Agenda item

To receive a presentation by Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency and Neighbourhood Services, Councillor Sarah Warren and Jane Wildblood, Corporate and Community Sustainability Manager.  The presentation will include a response to the question raised by Ubley Parish Council regarding the Council’s position on the Bristol Airport Expansion in light of the resolution made to declare a climate emergency.

Jane Wildblood, Corporate and Community Sustainability Manager, gave a presentation regarding climate change.  The following issues were covered in the presentation:

·  The IPCC Report 2018 – this identified a need for a 45% cut in CO2 emissions by 2030 to get back on track and to avoid a potential temperature increase of 3 degrees or more which would be catastrophic.

·  At its meeting on 14 March 2019 B&NES Council declared a Climate Emergency.  The Council will identify work that can be carried out across all Council functions to reduce emissions and to enable a carbon neutral B&NES by 2030.  The Council also opposed the expansion of Bristol Airport.

·  An action plan will now be prepared for consideration at the October Council meeting.

·  The domestic sector is the largest producer of emissions at 38%.  The challenges include older housing stock; oil fuelled heating and retro fitting listed properties.

·  There are actions that could be taken to improve the situation such as considering what we eat, what we buy and how much we fly.  Also how land is managed and how much tree cover we have in the UK.

·  B&NES will build on the action plan year on year and a new Cabinet member role has been created with responsibility for Climate Emergency and Neighbourhood Services.  New ideas are coming forward and plans are being considered to create a citizens’ engagement programme to take this forward.

·  Two parishes have already declared a Climate Emergency and if others wish to also consider doing this then Jane Wildblood has details of the wording that could be used and can assist with this process.  Parishes have an important role to play and some may wish to consider the use of wind power for example.

Ubley Parish Council raised the issue of the Bristol Airport expansion.  There is already a Parish Council’s Airport Association (PCAA).  There are significant issues in North Somerset with the airport expansion.  It was pointed out that only 12% of people flying from Bristol Airport use public transport whereas at Gatwick it is 60%.  Better public transport links are required.

Cllr Karen Warrington explained that the Chew Valley area is opposed to the airport expansion both for climate change and transport reasons.  Expansion would cause a knock on effect to daily life in rural villages.

Keynsham Town Council explained that the application for expansion included a proposal to include more airport care parking in the Green Belt.  The parishes were asked to support the PCAA in opposing it.

Cllr Wait noted that people could pay a surcharge to offset the emissions caused by travel.  However, Jane Wildblood urged caution with regard to carbon offsetting as it does not reduce carbon going in the atmosphere - a systematic change is needed.  She said that the report to Council will set out what can be done at a local level to help and also what individuals can do.

A copy of the presentation slides is attached as Appendix 1 to these minutes.