought to the West of England Combined Authority Committee, the West of England Joint Committee and the Combined Authority Overview & Scrutiny Committee on a 6 monthly basis.

22 July 2019, Sutton Borough Council, England, UK, population 204,525

Declared a Climate Emergency and amended the carbon neutral target target date proposed in the original motion to make it 2030 instead of 2045
PROGRESS SO FAR:
22 December 2019: New action plan developed

motion text
Motion in agenda is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt (before amendment):

Council:
a.declares a ‘Climate Emergency’.
b.pledges to make Sutton carbon neutral by 2045.
c.supports the delivery of the Environment Strategy targets on using less energy andtackling climate change.
d.calls on the Government to provide the powers and resources necessary for Suttonto accelerate its work on becoming carbon neutral by 2045 and to implement bestpractice methods to limit global warming to 1.5C.
e.will work with other local government authorities (both within the UK andinternationally) to determine and implement best practice methods to limit globalwarming to less than 1.5°C.
f.continues to work with partners in the private sector and civil society across theborough and London to deliver this new goal through all relevant strategies andplans.
g.will report to the Environment & Neighbourhoods Committee annually on progresswith the delivery of the Environment Strategy and the actions the Council is taking,and will take, to address this climate emergency.
h.to investigate all possible sources of external funding and match funding to supportthis commitment.

22 July 2019, Braintree District Council, England, UK, population 151,561

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Agenda Items 9 and 13 are here.
We think the following text is what was passed unanimously, but we will update when the Minutes of the meeting are published:

This Council declares a “Climate Emergency” with an aim to make Braintree District Council activities, as far as practical, carbon neutral by 2030.
It calls for a Climate Change working group to be established to develop an action plan
to ensure all Council functions and decision making is in line with the shift to carbon
neutral by 2030.
The action plan is to be brought back to Council within 12 months for approval and
implementation.

22 July 2019, Cherwell District Council, England, UK, population 149,161

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral terget date
PROGRESS SO FAR:
6 January 2020: Climate Emergency Update Report published

motion text
Decision record Item 9 is here.
Excerpt:

1. Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’;
2. Pledge to make Cherwell District Council carbon neutral by 2030, taking into account both production and consumption emissions;
3. Call on Westminster to provide the powers and resources to make the 2030 target possible;
4. Continue to work with partners across the Cherwell and region to deliver this new goal through all relevant strategies;
5. Endorse the cross party position taken by LGA, in particular to call on HMG to explore supporting domestic implementation of Sustainable Development Goals through funded partnership roles within each local authority area;
6. Report to Council within six months with the actions the Council will take to address this emergency.

22 July 2019, Budleigh Salterton Town Council, England, UK, population 6,575

Declared a Climate Emergency, set a 2030 carbon neutral target date, and set up an emergency taskforce.
Agenda Item 17 is here.

22 July 2019, Barnstaple Town Council, England, UK, population 24,033

Declared a Climate Emergency. Agenda item P5 is here.

23 July 2019, Exeter City Council, England, UK, population 130,428

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Motion P144 in agenda is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

RESOLVED that:-
(1)Exeter City Council declare a ‘Climate Emergency’;
(2)The carbon neutral target for Exeter is framed in a way that links to widerregional targets. This shows Exeter’s intention to decrease its emissions without increasing emissions in the wider region;
(3)Exeter City Council commit to their operations becoming carbon neutral ahead of the 2030 date and mobilise resource to develop internal plans to deliver the target. 2.5 That Exeter City Council request a “Carbon NeutralDelivery Team” is convened by ECF CIC to establish a city plan for deliverythat builds on the Energy Independence Roadmap produced by ECF CIC and uses the 12 Goals as the basis of the approach (see Appendix 1 to thisreport for a list of the Goals). The Carbon Neutral delivery team will:
oDraw together existing evidence and data to establish baseline state of the City presented under each of the 12 Goals.
oConduct a full audit of the City to highlight gaps between current plansand what is required to achieve carbon neutral.
oDefine a clear city plan showing outcomes that will need to be met to deliver carbon neutral, how existing activities support and where there are gaps.
oIdentify immediate opportunities and crucial first steps
(4)Exeter City Council commit resource to be part of the Carbon Neutral Delivery Team and, due to the urgency required, co-locate those resources with ECF CIC to ensure that the City Council is leading by example and sharing learning with other ECF CIC Member organisations and the widerECF CIC Partner Network. (A list of current members of the ECF CIC Partner Network is provided in Appendix 2 to this report);
(5)Exeter City Futures CIC be requested to convene “Carbon Neutral Mandate Group” through a series of summits to validate, challenge and endorse theRoadmap produced by the Carbon Neutral working group;
(6)Exeter City Council support the work of the Devon Climate Emergency Response Group (CERG) and note the outcomes and recommendations. Exeter City Council will participate in a “People’s Assembly” with the governance arrangements to be confirmed by the CERG;
(7)To convene a Special meeting of Place Scrutiny Committee, on a biannual basis, to collate and discuss all of the work by Exeter City Council in respect of Climate Change and also allow the opportunity for outside bodies to continue to update Members;
(8)Council reports should include an analysis of the progress and impact in working towards a Carbon neutral city goal, as they currently do for the impact on any decision in relation to equality and diversity; health and wellbeing; safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults; economy, safety and the environment; and
(9)Exeter City Council recognises the connected biodiversity crisis, and the vital role of biodiversity in tackling climate change and its contribution to our quality of life. The roadmap will set out measures to improve biodiversity, in particular, the protection and planting of trees.

23 July 2019, Lincoln City Council, England, UK, population 97,541

Declared a Climate and Environment Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Minutes of meeting (Item 12) are here.
Excerpt:

Council therefore resolves to:
(1)Acknowledge the reality of the climate and environmental crises and commits to urgent emergency action.
(2)Join with Parliament and other Councils in declaring a Climate and Environment Emergency, and commit to the vision of a carbon neutral LINCOLN by 2030 at the latest.
(3)Sign up to a science based carbon reduction target that is consistent withachieving the Paris Agreement of no more than 1.5oC global temperature increase.
(4)Call on central government to provide the funding and powers to make this possible, and ask local MPs to lobby government to achieve this.
(5)Call on Lincolnshire County Council to cooperate with the City and District Councils to enable the City & District Councils to deliver on the carbon neutral vision by 2030, especially in such critical areas as highways & transport, energy, waste, food and health & wellbeing.
(6)Work with partners in the area to deliver carbon reductions and support environmentally sustainable industry, business & employment.
(7)Ask the Lincoln Climate Commission to consider ways of involving all interested people to have a voice through a citizen’s assembly or something that serves this purpose.
(8)Facilitate the work of a Lincoln Climate Commission to drawn upon expertise in the community (industry, commerce, education, health etc.)and general public, to devise a carbon reduction road map with staged targets and policies consistent with carbon neutrality by 2030, and bring a report to the Council’s Executive as soon as practicable.

23 July 2019, Guildford Borough Council, England, UK, population 147,889

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date
PROGRESS SO FAR:
27 November 2019: Announces nearly half a million pounds to spend on energy projects over the next year.

motion text
Agenda Item 19 is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

Guildford Borough Council therefore:
Formally declares a Climate Emergency that requires urgent action.
Calls on the UK government to provide the powers, resources and funding support to make local, as well as national, action against climate change possible.
Commits to working with partners across the Borough to evaluate and determine how and when Guildford Borough could become carbon neutral.
Commits to working towards making the Council’s activities net-zero carbon by 2030.
Commits to establishing the necessary governance structures, investment plans and officer resources in order for the Council to build a strong foundation to deliver progressively ambitious carbon reductions across our operations.
Commits to establishing a borough-wide Climate Change Partnership consisting of representatives from all stakeholders across all sectors.
Commits to developing, within 12 months, a clear action plan and timescale for being net-zero carbon across our Council operations, starting with a review of what has already been achieved and plans already instigated.
Commits to delivering a joint Member-Officer training programme to enable a shared understanding of how to deliver the above, starting in September 2019.

23 July 2019, Malvern Hills District Council, England, UK, population 78,113

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Agenda Item is here. Minutes are here.
Motion:

Accordingly, as signatories to this Motion, we propose that Council should;
•Request that the newly-established Environment Policy Panel takes lead responsibility for the preparation of a comprehensive and costed action plan in response to the climate emergency, and completing this by 31st March 2020 at the very latest.
•Actively seek the co-operation and assistance of all relevant local partner organisations and regional bodies in this Council’s pursuit, as quickly as possible within the District of the net zero carbon emissions target.
•Make urgent representations to Central Government about the need for additional supporting resources to assist the Council in its efforts in this regard.
•Establish appropriate monitoring and reporting arrangements on the progress being made (reporting to the Executive Committee on at least a quarterly basis).

23 July 2019, Shaftesbury Town Council, England, UK, population 7,314

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Agenda motion text Item 5 is here. Minutes are here.

That Shaftesbury Town Council declares a Climate Emergency recognising the need for urgent action and draws up a plan for action by October 2019.

