Our country is a world leader in reducing CO2 emissions. I welcome that we have broad agreement among our mainstream political parties that we all need to act to limit global warming to 1.5°C, although even ‘only’ this will have significant consequences but should stop the most severe potential global consequences. Political consensus is important as addressing global warming will span different governments in the years and decades ahead.
As well as our Conservative government, Local Authorities across the country are stepping up the mark with ambitious plans to become net zero themselves, as well as helping and encouraging businesses and residents in their local areas to reduce emissions.
West Sussex County Council in particular has an impressive record on reducing emissions and has pledged to reach net zero by 2030. Crawley Borough Council is moving in the right direction but needs to apply more urgency. That’s why the Conservative Group have put forward the following motion (below) for this week’s Full Council meeting, which we hope all Crawley councillors will support.
“The recent COP26 summit was an important event for the world in seeking to address climate change by working to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C. It was widely agreed at COP26 that this decade, the 2020s, is a make-or-break decade for the world to act. Whilst several promising agreements were reached, it is widely recognised that there is more for the world to do.
In November 2021, this Council’s Cabinet agreed the Council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan which pledged to reduce emissions by 45% by 2030 and to reach net zero by 2050.
This Council notes that: Nearly two thirds of English local authorities have pledged to reach net zero by 2030, including our own local upper tier authority, West Sussex County Council, as well as other District and Borough Councils within West Sussex.
This Council resolves that: Crawley Borough Council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan is amended to pledge to reduce emissions by at least 50%, and as close to net zero as possible by 2030, and to reach net zero by 2040 at the very latest.”
Councillor Duncan Crow, Leader of Crawley Borough Council Conservative Group
15th December 2021
