Agenda item

Councillor Cathy Martyn will move:

“That this Council:

Recognises that:

1. Climate change is a reality and a word-wide effort is essential to cut greenhouse gas emissions in order to avoid a catastrophic temperature rise of more than 2 degrees.

2. The UK has a world-first Climate Change Act with a legally-binding target of an 80 per cent emissions cut by 2050, and shorter-term national carbon budgets ensuring year-on-year emissions cuts.

3.Local authorities have a big say in how we heat and power our homes and how we get around, and are vital to building low carbon communities and meeting our national climate commitments.

4. It makes good economic sense to continue to take action now to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions. If we delay acting on emissions, it will only mean more radical intervention in the future at greater cost, and larger impacts on society.

Notes that:

1. The Government has made a commitment to be the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we inherited it and we welcome the Environment (Principles and Governance) Bill, the first in over twenty years, which will be an essential step towards this goal. The Government has pledged to support increased biodiversity and thriving plants and wildlife and to continue to clean up our air and our water, creating a healthier environment.

2. This Administration will continue to commit to cutting down unnecessary resource use and waste, reducing our impact on the world and shaping a more efficient, sustainable and competitive economy. Nothing is more important than demonstrating our responsibilities to the next generation. Tackling climate change is an essential to those responsibilities. We must rise to the challenge.

3. Taking action now can also help to achieve long-term, sustainable economic growth from a low-carbon economy. Benefits of the development of green industries in the town include the potential for create well-paid, high-skilled employment locally, regionally and nationally.

Requests that the Leader of the Council:

1. Calls on the Government to provide additional powers and resources to ensure that local authorities such as Swindon Borough Council can help deliver on its ambitious targets for a reduction in Global Warming to less than 2%

2. Request the Cabinet to consider adopting a Risk Management Approach where all future Key Decisions are be considered for their impact on Climate Change and for relevant Policies to consider a sensible mix of approaches for reducing the risks and taking advantage of the opportunities presented by climate change.”

Councillor Cathy Martyn moved and Councillor Oliver Donachie seconded:

This Council recognises that:

1.      Climate change is a reality and a word-wide effort is essential to cut greenhouse gas emissions in order to avoid a catastrophic temperature rise of more than 2 degrees.

2.      The UK has a world-first Climate Change Act with a legally-binding target of an 80 per cent emissions cut by 2050, and shorter-term national carbon budgets ensuring year-on-year emissions cuts.

3.      Local authorities have a big say in how we heat and power our homes and how we get around, and are vital to building low carbon communities and meeting our national climate commitments.

4.      It makes good economic sense to continue to take action now to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions. If we delay acting on emissions, it will only mean more radical intervention in the future at greater cost, and larger impacts on society.

Notes that:

1.   The Government has made a commitment to be the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we inherited it and we welcome the Environment (Principles and Governance) Bill, the first in over twenty years, which will be an essential step towards this goal. The Government has pledged to support increased biodiversity and thriving plants and wildlife and to continue to clean up our air and our water, creating a healthier environment.

2.   This Administration will continue to commit to cutting down unnecessary resource use and waste, reducing our impact on the world and shaping a more efficient, sustainable and competitive economy. Nothing is more important than demonstrating our responsibilities to the next generation. Tackling climate change is an essential to those responsibilities. We must rise to the challenge

3.   Taking action now can also help to achieve long-term, sustainable economic growth from a low-carbon economy. Benefits of the development of green industries in the town include the potential for create well-paid, high-skilled employment locally, regionally and nationally

Requests that the Leader of the Council:

1.      Calls on the Government to provide additional powers and resources to ensure Swindon Borough Council can help deliver on national targets limiting Global Warming to 1.5°C as per the Paris agreement.

2.      Reinforces the Council’s commitment to Pledge 2.

3.      Request the Cabinet to consider adopting a policy where all future Key Decisions are considered for their alignment to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidance.

Councillor Jane Milner-Barry moved and Councillor Stan Pajak seconded that the Motion be amended to read:

That this Council recognises:

1.  Climate change is a reality and a worldwide effort is essential to cut greenhouse gas emissions in order to avoid a catastrophic temperature rise of more than 1.5°.  Humans have already caused irreversible climate change, the impacts of which are being felt around the world.  Global temperatures have already increased by 1° from pre-industrial levels.  Atmospheric CO2 levels are above 400 parts per million.  This far exceeds the 350ppm deemed to be a safe level for humanity.