23 July 2019, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, England, UK, population 79,928

Declared a Climate Emergency – but really they just noted the UK declaration and passed some climate action clauses as shown in the minutes here.

23 July 2019, Babergh District Council, England, UK, population 91,401

Declared a Climate Emergency Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Agenda Item 12 is here.

This Council pledges to:
1. Declare a climate emergency.
2. Set up a Task Force, commencing by September 2019, to examine ways in which Babergh & Mid Suffolk Councils will respond to the climate change challenge on a spend to save basis, with the ambition to make Babergh & Mid Suffolk Councils carbon neutral by 2030.
3. To work with partners across the county and region, including the LEP and the Public Sector Leaders, towards the aspiration of making the county of Suffolk carbon neutral by 2030.
4. To work with Government to
a) deliver its 25-year Environment Plan and
b) increase the powers and resources available to local authorities in order to make the 2030 target easier to achieve

23 July 2019, Stafford Borough Council, England, UK, population 135,880

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2040 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Minutes P5 are here.

RESOLVED:- that the Council agree to:-
(a) Join other Councils in declaring a Climate Emergency and work towards achieving our vision pf carbon neutrality by 2040;
(b) Continue to concentrate on activities that reduce emissions from its own activities and will work towards carbon neutrality by 2040;
(c)Call on the Government to provide the powers and resources to make the 2040 target possible.
(d) Work with other elected bodies (both within the UK and internationally) to determine best practice methods to limit Global Warming to less than 1.5°c and consider how this could be addressed through the Local Plan process;
(e) Continue to work with partners across the Borough to deliver this goal through all relevant strategies, plans
6 and initiatives;
(f) Explore through the Local Plan process, the expansion of community energy with a view to keeping the benefits of our local energy generation in our local economy;
(g)Report progress to scrutiny at the appropriate time to include a report within 12 months as to the actions the Council has taken and proposes to take;
(h) Encourage elected Members to work with their communities and local business enterprises and empower them to;
•Sign up to the Climate Emergency pledge;
•Take action that helps to improve the sustainability of their neighbourhoods, the health and wellbeing of residents and the energy efficiency of community and domestic buildings.

24 July 2019, Isle of Wight Council, England, UK, population 141,538

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Full minutes P7 are here.
RESOLVED:

THAT in the light of scientific reports relating to the world’s climate, the Isle of Wight Council, in keeping with its longstanding tradition, will continue to take all reasonable steps to minimise its environmental impact and to maintain the beauty of our Island. And on that basis that this council resolves to:
1.Declare and acknowledge a ‘Climate Emergency’.
2.Aim to achieve net zero carbon emissions on the Island by 2030.
3.Require the Chair of Policy and Scrutiny Committee for Neighbourhoods andRegeneration in liaison with the Cabinet Member for Environment and Heritage to establish a Task & Finish Group to report back to the committee within six months with a costed action plan, recommending how the Councilcould work with partners and central government to ensure that the Islands net carbon emissions can be reducedto zero by 2030.
4.Present an annual update to the IW Council on progress towards achieving net zero carbon emissions in line with the IW councils support for our UNESCO Biosphere status.
5.Develop and implement a community engagement plan via the IW Council’s Environment and Sustainability Forum (formerly community plastic forum) to mobilise environmental action groups, Parish Councils, biodiversity experts and residents in support of delivery of the action plan.
6.Liaise with other local authorities that have declared a Climate Emergency, through the Local Government Association, to lobby Government for additional powers and funding to help local authorities respond to the climate emergency.

24 July 2019, Wealden District Council, England, UK, population 160,175

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2050 carbon neutral target date
PROGRESS SO FAR:
20 December 2019: Climate Emergency Action Plan approved. More detail here.

motion text
Motion text in minutes is here.
Excerpt:

d) To recommend that Full Council declares a ‘Climate Emergency’ and endorses the key commitments as outlined below:
1) Work toward a net-zero CO2 by 2050 for both the Council and the Wealden District area, and pursue efforts to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions even earlier;
2) Work with Government departments to ensure the necessary policies (such as tighter building regulations), powers and funding are put in place to achieve a net-zero CO2 target;
3) Request that the Economic and Waste Cabinet Advisory Group investigate the opportunities available and report back to Cabinet;
4) Develop a clear action plan that sets out a costed suite of practical actions which demonstrate the Council’s initial phase of delivery toward net-zero CO2 emissions and which define its leadership role in promoting community-wide action;
5) Build on work to identify opportunities for low carbon and renewable energy sources and storage, and the acceleration of electric vehicles take-up within the District;
6) Work with, influence and inspire partners across the county and region (including ESCC and the other District and Borough Councils in East Sussex) via existing forums to deliver this goal through all relevant strategies and plans;
7) Implement a plan-led approach to development that minimises and mitigates against emissions from new development; and
8) Investigate all potential sources of funding to support these commitments

24 July 2019, Peterborough City Council, England, UK, population 201,041

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Motion text P19 is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:
Council therefore commits to:

Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’ that requires urgent action.
Make the Council’s activities net-zero carbon by 2030Achieve 100% clean energy across the Council’s full range of functions by 2030
Ensure that all strategic decisions, budgets and approaches to planning decisions are in line with a shift to zero carbon by 2030.
Support and work with all other relevant agencies towards making the entire area zero carbon within the same timescale;
Ensure that…

24 July 2019, East Suffolk County Council, England, UK, population 239,552

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date for council operations

motion text
Motion text is here.
Excerpt:

This Council pledges to:
1. Declare a Climate Emergency.
2. Set up a Policy Development Panel, commencing by October 2019, to investigate ways to cut East Suffolk Councils carbon and harmful emissions on a spend to save basis, with the ambition to make East Suffolk Council (including all buildings and services) carbon neutral by 2030.
3. To work with Suffolk County Council and other partners across the county and region, including the LEP and the Public Sector Leaders towards the aspiration of making the county of Suffolk carbon neutral by 2030.
4. To work with Government to a) deliver its 25 year Environment Plan and b) increase the powers and resources available to local authorities in order to make the 2030 target easier to achieve.

24 July 2019, Kettering Borough Council, England, UK, population 101,266

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date for the entire borough

motion text
Agenda motion is here. Minutes are here.
Motion:

This Council:
• recognises the strength of public opinion recently expressed in
London and Northamptonshire, particularly by young peop le, on the
issue of climate change and the need to achieve carbon reduction
targets to protect the health and wel lbe ing of our future generations.
• congratulates the UK parliament for declaring a Climate Emergency.
• believes that all levels of government h ave a duty to limit the impacts
of climate change along with our partners.
• will place “Climate Change Implica tions” on all agendas immediately
prior to the recommendations section, to demonstrate compliance
with the spirit of this motion.
• calls upon the shadow authority and its successor Unitary council to
continue this work and place Climate Change policies at the heart of
its future operations and services.
• requests a half yearly report to be submitted to the Monitoring and
Audit Committee and a nnually to Full Council (the first being at the
22 nd April 2020 meeting), detailing the actions that have been tak en
towards achieving the objectives of this motion.
• Requests that a senior officer be nominated to be the Council’s
Climate Change champion
• by passing this motion formally declares a Climate Emergency in
Kettering Borough and commits to a target of making the area
covered by the Borough Council carbon neutral by 2030.

24 July 2019, South Ribble Borough Council, England, UK, population 110,527

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Agenda Item 12 is here. Minutes are here.

This Council declares that the effect of climate change within the borough poses an immediate danger to the health and well-being of our residents and therefore proclaims a Climate Emergency with immediate effect.
To combat this threat, the borough sets a goal of rendering the borough carbon neutral by the year 2030. For avoidance of doubt, this goal means the borough shall produce no netcarbon emissions by this date, taking into account of actions that have the effect of removing carbon from the environment.
In order to implement this decision, the borough shall createa Standing Working Group on the Climate Emergency. The Group shall be made up of the following:
– Cabinet Member responsible for the Environment (in the Chair);
– Chairs of each Neighbourhood Forum;
– Representatives of each political group represented onthe council (2 Labour Members (including Air QualityLead), 1 Liberal Democrat Member. 2 Conservative Members);
– Air Quality Lead;
– Such other Members, including co-opted members, as the working group shall consider appropriate.The Standing Working Group on the Climate Emergency shall:
– Incorporate the Council’s existing Air Quality Action Plan into its wider plans;
– Devise and propose further measures in pursuit of its goals;
– Monitor progress towards its goals;
– Report back to full Council at least four times per yearon its progress in achieving its goals.The standing Working Group on Climate Emergency shall beresourced through the Council’s annual budgets going forward.

