The impact on climate change will be particularly considered when NELC makes policy decisions.
The demand has been made by the leader of the council, Philip Jackson, during a debate at a recent meeting of councillors.
A lengthy discussion was held in the chamber at Grimsby Town Hall, where members of all parties debated a Notice of Motion stating the seriousness of the climate change issue, suggesting that all NELC’s policy decisions should include consideration of climate change.
Councillor Jackson said he was happy to meet with council officers to discuss inserting specific sections about climate change into their reports.
“It’s very important to provide some leadership on this issue,” he said. “I am a science graduate and have spent quite a bit of time over the years studying climate change.
“There’s no doubt there is a lot of debate about what exactly is causing it. It’s a complicated issue. There is a lot of cycles in history where climate change has happened without any intervention.”
Questioning the wording of the Motion, which claimed North East Lincolnshire was in a ‘climate emergency’, Councillor Jackson said: “For me it’s about what to do rather than what we say.
“Declaring a climate emergency sounds good and is morally a great idea but it doesn’t actually deal with any of the issues. I’m more interested locally about what we can do – but we don’t need to declare an emergency.
“I’d like to remind us that there are policies in the Local Plan that deal with climate change issues, such as a flood risk strategy. Even if we stopped putting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere tomorrow, world temperatures will continue to rise, and the oceans will rise as well. We are doing a number of things as a local authority, like work around renewables, introducing LED street lighting, and we are talking about installing solar panels on buildings across the borough where appropriate.
“We are providing a good example and leadership. So, I’m not in favour of declaring a climate emergency; what I’m in favour of doing is practical things, like restructuring the way reports are presented. I will ask officers to add in a section on environmental and climate change implications.”
A considerable part of the debate centred on differences of opinion among members, some of whom claimed the Motion was “political posturing” from the Opposition.
“This motion is about words and sensation,” said Deputy leader Councillor John Fenty.
“I am not a climate change denier but I dispute the need to spend/waste billions trying to prove something that has been going on for billions of years. Climate change is normal.
“If you put that into historical context, pragmatically speaking it would make more sense to pledge those billions into cleaning up our act up – and we can do that.
“An explosion of population and man’s dirty ways are impacting for sure. Unless globally growth in population is controlled, there will be untold misery and mass migration. Now that’s a conundrum not for this chamber, nor is this Motion.
“It staggers me that the Lib Dems bring this motion forward but did nothing during their time while propping up Labour, who were also complicit also in doing next to nothing. I am pleased to have recently received the responsibility for renewables amongst my portfolio of responsibilities.
“So, what can we do here in the chamber? For sure, agree to do more than in the past. I have commissioned a review of council resources to underpin the council’s stated position, and for it to become carbon responsible.
“I have asked for each council building to be EPC rated. Effectively this will clarify the Energy Performance Rating of each property and give recommendations as to how they could be made more efficient to achieve a desired B rating. Naturally this will paint a picture and give a baseline from which the council can clean up its own act up.
“Importantly the council must lead in the delivery of clean efficient, energy, buildings, transport, waste collection and disposal. Use of the planning system will be important to ensure developers are encouraged to do their bit, improving energy performance of new homes and old building stock.
“Providing support to businesses, to clean their act up, is in play through the Smart Energy Programme, which sees this council leading on a £9.2-million project across greater Lincolnshire. This supports small to medium enterprises (SMEs) and the public sector to reduce their emissions and their energy bills. This project alone will deliver 2,487 tonnes of carbon emissions reductions annually.
“In the safe hands of this administration, North East Lincolnshire will never be in a climate emergency, therefore I will not be supporting this motion.
“Additionally, the reason why I say carbon responsible and not carbon neutral is that, with offshore wind carbon credits, North East Lincolnshire can declare itself carbon neutral already. Which makes this Motion an utter nonsense and not relevant to this chamber.”
The Notice of Motion was proposed by Councillor Ian Barfield, seconded by Councillor Steve Beasant, and was carried on a vote of 25 for to 12 against. Read its full text by clicking here. An amendment to the wording was proposed by Labour but not supported.
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