Environmental (Commonwealth Union)_ In a shift in green policy, two councils led by Reform UK intend to abandon climate emergency motions this week just as Britain looks to bounce back from its record-breaking June heat and hospitals groan under admissions attributed to the heatwave.
Durham County Council, which has just won an award for its carbon-cutting successes, is set to vote on Wednesday to cancel its 2019 declaration of climate emergency, a UK first if passed. This decision comes despite the council having received millions of pounds in green funding and having reduced running costs through climate measures. The motion was proposed by deputy leader Darren Grimes. At the same time, West Northamptonshire Council appears to be the first to drop its 2030 net zero target for council operations because of a necessity to focus on “practical projects.”
Climate Policy Rollback
- Durham: Risking loss of status as the “best in region” and losing external funding sources
- West Northamptonshire: Drop 2030/2045 targets even after the new strategy was signed off
- Kent: The largest council of Reform will cut net zero projects to pay for “essential services.”
Record-breaking climate alerts inform the choices. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband employed the UK’s inaugural yearly “state of the climate” speech before parliament to bemoan “betrayal of future generations,” as Met Office statistics cemented England’s hottest June on record intensified A&E emergencies and farm disasters. “We’re getting beyond the envelope of what we’ve been used to,” said Met Office expert Mike Kendon, cautioning of the perilous speeding up of extremes.
Opponents argue Reform councils are as much about politics as good governance. “They’re not putting locals first-they are auditioning for HQ,” accused Isaac Beevor of Climate Emergency UK, pointing out councils have direct control over 30% of local emissions through housing, transport and energy policies. Things took a turn for the worse after Nottinghamshire’s Reform environment lead Bert Bingham made the spurious claim man-made global heating during a debate on climate targets.
The councils say they are still intent on being sustainable, but not “symbolic” targets. West Northamptonshire leader Mark Arnull vowed “practical, high-impact projects”, while Durham’s former climate lead Mark Wilkes cautioned scrapping emissions plans will miss out on cost-saving measures and green investment.
Since 2018, more than 300 councils across the UK have issued climate emergencies, raising the question of whether residents suffering from the effects of a warming climate will embrace this shift or oppose it fiercely.
The switch to a green policy has long been debated, with proponents often pointing toward an urgent need to combat global warming; however, opponents have often argued that alternative energy sources are insufficient to meet the needs of consumers. Wider discussions and research are therefore necessary to tackle these concerns from both sides.