24 July 2019, Folkestone and Hythe District Council, England, Kent, population 112,578

Declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date for council operations

motion text
Agenda Item 10 is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

1.Declare that we are in a state of climate and ecological emergency.
2.Commit to reduce Folkestone and Hythe District Council’s estate and operations to zero net carbon by 2030.
3.Ensure that all strategic decisions, policy, budgets, investments, contracts, approaches to planning decisions and the council’s own developments are in line with a shift to zero carbon by 2030.
4.Ensure that all future council reports, where appropriate, include a climate impact statement.
5.To develop a strategy for Folkestone and Hythe District Council to play a leadership role in promoting community, public and business partnerships for this Carbon Neutral 2030 Commitment throughout the District.
6.To achieve this, create a Carbon Action Plan based on practical frameworks and advice such as provided by the Carbon Trust.
7.Establish a cross-party working group of full council to draw up, steer and monitor progress of the Carbon Action Plan, reporting back to full council in 6 months, then annually.
8.Call on the UK Government to provide the powers, resources and help with funding to make this possible, and ask local MPs to do likewise.
9.Request that Cabinet shows leadership and adopts the matters raised in 1 –8

24 July 2019, Amber Valley Borough Council, England, UK, population 126,678

Declared a Climate Emergency, set a 2030 carbon neutral target date, and declared the borough a frack-free zone

motion text
Motion 14 in Agenda is here. Minutes are here.

This Council:
•Calls on the Leader to declare a Climate Emergency;
•Aims to make Amber Valley Borough Council carbon neutral by 2030;
•Calls on the UK Government to provide the powers and resources to make the 2030 target possible;
•Will work with partners across the County and Region to deliver this new goal through all the relevant strategies and include strong references to this emergency in our new Local Plan;
•Will report back in six months with the first actions the Council will take to address this emergency and then every six months after this on the progress being made;
•Will ensure that all our Town and Parish Councils are made aware and suggest that they also consider a similar commitment to this emergency.

24 July 2019, East Devon District Council, England, UK, population 144,317

Declared a Climate Emergency
PROGRESS SO FAR:
8 September 2019: Rejected planning application for 20 new gas-fired electricity generators due to their carbon emissions

motion text
Motion text in agenda P50 is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

Climate Change Emergency –Our Response
RECOMMENDED that the following be agreed:
(1)to sign up to the Devon Climate Change Emergency Declaration; and
(2)to work with Devon County Council and other partners to produce a Devon wide action plan on climate change; and
(3)to prepare an East Devon District Council action plan to reduce its’ carbon footprint; and
(4)to link the Council plan with the work of the Low Carbon Task Force; and
(5)to support the acceleration of the proposals to achieve zero carbon development in the West End of the district; and
(6)toreflect climate change as a priority in the new Council Plan and future updates of Service Plans and relevant corporate policies.

24 July 2019, Bromsgrove District Council, England, UK, population 96,876

Declared a Climate Emergency. [Minutes here when available]

24 July 2019, Chiltern District Council, England, UK, population 95,927

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
[Minutes here when available] Excerpt:

In light of the above, the Council therefore agrees to:
(1) Join other councils in declaring a Climate Emergency;
(2) use all practical means to reduce any negative impact of Council services on the environment, with an aspiration to be carbon neutral by 2030;
(3) ask officers to ensure that specific consideration is given to how policies and our related decisions and actions, affect our contribution to climate change, and take action as appropriate;
(4) continue to work with partners (including local residents and businesses) inside and outside the community to deliver widespread carbon reductions.

24 July 2019, North Devon District Council, England, UK, population 96,110

Declared a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency

motion text
Draft minutes are here.

RESOLVED that this Council reaffirms its recognition of the scale and urgency of the global challenge from climate change, as documented by the latest Special Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and declares a climate and biodiversity emergency;and agrees to set up a climate change working party to investigate and recommend an action plan of what further corporate approaches can be taken to facilitate stronger action through collaboration at a strategic, community and individual level. To this end this Council will work with the County Council and partners across the county and region to implement best practice methods to limit Global Warming to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius.Furthermore this Council calls on Westminster to provide the powers and resources to enable North Devon to work towards becoming carbon neutral as soon as possible bearing in mind the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s target of 2030.

25 July 2019, Warwickshire County Council, England, UK, population 571,010

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Minutes, Item 8 are here.
Excerpt:

In response, this Council
a) declares a ‘Climate Emergency’;
b) establishes a cross party Climate Change Task and Finish Working Group to respond to the challenge and to report to Cabinet in six months with an action plan, including targets to consider.
c) works in collaboration with our District and Borough partners to develop targeted and resourced proposals for a carbon neutral action plan for Warwickshire County Council to be considered by Cabinet.
d) reviews and updates transport plans for each of the District and Borough Councils in Warwickshire, to support them in building sustainable transport systems in recognition of the goal of moving towards carbon neutrality;
e) calls on the Government to provide the resources and powers so that Warwickshire County Council can make its contribution to the UK’s Carbon Reduction targets.

25 July 2019, North Tyneside Council, England, UK, population 205,985

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Agenda item is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

It is recommended that Council:
1.notes the significant progress made to date by the Authority in reducing carbon dioxide emissions;
2.agrees that the Authority:
a.declares a climate emergency;
b.seeks to halve the Authority’s and the Borough’s carbon footprint by 2023, four years ahead of the current target;
c.commits that itself and Borough will be carbon neutral by 2050 in line with the national target;and
3.notes that Cabinet will receive an update report within six months.
4.requests the Elected Mayor to instructthe Head of Environment, Housing and Leisure, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport to:
a.publish an annual report on the Authority’s website that details performance against carbon reduction targets;
b.include young people in the development, delivery and review of actions, ensuring that they have a voice in shaping the future;
c.work with partners across the Borough and region to deliver this new goal through all relevant strategies and plans;
d.call on Central Government to provide powers and resources to reduce carbon emissions;
e.ensure that all strategic decisions, budgets and approaches to planning decisions are in line with this climate emergency declaration; and
f.ensure that the Authority Senior Leadership Team embed carbon reduction work across the Authority and take responsibility for reducing, as rapidly as possible, the carbon emissions resulting from the Authority’s activities.

25 July 2019, Mid Suffolk District Council, England, UK, population 102,493

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Agenda Item 14a is here. Minutes are here.

This Council pledges to:
1. Declare a climate emergency.
2. Set up a Task Force, commencing by September 2019, to examine ways in which Babergh & Mid Suffolk Councils will respond to the climate change challenge on a spend to save basis, with the ambition to make Babergh & Mid Suffolk Councils carbon neutral by 2030.
3. To work with partners across the county and region, including the LEP and the Public Sector Leaders, towards the aspiration of making the county of Suffolk carbon neutral by 2030.
4. To work with Government to
a) deliver its 25-year Environment Plan and
b) increase the powers and resources available to local authorities in order to make the 2030 target easier to achieve

25 July 2019, South Hams District Council, England, UK, population 86,221

Declared a Climate Change and Biodiversity Emergency
PROGRESS SO FAR:
19 December 2019: updated Action Plan
15 January 2020: threw out plans for a new gas power plant on the basis that it contradicted their policy of declaring a ‘climate emergency’.

motion text
Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

RESOLVED
1.That both a Climate Change and Biodiversity Emergency be declared;
2.That an Action Plan be developed that outlines how the Council will address the Emergencies and meet or exceed the targets set by the Intergovernmental Panel on ClimateChange (IPCC), including an assessment of the viability of a 2030 target and respond to the concerns raised by the IPBES report on global species and habitat loss to be brought to Council for approval within 6 months;
3.That the Council commit to collaborating with Devon County Council, all the Devon District Councils, Plymouth City Council and other agencies to address the Emergencies;
4.That the Action Plan identify Key Performance Indicators measured against any relevant national standards;
5.That a politically balanced Climate Change and Biodiversity Working Group be established that comprises of 6 Members, with the Group Leaders being given delegated authority to put forward their respective nominations afterthis meeting, with the Group being chaired by the lead Executive Member for Climate Change;
6.That the Working Group be instructed, at its first meeting, to consider the setting up of a Citizens’ Assembly and to submit a recommendation to the next Council meeting to be held on 26 September 2019 and that prior to that it be submitted to the September meetings of the Executive andOverview and Scrutiny Panel for comment; and
7.That the Council takes steps to reinforce its Joint Local Plan Policies in respect of wildlife and biodiversity through the Supplementary Planning Document to require developers to demonstrate biodiversity gain as part of any relevant planning application so that there is a robust and consistent basis to assess and secure meaningful biodiversity enhancements having regard to a mitigation hierarchy, namely to avoid impact first, provide mitigation where there is unavoidable harm and, in the event that there is no alternative, provide compensatory measures as a last resort.

25 July 2019, Telford & Wrekin Council, England, UK, population 166,800

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date for council operations and the entire borough

motion text
Agenda Item 13 is here.
Excerpt:
This Council resolves to declare a Climate Emergency and to:
– Make a commitment for the Council’s operations and activities to be carbon neutral by 2030;
– Work with partners to identify and implement adaptation and mitigation measures to deal with the effects of the onging changes in climate;
– Collaborate and engage with residents, partners and businesses in Telford & Wrekin and at a regional and national level to achieve our aspiration for the borough to be carbon neutral by 2030 –making sure we take communities with us, protect employment and without impoverishing our most deprived communities;
– Measure our current carbon footprint as a baseline to enable us to report on progress;
– Set up a partnership to develop an action plan to move this declaration to delivery

25 July 2019, Staffordshire County Council, England, UK, population 875,219

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Agenda Item 6 is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

This County Council therefore:
– Calls upon Her Majesty’s Government to explore supporting domestic implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals through funded partnership roles within each local authority area;
– Encourages councils to continue their work on linking their local priorities with the overall ambitions of the SDGs;
– Declares a ‘Climate Emergency’, and commits to supporting Staffordshire councils in their work to tackle climate change by providing a strong unified voice for councils in lobbying for support to address this emergency, and sharing best practice; and
– The county council refreshes the good work of Hard Rain, Hard Rain 2 and Green Shoots to meet these new targets and sharebest practice across all councils.