2.   Local authorities have a big say in how we construct, heat and power our buildings, and how we get around, and are vital to building zero carbon communities and meeting our climate commitments.  Local governments around the world are taking action on climate change without waiting for direction from higher tiers of authority;

3.   Delaying action on greenhouse gas emissions is not an option. But it also makes good economic sense to take action now to drastically cut emissions.   Taking action now can help to achieve long-term, sustainable economic growth from a low-carbon economy. The benefits of the development of green industries in the town include the potential to create well-paid, high-skilled employment; 

4.  Swindon benefits from renewable energy on a large scale and is a hydrogen hub.  Swindon is home to many high-tech companies involved in renewable energy, energy storage and waste reduction.  Swindon is therefore well placed to be in the vanguard of the transition to a zero-carbon economy.

5.   This Administration will continue to commit to cutting down unnecessary resource use and waste, reducing our impact on the world and shaping a more efficient, sustainable and competitive economy. Nothing is more important than demonstrating our responsibilities to the next generation. Tackling climate change is essential to those responsibilities. We must rise to the challenge.

6.  Successive national governments, and the media, have not adequately informed people of the facts about climate change, the nature of the dangers it presents to their families, and the behaviour changes needed to mitigate it. 

That this Council resolves:

1.   To declare a Climate Emergency.

2.   To request the Leader commission  a report on how best to commit the council to achieving a carbon neutral Swindon by 2030, taking into account both production and consumption emissions.

3.  To call on the Government to provide additional powers and resources to ensure that local authorities such as Swindon Borough Council can help limit global temperature rise to no more than 1.5°.

4.  To require that all future policy proposals are to be accompanied by a Climate Change Impact Assessment setting out their impact on Swindon’s CO2-equivalent emissions.

5.  To set up a Working Party including representatives of Swindon Borough Council, Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership and Swindon Climate Action Network to develop an outline plan to reduce Swindon’s CO2-equivalent emissions to zero by 2030 and to submit the plan to Full Council  by 31 July 2019;  and thereafter to monitor progress and produce annual reports.

6.  To work with other authorities from parish to international level to determine and implement best practice methods to limit global warming to less than 1.5°.

7.   To work with partners across the town and region to deliver this new goal through all relevant strategies and plans.

8.   To develop our understanding of the likely impacts of climate change in Swindon and work to make the town more resilient to them;

9.   To request the cabinet member to instruct the Planning Department to investigate the extent of SBC’s planning powers and to bring forward proposals as to how to make full use of them through the revised Local Plan to bring the CO2 emissions of all new buildings both in construction and use as near zero as can be achieved;

10. To request the leader to  ask the Communications Department to report on how best to disseminate, on an ongoing priority, the facts about climate change, the nature of the dangers it presents to Swindon families, and the practical behaviour changes needed to mitigate it; 

11.  To call on the Wiltshire Pension Fund to divest the 3% of its funds which are held in fossil fuel companies.”

The amendment was put to the vote and declared lost.

At the request of the mover and seconder and with the agreement of the Council the Motion was amended to read:

This Council recognises that:

1.   Climate change is a reality and a word-wide effort is essential to cut greenhouse gas emissions in order to avoid a catastrophic temperature rise of more than 2 degrees.

2.   The UK has a world-first Climate Change Act with a legally-binding target of an 80 per cent emissions cut by 2050, and shorter-term national carbon budgets ensuring year-on-year emissions cuts.

3.   Local authorities have a big say in how we heat and power our homes and how we get around, and are vital to building low carbon communities and meeting our national climate commitments.

4.   It makes good economic sense to continue to take action now to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions. If we delay acting on emissions, it will only mean more radical intervention in the future at greater cost, and larger impacts on society.

Notes that:

1.   The Government has made a commitment to be the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we inherited it and we welcome the Environment (Principles and Governance) Bill, the first in over twenty years, which will be an essential step towards this goal. The Government has pledged to support increased biodiversity and thriving plants and wildlife and to continue to clean up our air and our water, creating a healthier environment.

2.   This Administration will continue to commit to cutting down unnecessary resource use and waste, reducing our impact on the world and shaping a more efficient, sustainable and competitive economy. Nothing is more important than demonstrating our responsibilities to the next generation. Tackling climate change is an essential to those responsibilities. We must rise to the challenge

3.   Taking action now can also help to achieve long-term, sustainable economic growth from a low-carbon economy. Benefits of the development of green industries in the town include the potential for create well-paid, high-skilled employment locally, regionally and nationally

Requests that the Leader of the Council:

1.   Calls on the Government to provide additional powers and resources to ensure Swindon Borough Council can help deliver on national targets limiting Global Warming to 1.5°C as per the Paris agreement.

2.   Reinforces the Council’s commitment to Pledge 2.

3.  Request the Cabinet to consider adopting a policy where all future Key Decisions are considered for their alignment to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidance.

4.   To establish a Climate Change Working Group to consider what additional measures the Council can take to combat climate change.

The Motion, as amended, was put to the vote and declared carried.

(Councillor Jim Robbins made a prejudicial declaration of interest in respect of this item as he was employed by a Member of the European Parliament.)