Before the elections in May, some were saying that much more needed to be done on climate change:
District Council report on climate change ‘lacks ambition’
Yesterday, the District Council met up to consider how to take things forward:
EDDC Cabinet Agenda: 10 Jul 2019
Zero carbon plans to be debated by East Devon District Council
As reported by Devon Live:
They also agreed to sign up to the Devon Climate Change Emergency Declaration, works with Devon County Council and other partners to produce a Devon wide action plan on climate change, prepares an East Devon District Council action plan to reduce their carbon footprint and reflect climate change as a priority in the new Council Plan and future updates of Service Plans and relevant corporate policies.
Calls were made by members of Extinction Rebellion for the council to commit to a date whereby they aim to be carbon neutral.
Cllr Ingham said: “We plan to become a carbon neutral council and encourage other organisations to adopt a similar ambition. We must be politically bold and brave to draw on the values we held some years ago. This agenda will not be universally popular when it constrains choice and lifestyle, but this is essential if we are to limit the further impacts of climate change.”
But he added that ‘for a short time’, he did not want to propose an ‘arbitary date’ for the council to be carbon neutral but that through the action plan, an achievable date of between 2025 and 2050 would be identified.
Cllr Ian Thomas added: “I have always supported a more ambitious target than the Devon County Call target of 2050 but the target needs to be informed by understanding. We need get a proper plan in place and that we are not just picking a time out because it sounds good and takes the pressure off us. We don’t have an infinite pot of money either so to make any changes we have to look at the ability that we have to fund them.”
A major milestone of 2,000 homes occupied in Cranbrook is about to reached
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