25 July 2019, Woking Borough Council, England, UK, population 101,167

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date for council operations

motion text
Agenda Item 16e is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

Council therefore resolves to:
– Declare a Climate Emergency;
– Pledge to make Woking Borough Council, its wholly-owned companies and contractors carbon neutral by 2030;
– Call on the Government to provide the powers and resources to make the 2030 target possible;
– Ask the Climate Change Working Group to oversee a plan to deliver the 2030 target and report to Full Council in 6 months on immediate and longer term actions to be taken.

25 July 2019, Cullompton Town Council, England, UK, population 8,499

Daclared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Agenda Item 5 is here.

RECOMMENDATION:
That Cullompton Town Council signs up to the Devon Climate Declaration and prepares a climate change declaration for Cullompton in response to a climate emergency.

26 July 2019, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, England, UK, population 2,800,000

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
GMCA announcement with link to motion is here.
Excerpt:

That the GMCA declare a ‘climate emergency’ to support the delivery of the GM 5 Year Environment Plan.

29 July 2019, Vale of Glamorgan Council, Wales, UK, population 132,165

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 zero carbon emissions target date

motion text
Agenda Item 5 is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

This Council therefore resolves to:
1. Join with Welsh Government and other councils across the UK in declaring a global ‘climate emergency’ in response to the findings of the IPCC report.
2. Reduce its own carbon emissions to net zero before the Welsh Government target of 2030 and support the implementation of the Welsh Government’s new Low Carbon Delivery Plan, to help achieve the Welsh Government’s ambition for the public sector in Wales to be carbon neutral.
3. Make representations to the Welsh and UK Governments, as appropriate, to provide the necessary powers, resources and technical support to local authorities in Wales to help them successfully meet the 2030 target.
4. Continue to work with partners across the region to develop and implement best practice methods that can deliver carbon reductions and help limit global warming.
5. Work with local stakeholders including Councillors, residents, young people, businesses, and other relevant parties to develop a strategy in line with a target of net zero emissions by 2030 and explore ways to maximise local benefits of these actions in other sectors such as employment, health, agriculture, transport and the economy.

30 July 2019, Uttlesford District Council, England, UK, population 89,179

Declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Motion text in agenda Item 10 is here. Minutes are here.

This Council is resolved:
1. To declare a Climate and Ecological Emergency, acting now to prevent a climate and ecological catastrophe that will greatly impact our children, grandchildren and future generations
2 . To commit to achieving net-zero carbon status by 2030 and protecting and enhancing bio-diversity by:
· requesting the Cabinet Member for Environment and Green Issues to establish an Energy and Climate Change Working Group of Cabinet
· working collaboratively across the Council and engaging with individuals, community groups, businesses and other partners in the district, including young people who should have a voice to help shape our future
· lobbying Central Government to urgently provide funding and implement necessary policy changes
· producing a bold plan of action that is realistic, measurable and deliverable
· ensuring significant progress has been made to deliver the action plan by April 2023

30 July 2019, Stratford-upon-Avon Town Council, England, UK, population 27,445

Unanimously declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Minutes P3 are here.

RESOLVED: That Stratford-upon-Avon Town Council would:
i. Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’ as a pledge in moving to carbon neutral targets;
ii Convene a Task & Finish Group to work with officers, representatives of local environmental groups, residents and businesses that will report to Council within 6 months on what actions must be taken which should include how to achieve behavioural change;
iii. Acting within its powers and responsibilities, set targets to measure its effectiveness;
iv. To develop a communication strategy to convey to residents the severity of the situation and the ways people and businesses can take independent action to cut greenhouse gas emissions;
v. Lobby Government to provide the powers and resources needed to address the issue.

31 July 2019, Horsforth Town Council, England, UK, population 18,895

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date. Agenda Item 16 is here.

31 July 2019, Nailsea Town Council, England, UK, population 15,630

Declared a Climate Emergency. Minutes P1-2 are here.

1 August 2019, Kenilworth Town Council, England, UK, population 22,413

Declared a Climate Emergency. Council press release is here. Minutes are here.

5 August 2019, Uckfield Town Council, England, UK, population 14,493

Declared a Climate Emergency
Minutes are here.

6 August 2019, Tendring District Council, England, UK, population 145,803

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Agenda item P69-70 is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

It is therefore proposed that this Council:
1 Declares a Climate Emergency and instructs the Chief Executive to prepare an Action Plan for consideration by Cabinet and recommendation to the Full Council to form part of the Policy Framework, as soon as practicable with the aim of activities of the Council being carbon neutral by 2030.
2 Instructs the Chief Executive to draw up the Action Plan in two parts,
o Part 1 setting out clear research and evidence as to what the Council’s Carbon footprint is and precisely how it is composed and setting out costed actions and policies together with appropriate milestones to make the Council’s activities carbon neutral by 2030
o Part 2 setting out community leadership actions to influence and encourage partners, businesses, community groups and individuals across Tendring to join the Council in striving to achieve carbon neutrality for the District as a whole.
3 Calls on the UK Government to provide the powers, resources and help with funding to achieve carbon neutrality and to call on local MPs to do likewise.
4 Authorises the Chief Executive to use the £150,000 allocated by the last Cabinet meeting to a Climate Emergency budget to enable specialist advice to be obtained to complete the essential research to establish the Council’s Carbon footprint to be carried out and to provide the capacity to enable a comprehensive and costed Action Plan to be prepared for agreement by full Council as set out above.
5 Notes that the Leader will form a Working Party to oversee and work alongside officers to prepare the Action Plan, to be established in accordance with Article 7.7 of the Constitution, which will be broadly politically balanced, and that the Leader of each political Group on the Council will be invited to join the Working Party or to nominate a representative.

6 August 2019, Craven District Council, England, UK, population 56,832

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Agenda item 8a is here.
Excerpt:

Full Council resolves to:
1. Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’;
2. Pledge to make the District of Craven carbon neutral by 2030, taking into account both production and consumption emissions (scope 1, 2 and 3)5;
3. Call on Westminster to provide the powers and resources to make the 2030 target possible;
4. Work with other governments (both within the UK and internationally) to determine and implement best practice methods to limit Global Warming to less than 1.5°C;
5. Work with partners in Craven and across the region to deliver this new goal through all relevant strategies and plans;
6. Report within six months the actions the Council will take to address this emergency.

12 August 2019, Honiton Town Council, England, UK, population 11,822

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Agenda text is here. Minutes are here.

Members resolve to declare a Climate Emergency.
As a result of this HTC will set up a working party with all interested people and groups to make Honiton a Carbon Neutral Town by 2030.

12 August 2019, Ilfracombe Town Council, England, UK, population 11,184

Declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency

motion text
Minutes Item 4971 are here.

that Ilfracombe Town Council declare a climate and ecological emergency;and that Ilfracombe Town Council intend to sign the Devon Climate Declarationshould resources be agreed to produce the action plan.

13 August 2019, Rothwell Town Council, England, UK, population 7,694

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Minutes are here.

Council agreed the following:
The Town Council agree that there is an international and national climate emergency as defined and agreed by many august bodies
The Council will appoint a sub-committee of Councillors to explore the ways that Rothwell Town Council may take effective steps to achieve the aim of making Rothwell the “greenest town in Northamptonshire”. The sub-committee will take evidence from informed and interested parties with their recommendations regarding the practical steps that Rothwell Town Council could take to achieve the aim of making Rothwell the “greenest town in Northamptonshire.

16 August 2019, Hunstanton Town Council, England, UK, population 4,229

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Agenda item P2 here.
Minutes are here.

27 August 2019, East Lothian Council, Scotland, UK, population 105,790

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Minutes are here.

“There is a global climate emergency. The evidence is irrefutable and the science is clear. Warnings have been issued about the damage human beings are causing to the planet and how that damage has accelerated over the past 50 years.
“The impacts of climate change are having a serious effect on our communities.
“We believe that it’s not too late for us to turn things around but to do so requires transformative change and action now.
“East Lothian Council therefore resolves to;-
“Declare a Climate Emergency that requires urgent action to make all our Council Services net Zero Carbon as soon as reasonably practicable or in any case by 2045 and to lobby, support and work with all relevant agencies, partners and communities to fulfil this commitment. East Lothian Council will also commit to work with our communities and partners towards making East Lothian a carbon neutral county as well as enabling the county to deliver its part of wider national and international commitments.”

27 August 2019, Falkirk Council, Scotland, UK, population 160,340

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Minutes P42 are here.

The Executive:-
(1)recognised that climate change is an emergency and noted the urgent need for action to address existing negative impacts such as extreme weather, fires, droughts, floods and loss of habitat and indeed species. The Executive understands the impact of Global Warming and the enormous harm that a 2 degrees centigrade average rise in global temperatures is likely to cause, compared with a 1.5 degrees centigrade rise;
(2)agreed to declare a Climate Emergency immediately and to continue with the excellent work already underway in Falkirk Council and push towards increasing our efforts to reduce our carbon emissions to net zero by 2030, while making Grangemouth our first carbon neutral town;
(3)noted that the Council would continue to embed climate change throughout the organisation via our Corporate Sustainability Working Group, accompanied with raising climate change to a ‘high’ level within our corporate risk register;
(4)agreed to create a network of climate champions throughout the organisational structure and in partnership with Elected Members. This would be complemented by our Climate Week itinerary, which would see the climate change team run several workshops and activities across the second week in October. These would be themed around areas of our carbon footprint to increase awareness within the organisation of the impact that we as a Council make;
(5)requested a review, with the aim of establishing meaningful carbon reduction targets aligned with the Scottish Government’s ambitious targets which would aid the Council in achieving net zero. Targets would also be reviewed by Service area to ensure a whole organisational approach;
(6)noted the undertaking of large scale actions to reduce the carbon impact within the Falkirk area through the Growth and Investment Deal which would look at energy and carbon reduction projects;
(7)noted the continued development of our suite of projects aimed at reducing the Council’s carbon impact;
(8)noted the focus on increasing Biodiversity through our aim to plant 40,000 new trees and our peat bog restoration project within the area, to mitigate our climate impact and improve air quality;
(9)requested a review of how the climate is changing for the Falkirk area and the development of a strategy on how the Council can help adapt our services and spaces to ensure that the Council area remains a pleasant place to live, work and visit, and
(10) requested that the Director of Development Services provide information on what actions the Council is taking in relation to climate change and what information can be promoted to individuals. The information to be presented either within a report on the Economic Partnership and Growth Deal or as a standalone item.

28 August 2019, Northam Town Council, England, UK, population 7,489

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Minutes are here.

Northam Town Council declares aclimateemergencyand commits to producing an action plan within six months with the aim of securingnet zero carbon emissions relating to the Council’s buildings and assets by 2030and achievingsignificant carbon reductions in Northam parish by the same date.”Proposed: Cllr Chalmers, Seconded: Cllr Shelley (majority in favour, 2 votes against)

29 August 2019, Corby Borough Council, England, UK, population 70,827

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Motion in agenda is here.
Excerpt:

CBC commit to
– Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’;
– Call on Westminster to provide powers and resources to make the 2030 target possible;
– Work with other governments (both within the UK and internationally) todetermine and implement best practice methods to limit Global Warming to less than 1.5°C;
– Continue to work with partners across the townand region to deliver this new goal through all relevant strategies and plans;
– End Council andPension Fundinvestment in fossil fuels within three years;
– Report to Council within six months the actions thatwewill take to address this emergency.
MOVER –Councillor Mark Pengelly
SECONDER –Councillor Judy Caine

29 August 2019, Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council, England, UK, population 285,372

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Notice of motion is here.
[Motion text here when minutes are published]

3 September 2019, Moretonhampstead Parish Council, England, UK, population 1,703

Declared a Climate Emergency. Minutes are here.

3 September 2019, Kings Langley Parish Council, England, UK, population 5,214

Declared a Climate Emergency on 3 September 2019
Population: 5,214
Article: https://www.mynewsmag.co.uk/eco-friendly-kings-langley-parish-council-make-strides-in-combating-the-climate-emergency/

motion text
Minutes are here.

The Council agreed to pass the following motion:“Kings Langley Parish Council (KLPC) joins other councils at all levels of Local Government in declaring a climate emergency that requires urgent planning and action, and commits to work towards reducing carbon emissions across the full range of council activities to net zero by the end of budget year 2029/30, this to include the production of a strategy and action plan to make the activities of KLPC carbon neutral by 2030 in accordance with the IPCC recommendation. In so doing, the Parish Council will support Dacorum Borough Council in its efforts to do the same.

4 September 2019, Kingsteignton Town Council, England, UK, population 10,600

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Minutes are here.

Resolved:
• That Kingsteignton Town Council acknowledge the Climate Emergency
• That Cllrs Thorne, Khan and Laws network and report back to the Full Council on issues

4 September 2019, Test Valley Borough Council, England, UK, population 125,169

Declared a Climate Emergency
PROGRESS SO FAR:
November 2019: 18 new EV charging points installed by council
Minutes are here.

4 September 2019, Middlesbrough Borough Council, England, UK, population 138,400

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Minutes are here.

Middlesbrough Council notes:
That the impacts of climate breakdown are already causing serious damage around the world.That the ‘Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 C’ published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in October 2018 describes the enormous harm that a 2C average rise in global temperatures is likely to cause and confirms that limiting Global Warming to 1.5C may be possible with ambitious action from national sub national authorities, civil society and the private sector.
There is still the opportunity to address the changing climate and ensure future generations have a sustainable environment. Strong policies to cut emissions have associated health, wellbeing and economic benefits and in recognisingthis over a hundred local authorities and the LGA Conference have already passed Climate Emergency motions. The UN and WHO have declared that we have eleven years to address the problems. Beyond that the effects may be irreversible.Middlesbrough has already taken steps to address its obligations in relation to climate change through adopting the One Planet Living approach to sustainable living.
‘This Council aspires to:
●make Council activities zero carbon by 2030
●achieve 100% clean energy acrossthe Council’s full range of functions by 2030
●ensure that all strategic decisions are in line with a shift to zero carbon by 2030 declare a ‘Climate Emergency’ that requires urgent action
●proactively include young people in the process ensuring thatthey have a voice in shaping the future
●continue to use the One Planet Living approach to sustainable living setting an annual plan and actions that assist in reducing greenhouse gas emissions whilst also creating and maintaining sustainable communities
●continue to work with partners across the town and region to deliver this new goal through all relevant strategies and plans including the delivery of the One Planet Living Action Plan.
●Call on the UK Government to provide power and resources to make the 2030 target possible

4 September 2019, Welcombe Parish Council, England, UK, population 187

Declared a Climate Emergency
Minutes are here.

4 September 2019, Martlesham Parish Council, England, UK, population 5,478

Declared a Climate Emergency
Council webpage is here.
From minutes:

RESOLUTION C2019/9x: To ratify the Climate Emergency Report and in line with principle authorities and nearby councils, declare a Climate Emergency. Agreed.

5 September 2019, Bude & Stratton Town Council, England, UK, population 9,242

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Notice of motion in Agenda is here.

To consider the motion that Bude-Stratton Town Council declares a climate emergency and pledges to work towards making Bude-Stratton carbon neutral by 2030; as a first step BSTC will work with the local community to develop an action plan and report back to Full Council in 6 months’ time.

5 September 2019, Angus Council, Scotland, UK, population 116,040

Declared a Climate Emergency but removed targets from the original proposed motion

motion text
Motion Item 4 in Agenda is here. Minutes showing amended motion text are here.

COUNCILLOR MCLAREN, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR SPEED, MOVED AS AN AMENDMENT, THAT THIS COUNCIL:-
(I)DECLARES A CLIMATE EMERGENCY AND RECOGNISES THE IMPACT ON LIFE FOR NOW AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. THIS COUNCIL RECOGNISESTHE WORK OF OUR CLIMATE CHANGE MOG,ITS ONGOING WORK NOW AND FROM PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS;
(II)RECOGNISES WORK ONCARBON REDUCTION INCLUDING STREET LIGHTING, IN-HOUSE HEATING AND IMPROVED RECYCLING AS AN AREA WE HAVE IMPROVED THE QUALITYOF LIFE FOR ANGUSRESIDENTS;
(III)AGREES THAT THE MEMBER OFFICER GROUP RETAINS ITS CURRENT SUCCESSFUL FORMAT AND MEETS AT AGREED SCHEDULE TO DISCUSS EXTENDING THE CURRENT CALENDAR;
(IV)NOTES THE NINE POINT PLAN AND THAT THE MOG WILL DECIDE WHAT WILL BE TAKEN FORWARD FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION; AND
(V)THIS AMENDMENT BUILDS ON THE GOOD WORK OF ANGUS COUNCIL, THECONTINUED MOG AND ITS CURRENT AMBITION TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS NOW AND INTHE FUTURE.
Carried

6 September 2019, Stapleford Town Council, England, UK, population 15,241

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Article with motion text is here.
Excerpt:

To facilitate the reduction of carbon emissions, Stapleford Town Council is resolved to:
1. Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’.
2. To lead by example by pro-actively reducing our CO2 emissions as an organisation. Commit to Stapleford Town Council being carbon neutral by 2027, in line with Broxtowe borough Councils commitment. This Target will take into account both production and consumption emissions (scope 1, 2 and 3 of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol in references and notes).
3. Form a Climate Emergency committee to produce a draft plan within six months, setting out the immediate actions the Council can take to address this emergency and report progress twice yearly towards meeting the 2027 target.
4. Seek ways to facilitate and encourage our community in reducing direct and indirect CO2 emissions to less than 2 tonnes per person per year by 2027. This will be incorporated into the Neighbourhood Plan. We will take active steps where possible to encourage:
a) More sustainable transport and more local facilities to reduce the need to travel.
b) Reductions in energy use in homes, businesses and elsewhere
c) Co-operation with organisations seeking to develop low carbon and community-led affordable housing in Stapleford
d) Use and development of renewable energy sources
e) Production, sale and consumption of locally sourced food
f) Reduction in consumption of animal products
5.To work with partners across the town and beyond to influence the policies of other organisations to encourage them to reduce their emissions.
6. Actively lobby the Government to provide the additional powers and resources needed to meet the 2027 target

9 September 2019, Yatton Parish Council, England, UK, population 7,552

Declared a Climate Emergency. Agenda item is here. Minutes are here.

