Civic leaders in Stroud have joined calls for the creation of new taskforce to be established to tackle climate change.
Stroud District Council passed a motion to add their voice to calls by the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport and others for a joint local and national government task force to plan action to reach ‘net zero’ emissions.
They say such a partnership can set regulations, benchmarks and targets and create the much-needed long-term funding mechanisms to allow local communities to decarbonise while remaining resilient and sustainable.
Councillors agreed to write to Alok Sharma MP who is the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference president, the Prime Minister, and the leadership of the LGA.
They will inform them of their support for a joint local and national government climate change taskforce and ask for one to be established as soon as possible.
Councillor Steve Hynd (Green, The Stanleys), who proposed the motion, said there was a growing threat from climate change and it is being felt.
“The awful flooding we witnessed across Europe this summer stands as a powerful example of this,” he said.
“The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is clear, global warming will exceed the 1.5°C rise and indeed the far more damaging 2°C without urgent and deep reductions in carbon emissions.”
He said local government has a role to play and it could work in partnership with national government to help meet those targets.
Councillor Stephen Davies (Con, Severn) said his group would support the motion.
“We locally have an objective to do our bit,” he said.
“What I really like about this motion is the combination of local government and central government and the LGA’s collective role in this.
“This is absolutely right that we pile in behind this and make our voice strong around that.”
The motion was unanimously supported.
By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter