Decision

Council Notes:

•        The Summer of 2026 was the hottest on record for the UK, with 6 out of 7 of the hottest recorded summers all coming in the last 8 years.

•        The previous winter was the wettest on record for many parts of the UK. Average winter rainfall has risen from around 290mm in the 1970s and 1980s to 380mm in the decade up to 2021.

•        That the Council declared a Climate Emergency in 2019 and passed its Carbon Neutral Plan in 2021, with annual updates provided to Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which includes measures directed at adaptation;

•        That the Council has reduced its operational emissions by a third since 2019, planted over 6,000 trees in the past four years , launched a £1m community energy fund, raised £1.7m for local initiatives to tackle climate change with the Green Investment Scheme, built thousands of zero carbon homes and retrofitted many more, reduced Council vehicle fleet emissions by 97%, retrofitted Council premises and supported school retrofitting in the Borough, reduce household waste and sent zero waste to landfill, supported modal transport shifts and improved air quality, and notes that the pension fund has reduced its carbon footprint by 22% since 2022, investing £42.5m in renewable solutions, and today published an updated Flood Risk Management Strategy.

•        That the Government have extended Awwab’s law to include a requirement on social landlords to address hazards related to excess cold and heat where they present significant risk of harm; and that it is vital to ensure working conditions are safe for staff in light of extreme temperatures and weather; and that the Government will publish a new National Adaptation Programme by 2028.

Council Believes:

•        That climate change is no longer about a hypothetical future, but the lived reality for people across the Royal Borough of Greenwich today.

•        There must be continued and redoubled efforts to move the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the country and the global community to net zero carbon emissions.

•        That Climate adaptation and emissions reduction must be pursued together. This requires action to manage flood risk; support the retrofitting of existing Council properties and ensure high standards for new properties; increase canopy cover and biodiversity in the Borough; support active and public transport and other measures to decarbonise journeys in the Borough; as well as supporting our local health services to deal with the health challenges presented by an increasingly extreme climate.

 
Council Resolves to:

•        Redouble efforts to reduce our operational emissions

•        Continue supporting the retrofitting of Council buildings, which have already seen £5.7m of investment; and local schools, who we have leveraged around £1m in support for premises adaption

•        Build on the Councils £21m investment in energy efficiency for Council housing; and discharge our legal obligations in line with Awaab's Law and all other relevant legislation

•        Continue the delivery of zero carbon Council homes through Greenwich Builds, and ensure high standards for new homes through the new Local Plan

•        Use the Council’s Local Transport Action Plan and investments in sustainable and active travel infrastructure to support London ambitions for 80% of journeys to be made by sustainable transport

•        Continue the Council’s Green Investment Scheme, which has already provided over £1.7m in support for local climate resilience projects, while delivering a return to residents; deliver the £1m Community Energy Fund, creating community energy projects to tackle fuel poverty, empower communities by supercharging renewable energy in the Borough

•        Deliver a Tree and biodiversity strategy that will support nature and champion urban colling through increased canopy coverage in the Borough

•        Continue to work with staff to ensure safe and appropriate working practices across the Council in light of extreme temperatures

•        Continue to publish annual updates on the Council’s progress to Net Zero, presented to Overview and Scrutiny Committee every year; and this Council resolves to continue the requirement that all Council reports to show due regard to the climate impact of Council policies and actions.