9 September 2019, Long Ashton Parish Council, England, UK, population 6,044

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 Carbon neutral target date

motion text
Minutes are here.

It was RESOLVED that:
This council recognises the climate emergency that exists, and pledges to do whatever is in its power to make the civil parish of Long Ashton carbon neutral by 2030. To facilitate this, we will:
– Initiate and support a forum where Councillors and stakeholders can agree changes to the Council and community that help us to meet this goal.
– Place the “Climate Emergency” on the agenda of future council meetings, so that we can regularly consider all recommendations from the forum and review our progress.
– Actively support NSC’s climate change strategy and work with neighbouring Parish Councils and government departments where appropriate.
Proposed by Cllr McQuillan and seconded by Cllr Cartman.
All in favour.

9 September 2019, Chesham Town Council, England, UK, population 21,483

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Minutes are here.

The Council agrees to note that:
(a) the recent 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report 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;
(b) all governments (national, regional and local) have a duty to limit the negative impacts on climate breakdown. UK county, district and local councils need to commit to realistic reduction targets and carbon neutrality as quickly as possible;
(c) the Local Government Association has voted to “declare a climate emergency and commits to supporting councils in their work to tackle climate change”
In light of the above, the Council therefore agrees to:
(1) Join other councils in declaring a Climate Emergency;
(2) use all practical means to reduce any negative impact of Council services on the environment, with an aspiration to be carbon neutral by 2030;
(3) ask officers to ensure that specific consideration is given to how policies and our related decisions and actions, affect our contribution to climate change, and take action as appropriate;
(4) continue to work with partners (including local residents and businesses) inside and outside the community to deliver widespread carbon reductions.

10 September 2019, Kempston Town Council, England, UK, population 19,330

Declared a Climate Emergency. Agenda is here.

10 September 2019, South Staffordshire Council, England, UK, population 112,126

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Agenda Item 14 is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:
Note: the 2030 date was removed via an amendment before the motion was passed.

Council therefore agrees to:
1. Join other Councils in declaring a Climate Emergency, and commit to the vision of carbon neutrality by 2030 at the latest.
2. Continue to call on Westminster to provide the necessary powers and resources to make local action on climate change easier.
3. Encourage this Council to explore the expansion of community energy to keep the benefits of our local energy generation in our local economy.
4. Continue to work with partners anchored in the area to deliver carbon reductions and grow the local economy.
5. Establish a Citizens Assembly made up of a representative range of our citizens to establish the facts and make recommendations for our council

10 September 2019, Tavistock Town Council, England, UK, population 11,018

Declared a Climate Emergency. Minutes are here.

11 September 2019, Faringdon Town Council, England, UK, population 7,121

Declared a Climate Emergency. Council announcement is here. Minutes are here.

11 September 2019, Sticklepath Parish Council, England, UK, population 450

Declared a Climate Emergency. Minutes are here.

11 September 2019, Overton Parish Council, England, UK, population 4,315

Declared a Climate Emergency
Minutes are here.

11 September 2019, Oldham Council, England, UK, population 235,623

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2025 carbon neutral target date for council

motion text
Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

This Council therefore resolves to:
· Declare a Climate Emergency and publicise why this declaration has been made to the people of our Borough, our media outlets and our statutory, voluntary and business sector partners to enlist their support in taking collective action in addressing climate change.
· Solicit the views and ideas of our staff, elected members, our partners and the general public in helping to craft a new Climate Change Strategy to replace our current strategy in 2020.
· Identify clearly within this Strategy the ambition for this Council to become carbon-neutral by 2025.
· Sign up to the UK100 Pledge to commit to consuming energy from renewable sources, including renewable energy generated by the Council itself.
· Re-establish a cross-party Climate Change Strategy Group to oversee the delivery of the new strategy in partnership with the Deputy Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Resources and Low Carbon.
· Ask the Chief Executive to write to the relevant Ministers, the Mayor of Greater Manchester and the Leaders of the other Greater Manchester authorities seeking their endorsement of our Climate Emergency declaration and our ambition to become carbon-neutral and requesting of central government the powers and financial resources to enable us to become carbon-neutral.

12 September 2019, Aylesbury Town Council, England, UK, population 58,740

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Agenda Item 10 is here.

CLIMATE EMERGENCY
Motion proposed by Cllr M Willis
“This council recognises the climate emergency and the serious consequences that climate change will have on the planet and all our lives as custodians.
This council will work towards being Carbon Neutral by 2030 and will lobby higher councils and government for the resources and help to achieve this ambitious target.
As council services develop and change the environmental impact of operations should be part of designing how these services are delivered.
The council will publicise more environmentally conscious ideas to encourage waste reduction and environmental awareness”.

16 September 2019, Rother District Council, England, UK, population 95,656

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Agenda Item 12 is here.

1. Declare a ‘climate emergency’.
2. Pledge to do what is within our powers, to make Rother District carbon neutral by 2030, taking into account both production and consumption emissions.
3. Call on the Government to provide the powers and resources necessary for Rother District to achieve the target of becoming carbon neutral by 2030, and to implement best practice methods to limit global warming to 1.5ºC.
4. Report to full Council within six months with an Action Plan, outlining how the Council will address this emergency. The Carbon Neutral 2030 Action Plan will detail the leadership role Rother District will take in promoting community, public, business and other Council partnerships to achieve this commitment throughout the District. The Action Plan will also outline adequate staff time and resources to undertake the actions to achieve the target.
5. To investigate all possible sources of external funding and match funding to support this commitment.
6. Identify citizens across Rother who are climate champions for their communities and to use them to inform on ideas to implement locally.

16 September 2019, Weston-super-Mare Town Council, England, UK, population 76,143

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Agenda Item 10 is here.
Minutes are here.

16 September 2019, Walsall Council, England, UK, population 283,378

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Motion text is here.
[minutes here when available]

17 September 2019, Trowbridge Town Council, England, UK, population 33,108

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Minutes are here.

RESOLVED:ThatTrowbridge Town Council To Declare A Climate Emergency

17 September 2019, East Harptree Parish Council, England, UK, population 644

Declared a Climate Emergency. Council article is here. Minutes are here.

18 September 2019, Southampton Council, England, UK, population 269,781

Declared a Climate Emergency
Minutes are here.

18 September 2019, Westminster City Council, England, UK, population 255,324

Declared a Climate Emergency, and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date for council operations and 2040 for the council area

motion text
Agenda item is here.
Minutes are here.

18 September 2019, Waverley Borough Council, England, UK, population 125,610

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Agenda item is here. Minutes are here.

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 with 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.

18 September 2019, Aylesbury Vale District Council, England, UK, population 199,448

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Agenda item is here.

It is now clear that the world has less than 12 years to switch from fossil fuels to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Reducing use and switching to clean energy will also increase energy security, improve air quality, minimise fuel poverty, boost the local economy and provide employment/training opportunities.
This Council therefore declares a climate emergency and commits to asking the future Buckinghamshire Unitary Authority to become carbon neutral by 2030.

18 September 2019, Hertsmere Borough Council, England, UK, population 104,205

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Agenda item P215 is here. Minutes are here.

Proposed by: Councillor Briski Seconded by: Councillor Mortimer
“This Council acknowledges the scientific consensus on the effects of anthropogenic climate change and recognises this Authority’s role in mitigating the impact of the impending climate disaster. This Council hereby declares a climate emergency in recognition of the catastrophic effect of changing weather patterns and this Motion will direct the policy of this Authority as follows:
1. This Council is committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions in all its operations as soon as reasonably possible and no later than 2050. This commitment to reducing carbon emissions will be reflected in all future tenders and this Authority will engage with its supply chain to reduce the carbon emissions from its operations.
2. This Council recognises the irreversible damage already caused to global climate systems and the significant threat this poses to Hertsmere. As such, this Authority commits to resilience against a changing climate and the urgent need to remain conscious of this when considering matters relating to the long-term future of this Borough.
3. This Authority will explore innovative methods of reducing its carbon footprint and encourage the same when considering matters withinthis Authority’s jurisdiction.
4. The Council approves the establishment of a cross-Party Member and Officer working group to explore initiatives to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change.
5. The Council approves the establishment of a £150,000budget to fund climate change initiatives and the staffing resource for takingforward the climate change agenda.
6. The Council requests the Acting Chief Executiveand herstaffto submit a report and action plan to October 2019 Executive meeting setting out how this agendawill be taken forward.

