Climate Emergency

At this Monday's council meeting I am asking Wirral Council to declare a "climate emergency". Here is a copy of my motion:


CLIMATE EMERGENCY

Council notes the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report ‘Global warming of 1.5°’ published on 8 October 2018, in particular:

that human activities are estimated to have already caused approximately 1.0°C of global warming above pre-industrial levels;

that if we continue at the current rate, we are likely to surpass the Paris Agreement target of 1.5°C as early as 2030;

that, at the current level of commitments, the world is on course for at least 3°C of warming with irreversible and catastrophic consequences for humans and the natural world.

Council believes that:

the impacts of global temperature rise above 1.5°C, are so severe that governments at all levels must work together and make this their top priority.

as well as large-scale improvements in health and wellbeing around the world, bold climate action can deliver economic benefits in terms of new jobs, economic savings and market opportunities.

Therefore, Council requests that the Leader and Cabinet relevant Overview & Scrutiny Committee establish an Overview and Scrutiny Committee working group, with a remit to

(i)   Seek advice from experts to develop a robust carbon budget and set a challenging target date for carbon neutrality in Wirral;

(ii) Consider systematically the climate change impact of each area of the Council’s activities;

(iii) Make recommendations and set an ambitious timescale for reducing these impacts;

(iv) Report to full Council with the actions the Council needs to take to address this emergency.

In addition, Council further requests that the Leader & Cabinet:

-   require all report risk assessments should include Carbon Emission Appraisals, including presenting alternative approaches which reduce emissions wherever possible.

 -  task a director level officer should be tasked with responsibility for reducing as rapidly as possible, the carbon emissions resulting from the Council’s activities.

 - that the leader writes to inform the Prime Minister that Wirral has declared a climate emergency.