Issue - meetings

On a motion from Councillor Paul Crossley, seconded by Councillor Sarah Warren, it was

RESOLVED that

Council:

1.  Notes that, along with many other local authorities, Bath and North East Somerset Council is already taking action to achieve net zero carbon emissions and protect and revitalise local wildlife and natural habitats.

2.  Recalls that Bath and North East Somerset Council declared a Climate Emergency in March 2019 and declared an Ecological Emergency in July 2020, and also that the UK Parliament declared an Environment and Climate Emergency in May 2019.

3.  Notes that the Climate and Ecology Bill was introduced into the UK Parliament on 21 June 2021 which would, if it becomes law, require the development of a strategy to ensure that the UK’s environmental response is in line with the latest science. The strategy would ensure that:

·  the ecological crisis is tackled shoulder to shoulder with the climate crisis via a joined-up approach;

·  the Paris Agreement aim is enshrined into law to ensure that the UK does its full and fair share to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C; 

·  we halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 to ensure that the UK’s ecosystems are protected and restored;

·  the UK takes responsibility for its greenhouse gas footprint, including international aviation and shipping—and by accounting for consumption emissions related to the goods and services that are imported and consumed in the UK;

·  the UK takes responsibility for its ecological footprint in order to better protect the health and resilience of ecosystems—including along domestic and global supply chains; and

·  an independent, temporary Climate and Nature Assembly is set-up—representative of the UK population—to engage with the UK Parliament and UK Government to help develop the strategy.

Council therefore resolves to:

1.  Support the Climate and Ecology Bill.

2.  Write to the MPs for Bath and for North East Somerset letting them know that the motion has been passed, and urging them to support the Bill, or thanking them for already doing so; and

3.  Write to Zero Hour, the organisers of the cross-party campaign for the Bill, to express Bath and North East Somerset Council’s support.

[Notes;

1.  The above resolutions were carried with 35 Councillors voting in favour, and 8 Councillors voting against.]