18 September 2019, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, England, UK, population 245,199

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Excerpt:

Council therefore commits to:
1. Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’ that will require the Council to:
a. Ensure that all strategic decisions, budgets and approaches to the delivery of
its services and place making are in line with a shift for the Council to be zero
carbon in its operations by 2040.
b. Exercise its role of community leadership by supporting and working with all
other relevant agencies and bodies towards making the Borough zero carbon
through all relevant strategies, plans and shared resources by 2045.

19 September 2019, Doncaster Council, England, UK, population 310,542

Declared a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency

motion text
Excerpt:

This Council therefore:-
– Believes that climate change and sustainability are amongst the biggest issues
of the 21st Century, and the effects of manmade and dangerous climate
change are already manifestly occurring;
– Declares a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency;
– Notes that our current international targets are inadequate to respond to the
challenge of keeping global temperature rises below 1.5C; and
– Notes the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) detail that we
are already seeing the consequences of a 1°C of global warming through more
extreme weather, rising sea levels and diminishing Arctic sea ice, among other
worrying changes.
We request that Council:-
– Sets a new target and action plan for Doncaster Council to become carbon
neutral;
– Resolves to work with our partners, other Local Authorities and the Yorkshire
Region on carbon reduction projects, to ensure the UK is able to deliver on its
climate commitments;
– Resolves to put sustainability, biodiversity and carbon reduction at the heart of
this Council’s agenda going forward supporting communities, business and
individuals locally to make more sustainable choices; and
– Calls on the Government to provide the resources and powers so that
Doncaster can make its contribution to the UK’s Carbon Reduction targets.

19 September 2019, Breckland Council, England, UK, population 139,329

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

Therefore, this Council resolves to;
1. Declare a Climate Emergency;
2. Engage and work in partnership with our partners in the public, private and community sectors, including central government to facilitate bold action to ensure Breckland is able to play its role in helping the UK to deliver against the commitments made nationally and internationally at the 2015 Paris Summit;
3. Prepare an Environmental Sustainability & Climate Change Strategy in line with this pledge, and, with our partners across the community, to develop an action plan and ‘route map’ to a sustainable, low carbon future for our community;
4. Launch engagement with the public to:
– Improve “carbon literacy” of all citizens;
– Encourage and support leadership on this issue in all sectors of society;
– Obtain meaningful public input into the Breckland Environmental Sustainability & Climate Change Strategy and action planning;
– Facilitate wide community engagement and behavioural change;
5. To make best endeavours, using its powers and resources, including both financial and officer time, to enable Breckland District Council to be carbon neutral by 2030;
6. To report back every 6 months, on progress being made

19 September 2019, Epping Forest District Council, England, UK, population 131,137

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date for the area

motion text
Agenda item is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

That the Council resolves to:
(xii) declare a ‘Climate Emergency’;
(xiii) pledge to do everything within the Council’s power to make Epping Forest District Council area carbon neutral by 2030;
(xiv) call on Westminster to provide the powers and resources to make the 2030 target possible;
(xv) work with other governments (both within the UK and internationally) to determine and implement best practice methods to limit Global Warming to less than 1.5°C;
(xvi) continue to work with partners across the district and region to deliver this new goal through all relevant strategies and plans;
(xvii) in the special circumstances of this district, resolves to protect the Special Area of Conservation through the Local Plan and every other means; and
(xviii) implement an Air Quality Strategy and bring forward sustainability guidance on planning.

19 September 2019, Farnham Town Council, England, UK, population 39,488

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Agenda Item 8 is here. Minutes are here.

Farnham Town Council
i)Agrees there is a “Climate Emergency” that requires urgent action.
ii)Aims to become carbon neutral by 2030, acting directly on activities within its responsibility, and in cooperation with principal authorities where they have the mandate.
iii)Continues to review its operations and the way it delivers services, so developing an action plan to consider positive changes that wouldreduce carbon emissions.
iv)Recognises that to achieve its carbon neutral targets, it is essential for central government to provide powers, funding and other resources; so,the Council calls on UK Government and local climate change partnerships to provide the necessary support.
v)Continues to encourage the local Farnham community to take all practical steps to reduce its own carbon footprint, harmful omissions and greenhouse gasses.

19 September 2019, Congleton Town Council, England, UK, population 26,482

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2025 carbon neutral target date for council operations

motion text
Minutes Item 12 are here.

RESOLVED to
declare a climate Emergency for Congleton and to –
– Publicise this initiative to at the Congleton Green Fair on 26th October 2019;AppointCllr Margaret Gartside as Lead Councillor on Climate Emergency;
– Pledge to make Congleton Town Council carbon neutral by 2025;
– Call on Cheshire East, and the national government to provide the powers and resources to make the 2025 target possible;
– Continueto work with partners across the town and region to deliver this goal through all relevant strategies and plans;
– In all discussion, debate and decision-making procedures ensure that climate impact is thoroughly considered and recorded;
– Report to Council within three months with the initial actions the Council needs to take to address this emergency.

19 September 2019, Hyndburn Borough Council, England, UK, population 80,815

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date for council operations

motion text
Motion 8.2 in agenda is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

Council therefore commits to:
Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’ that requires urgent action.Make the Council’s activities net-zero carbon by 2030.
Achieve 100% clean energy across the Council’s full range of functions by 2030.
Ensure that all strategic decisions, budgets and approaches to planning decisions are in line with a shift to zero carbon by 2030.Support and work with all other relevant agencies towards making the entire area zero carbon within the same timescale;
Ensure that political and chief officer leadership teams embed this work in all areas and take responsibility for reducing, as rapidly as possible, the carbon emissions resulting from the Council’s activities, ensuring that any recommendations are fully costed and that the Executive and Scrutiny functions review council activities taking account of production and consumption emissions and produce an action plan within 12 months, together with budget actions and a measured baseline;
Request that Council Scrutiny Panels consider the impact of climate change and the environment when reviewing Council policies and strategies;
Work with, influence and inspire partners across the district, county and region to help deliver this goal through all relevant strategies, plans and shared resources by developing a series of meetings, events and partner workshops;
Request that the Council and partners take steps to proactively include young people in the process, ensuring that they have a voice in shaping the future;Request that the Executive Portfolio holder with responsibility for Climate Change convenes a Citizens’ Assembly in 2019 in order to involve the wider population in this process. This group would help develop their own role, identify howthe Council’s activities might be made net-zero carbon by 2030, consider the latest climate science and expert advice on solutions and to consider systematically the climate change impact of each area of the Council’s activities;
Set up a Climate Change Partnership group, involving Councillors, residents, young citizens, climate science and solutions experts, businesses, Citizens Assembly representatives and other relevant parties. Over the following 12 months, the Group will consider strategies and actions being developed by the Council and other partner organisations and develop a strategy in line with a target of net zero emissions by 2030. It will also recommend ways to maximise local benefits of these actions in other sectors such as employment, health, agriculture, transport and the economy
Report on the level of investment in the fossil fuel industry that our pensions plan and other investments have, and review the Council’s investment strategy to give due consideration to climate change impacts in the investment portfolio;
Ensure that all reports in preparation for the 2020/21 budget cycle and investment strategy will take into account the actions the council will take to address this emergency;
Call on the UK Government to provide the powers, resources and help with funding to make this possible, and ask local MPs to do likewise;
Consider other actions that could be implemented, including (but not restricted to): renewable energy generation and storage, providing electric vehicle infrastructure and encouraging alternatives to private car use, increasing the efficiency of buildings, in particular to address fuel poverty;
proactively using local planning powers to accelerate the delivery of net carbon new developments and communities, coordinating aseries of information and training events to raise awareness and share good practice;

19 September 2019, West Suffolk Council, England, UK, population 179,045

Declared a Climate Emergency
Minutes are here.

23 September 2019, Redditch Borough Council, England, UK, population 84,989

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Agenda is here.
[Minutes here when published]

24 September 2019, Louth Town Council, England, UK, population 16,419

Declared a Climate Emergency and resolved to be carbon-neutral as soon as possible

motion text
Motion text is here.

