Brentwood Borough Council has added its voice to the growing number of local authorities who have responded to the global climate crisis by declaring a climate emergency at its meeting of Full Council last week (Wednesday 21 June).
As well as agreeing to declare a Climate Emergency, councillors also agreed to confirm the Council’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon status by 2030 for its own estate and to pursue efforts to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions even earlier.
Establishing a Climate Emergency Sub-Committee of the new Clean and Green Committee and for the council to lobby for further funding and policy changes at a national level to support delivery of the Environment Strategy was also agreed.
Brentwood Borough Council’s Chair of the Clean and Green Committee and Council Leader, Councillor Barry Aspinell, said: “I am delighted that these proposals received agreement from Full Council, including several opposition members and we now have a Committee dedicated to the Environment. We have now declared a climate emergency – but this is just the start. We know the council has a role to play in taking action to reduce carbon emissions – both within our operations and by facilitating wider change throughout the borough. That is why we have made a statement of ambition by bringing forward the Council’s target for achieving carbon net-zero by ten years to 2030 and building a plan to make it possible.”
“What happens now? We start investigating the possibilities, the further actions and initiatives we can put in place to deliver our environmental priorities. There have been green shoots of activities on EV charging and good progress on building carbon net-zero homes but our action will now match our ambitions – more can and, under Brentwood’s Joint Administration, will be done’.”
“Many of our residents have expressed their concerns about the impact of global warming locally, from extreme temperatures to flooding throughout the borough. We are looking forward to reaching out to interested local environmental groups as we set up the new Sub-Committee that, as one of its priorities, will be to examine EV provision in Brentwood, which has historically been poor under the previous administration. We hope to change this”.
ENDS