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The
Council voted (6 voting in favour, 16 voting against, 2 abstaining
from voting) on an amendment submitted by Councillor Heather
Williams, which was defeated.
 
Councillors In Favour: Dr Shrobona
Bhattacharya, Tom Bygott, Sue Ellington, Daniel Lentell, Dr Richard
Williams, Heather Williams
 
Councillors Against: John Batchelor,
Paul Bearpark, Anna Bradnam, Dr Martin Cahn, Stephen Drew, Peter
Fane, Sunita Hansraj, Helene Leeming, Brian Milnes, Dr Lisa Redrup,
Judith Rippeth, James Rixon, Peter Sandford, Dr Susan van de Ven,
Natalie Warren-Green, John Williams
 
Councillors Abstaining: Ariel Cahn,
Libby Earle
 
The
Council (unanimously, with 2 abstaining from voting) agreed the
following motion:
 
“Council notes:

-         
This council declared an Ecological Emergency in
July 2019 and further declared a Climate Emergency in November
2019.

-         
This Council has previously committed to a target of
halving emissions across the district by 2030 (compared to a 2018
baseline) and to achieving net-zero by 2050, including delivering a
reduction in our own carbon footprint of at least 45% by 2025, and
at least 75% by 2030.
 
Council
believes:

-         
Whilst this Council rightfully has a role to play in
combating the climate and ecological emergency, it is the
responsibility of Government to establish more rigorous support and
frameworks to help transition communities towards a zero-carbon
future.

-         
The current framework to ensure the United Kingdom
fulfils its obligations under the Paris Climate Accords is not
robust enough and will result in the UK failing to meet its
objectives if not strengthened.
 
Council
further notes:

-         
There have been various attempts at passing a
‘Climate and Nature’ private member’s bill
through parliament since 2020. This bill would amongst other
things:

o  
require the government to develop and carry out a
strategy to achieve various climate and nature targets for the
United Kingdom (in line with the UK’s obligations under the
Paris Agreement with the goal of limiting global temperature rises
to 1.5°C and of reversing the decline in nature);
and

o  
establish a climate and nature citizens assembly to
advise the government on the creation of that strategy.

-         
The most successful of these bills, as introduced by
the Lib Dem peer, Lord Redesdale, passed all stages in the House of
Lords but failed to complete its second reading in the House of
Commons.

-         
These bills have received cross-party support within
Parliament but have failed to pass into law due to a lack of
parliamentary time being allocated to them.

-         
Liberal Democrat MP, Dr Ros Savage, has
re-introduced the Climate and Nature Bill into the House of Commons
following the General Election. The bill received its first reading
on the 16th October 2024 and is scheduled to receive its second
reading on the 24th January 2025.
 
Council
resolves to:

-         
Endorse the Climate and Nature Bill, encouraging the
Council to communicate this resolution to residents, media and
others, as well as to inform the Zero Hour Campaign of our
support.

-         
Direct the Leader of the Council to write to the
three MP’s covering the district, expressing our support for
their stated position in favour of the bill and to further
encourage them to push for this bill to be passed.

-         
Direct the Leader of the Council to write to the
Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, the Leader of the
House of Commons and the Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, as
well as other party leaders as she sees fit, asking them to
publicly commit their parties to supporting this bill should they
not already do so, highlighting the existing cross-party support
for this bill and encouraging them to do that which they can in
order to ensure this bill receives adequate parliamentary time
within this parliamentary session.”