Louth Town Council was formed in a time when there was a different expectation of the role of a Council in taking climate action. This context has changed. Today we are clear there is a Climate Emergency which will require immediate and effective action. With the environment being a current topic for concern by all Councillors and residents of Louth, I ask you all to join together united and vote for this unprecedented proposal.
We believe based on the facts we know today, it would be a breach of our duties as
elected representatives of the public to continue as though there is not a Climate
Emergency. Expert opinion is that Co2 in the air has to be reduced rapidly if civilisation is to survive.
This Declaration requires that the strategy of Louth Town Council be urgently rethought in the context of a Climate Emergency. This includes a commitment to Carbon Neutrality as
soon as possible.
We must seek to apply the declaration through actions within a transition team. The
challenge is to make sure this declaration is more than just words. This will be the already established ‘Tidy Louth’ Working Group, in the context of a total commitment to doing what is required by the Climate Emergency.
There are actions we will apply but not limited to:
➢ Tree planting, (fruit and other)
➢ Planting wild flowers where possible, beneficial for insects and wildlife
➢ Environmentally focussed engagement with schools and a wide range of local groups
➢ Plastic free Louth, engagement with businesses to ban single use plastics
➢ Ban on single use plastics within Louth Town Council (e.g. single use plastic cups)
➢ The Council should have a principled approach to proposed tree felling. Any
proposed tree felling should be subject to a report from the tree officer and only be
carried out after every other avenue has first been tried
➢ The Council will commit to supporting low carbo n households
➢ The Council will commit to supporting sustainable transport
➢ Seek further expert advice from any relevant environmental campaigning groups
As a Council, by declaring Climate Emergency we not only commit to taking local
environment action, but set a precedent for other Councils and communities to follow in
our path towards one common goal.

24 September 2019, West Lothian Council, Scotland, UK, population 182,140

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Agenda item is here. Minutes are here.
Excerpt:

Council notes the impacts of climate change highlighted in the Report on Global Warming published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in October 2018 and the devastation that an average rise of 2 degrees C in global temperatures is likely to cause.
Council recognises that the world is in the midst of a climate emergency which requires urgent and meaningful action at international, national and local level in order to safeguard our planet for future generations.
Council further agrees that having more environmentally progressive policies can lead to improved health, high quality jobs and more sustainable communities.

24 September 2019, Broadhembury Parish Council, England, UK, population 654

Declared a Climate Emergency via signing on to the Devon County Council declaration. Minutes are here.

25 September 2019, Brixton Parish Council, England, UK, population 1,207

Declared a Climate Emergency via signing on to the Devon County Council declaration. Minutes Item 12 are here.

25 September 2019, Wrexham County Borough Council, Wales, UK, population 136,126

Declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Agenda P5 is here. Minutes are here.
Motion excerpt:

We call on Wrexham County Borough Council to:
1.Declare a Climate and Ecological Emergency.
2.Commit to make Wrexham County Council a net carbon free councilby 2030.
3.Develop a clear plan to become a carbon free authorityby May 2020.
4.Within 6 months developan S6 plan toenhance biodiversity inWrexham, in line with the requirements of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 .
5.Call on the Welsh Government and UK Government to provide assistance and resources to enable us to reduce GHG emissions and re-wild our countryside.
6.Work with partners across the public sector to help solve thisclimateand ecological emergency.
7.Cooperate with experts from and the third sector to develop innovative answers so that we can achieve the target of being a net carbon free authority.

[/expamd]

25 September 2019, Malvern Town Council, England, UK, population 29,626

Declared a Climate Emergency
motion text
Agenda P3 is here. Minutes are here.

It was RESOLVED
that Malvern Town Council joins with other local councils to declare a climate emergency.
It was RESOLVED that a Town Council Environmental Panel be formed to review and update the Council’s current environmental policy, explore ways of reducing its carbon footprint and to look at how local residents and businesses can be encouraged to aspire to become carbon neutral and minimise waste.
It was RESOLVED that a short-and long-term plan be drawn up by the panel and presented to Council for decision, being linked to policies within Malvern’s Neighbourhood Plan.
It was further RESOLVED to encourage local participation taking advantage of local knowledge and skills.

25 September 2019, Rossendale Borough Council, England, UK, population 70,895

Declared a Climate Emergency and set a 2030 carbon neutral target date

motion text
Agenda Item E1 can be downloaded here.
Excerpt:

Council therefore commits to:
– Declaring a ‘climate emergency’ that requires urgent action
– Working towards making the council’s activities net-zero carbon by 2030
– Setting a 100% clean energy target, across the Council’s full range of functions by 2030
– Proactively promoting the need for businesses across Rossendale to take steps to be net-zero carbon by 2030
– Writing to government asking them to bring forward new funding and devolved powers to help make the zero-carbon target a reality
– Creating a new Climate Change Member Champion who will support the relevant Portfolio Holder and Leader of the Council in delivery of the commitments
– Where necessary officer reports to Cabinet and Full Council contain impact assessments on Climate Change, including presenting alternative approaches which reduce carbon emissions where possible
– Assigning a lead officer to deliver the Council’s commitments

25 September 2019, Allerdale Borough Council, England, UK, population 97,761

Declared a Climate Emergency
Article and motion text is here.

25 September 2019, South Lanarkshire Council, Scotland, UK, population 319,020

Declared a Climate Emergency
Minutes are here.

26 September 2019, Fife Council, Scotland, UK, population 371,910

Declared a Climate Emergency
PROGRESS SO FAR:
24 October 2019: Issued draft Climate Action Plan for community consultation

motion text
Motion text P71 is here. Minutes are here.

Fife Council agrees to:
1.Declare a ‘ClimateEmergency’;
2.Work with others, taking the lead if necessary, to make Fifecarbon neutral by 2030, taking into account both production and consumption;
3.Work with partners and community groups across Fife to deliver this new goal through all relevant strategies and plans, and encourage them to adopt the likes of our Environmental Assessment passed earlier this year in the consideration of each new policy and procedure;
4.Assist communities to become more resilient to the impacts of global warming, particularly to flooding and to drought
5.Ensure that all reports in preparation for the 2020/21 budget will take into account the actions the council will take to address this emergency;
6.Report to Full Council before the end of 2019 with the actions the Council has, and will take, to address this emergency.

26 September 2019, South Kesteven District Council, England, UK, population 141,853

Declared a Climate Emergency.
Minutes are here.

26 September 2019, Buckinghamshire Council, England, UK, population 578,725

Declared a Climate Emergency

motion text
Minutes are here.

RESOLVED: Council agreed to:
1) Recognise that the rate of climate change is a global emergency.
2) Recognise that, although the UK constitutes 1% of global carbon
emissions, it must nevertheless play its part in leading the way in
promoting change both in the UK itself and, importantly, globally.
3) Note the significant progress that Buckinghamshire County Council
hasmade to date in addressing climate change.
4) Agree that the new Buckinghamshire Council should consider
addressing climate change as a key issue.
5) Acknowledge the net-zero 2050 UK target, as contained in the 2008
Climate Change Act (as amended).
6) Commission a carbon audit pre assessment to gain an insight into the
Council’s carbon usage.
7) Recommend that Cabinet should further consider this issue, including
what proposals, ahead of vesting day, the authority could implement to
support this agenda. These proposals to include using the carbon audit
gap analysis report to inform the policy decisions of the new
Buckinghamshire Council once it is established next April.

26 September 2019, Haslemere Town Council, England, UK, population 16,826

Declared a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency

motion text
Agenda Item 13 is here. Minutes are here.

In recognition of the global Climate and Biodiversity Emergency and to facilitate the reduction of greenhouse gases and conserve and promote biodiversity, Haslemere Town Council resolves to:
1) Commit to becoming a carbon-neutral organisation by 2030 including greenhouse gas emissions, with an earlier target of 2025 for all direct emissions. Set up a roadmap forachieving this aim based on an annual carbon audit (to include the Council’s own carbon footprint) by the end of the 2019 financial year;
2) Encourage and enable reduction of greenhouse gas emission and mitigation schemes within Haslemere by creating a ring-fenced environmental grants fund. The primary criterion for assessing applications to the fund should be CO2 savings per pound spent, in addition to existing Grants criteria. The initial budget will be £10,000 per financial year;
3) Seek ways to facilitate and encourage our community to reduce direct and indirect CO2 emissions and conserve and enhance biodiversity, with two objectives:
– To reduce and reverse Haslemere’s contribution to the Climate and Biodiversity Emergency;
– To improve local resilience tofuture changes caused by the changing climate;This could include:
a) use of more sustainable methods and systems of transport
b) reductions in energy use in homes, shops, businesses and elsewhere
c) co-operation with organisations seeking to develop low-carbon local housing, especially community-led, affordable and social housing
d) development and use of renewable energy sources
e) production, sale and consumption of locally sourced food
f) reduction in consumption of animal products, including those from livestock
g) adoption of wildlife-friendly land and water management practices
h) actively stopping biodiversity loss and encouraging biodiversity gain and protection of habitat
i) education within our local community, to inform and encourage actions to help resolve the problem.
The Council acknowledges that ‘business as usual’ is not an option in the face of this Climate and Biodiversity Emergency, and that society in its current form is unsustainable. To meet our obligations above we therefore resolve to assess and adjust our current activities, in terms of both their scope and undertake to lead by example.

26 September 2019, Georgeham Parish Council, England, UK, population 1,487

Declared a Climate Emergency
Minutes are here.

September 2019, North East Lincolnshire Council, England, UK, population 159,563

Declared a Climate Emergency
Council webpage is here.