Climate Change Working Group Update
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BOROUGH COUNCIL OF WELLINGBOROUGH AGENDA ITEM 8 Council 8 December 2020 Report of the Managing Director CLIMATE CHANGE WORKING GROUP UPDATE 1 Purpose of report To advise members of the progress of the climate change working group to deliver the council’s climate change strategy. 2 Executive summary 2.1 A climate change working group was convened on 5 September 2019, to refresh the council’s climate change strategy and present this to council. At this meeting, members noted the progress made within the councils’ climate change strategy action plan and agreed the future actions. It also agreed to receive a refreshed Northamptonshire climate change strategy. 2.2 A further meeting of the climate change working group took place on 15 September 2020, where the group received updates on the progress made over the last twelve months. At the meeting, it was agreed that the progress report would be presented to all members at the next available council meeting. 3 Appendices Appendix A - Northamptonshire climate change strategy (2020-2023) Appendix B - Borough Council of Wellingborough climate change strategy action plan - progress within the borough Appendix C - Notes from the climate change working group meeting on 15 September 2020 4 Proposed action: The council is invited to RESOLVE to; 4.1 note the partnership approach being taken to deliver the Northamptonshire climate change strategy (2020-2023) 4.2 agree the action plan and note progress at appendix B 4.3 note the progress from the climate change working group 5 Background 5.1 Following a motion at council on 9 July 2019 it was resolved Parliament had declared a climate emergency and this council would commit to playing its proper part in delivering on national commitments, as far as it can, within the constraints of limited time, power and resources, under which it operates. It was resolved that consideration will be given to the climate impact of council activities through the process of transition to a unitary council in supporting appropriate council projects that effectively reduce carbon emissions or improve air quality. It was 1 resolved that approval be given to the establishment of a cross-party climate change working group to refresh the council’s climate change strategy. 5.2 At the council meeting on 15 October 2019, members agreed the suggestions put forward by the working group in appendix B within the councils’ climate change strategy action plan. Members expressed a wish for there to be short term, medium term and longer-term goals which show the council’s commitment to mitigating and adapting to climate change. 5.3 It also agreed to receive a refreshed Northamptonshire climate change strategy 2017-2020. This refresh has been undertaken by partners under the auspices of the Northamptonshire Local Nature Partnership to which the Northamptonshire climate change officers’ group (NCCOG) reports. It sets a framework for activities of partner organisations across the county. 6 Discussion 6.1 The climate change working group have met on 5 September 2019, 14 November 2019 and 15 September 2020. The terms of reference for the group have been agreed and the group receives a draft report setting out progress within the borough based on the aims of the Northamptonshire climate change strategy (2020-2023) (appendix A). The strategy was approved by NCC cabinet on 10 March 2020 and is anticipated to be endorsed by other partners. 6.2 At the climate change working group on 15 September 2020, members reviewed progress of actions within the councils’ climate change strategy action plan set out in this report at appendix B. 6.3 During 2020, the council has worked to consider the impact of council activities through the process of transition to unitary council and identify council projects that effectively raise awareness of climate change, reduce emissions of greenhouse gases or plan or adapt to the impacts of climate change; these are highlighted at appendix C. 6.4 The NCCOG continues to meet; with its most recent meeting being held on 9 September 2020. Partners have worked together to refresh the climate change strategy for Northamptonshire and are preparing an updated action plan based on the activities of all partners. 6.5 The refreshed strategy provides a review of what has been achieved along with a review of the evidence of progress towards the targets set. It is a working document that can stand-alone, but it also references the preceding strategies where necessary rather than replicating or replacing them. In particular the annually updated climate change strategy action plans have played a critical role in the co-ordination of activities delivered by partners over the last ten years, and are demonstrative of the success of the strategy’s implementation, with over 90% of actions within each year’s action plans successfully implemented as intended. 6.6 All three previous iterations of the strategy proposed a target reduction in emissions per capita of 1.5% per year to match and support the then UK national targets for reducing emissions. However, with the UK government’s recent commitment to making the UK carbon neutral by 2050, this updated strategy has amended its target to meet this nationally agreed target which equates to an 2 annual 3% reduction in emissions. 6.7 Whilst it is acknowledged that as individual organisations and collectively as partners we only have a limited ability to affect such a reduction at a local level, we can each play our part in making our best efforts to effect such a step change and it allows partners to adopt even more challenging targets as individual organisations should they so wish. 6.8 The partnership climate change strategy for Northamptonshire along with its associated annual action plans, provides the opportunity to capture all this activity taking place in the County and present it in a coherent way to demonstrate the reduction to overall emissions and other adaptations being achieved collectively throughout Northamptonshire. 6.9 It is recommended that the council endorses the Northamptonshire climate change strategy (2020-2023) and seeks to play its part in meeting the overall objectives. 7 Legal powers The Climate Change Act 2008 sets out the main legislative framework for government. Adaptation is required through a variety of legislation including: Civil Contingencies Act (2004); Flood and Water Management Act (2010); Town and Country Planning (Local Planning, England) Regulations 2012; Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017; section 19(1A) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004; and the 2011 Localism Act includes a general power of competence, which gives local authorities the legal capacity to do anything that an individual can that is not specifically prohibited. 8 Financial and value for money implications Proposed actions are intended to be within the council’s current committed resources. Any project which requires additional finance will be reported to resources committee. 9 Risk analysis Nature of Consequences if Likelihood Control risk realised of measures occurrence Not taking It is globally Low Continue to work any action on recognised that there with partners to climate are serious deliver the change environmental, social objectives of the reduction or and economic Northamptonshire mitigation consequences of climate change climate change: BCW strategy and would not be playing ensure the council its part in seeking to plays its part in reduce this. This would delivering national lead to reputational commitments, as damage in addition to far as we can. these other impacts 3 10 Implications for resources, equalities and stronger and safer communities Proposed actions are intended to be within the council’s current committed resources. Actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change have clear benefits to ensuring healthy and resilient communities. No negative impact is anticipated on any groups with protected characteristics. 11 Author and contact officer Vicki Jessop, Assistant Director 12 Consultees Amanda Wilcox, Principal Environmental Health Manager Catherine Clooney, Team Leader Environmental Protection Sue Bateman, Senior Planning Officer Emma McGinlay, Electoral Services Officer Senior Management Team 13 Background papers None, other than those referred to and included within the report. 4 Northamptonshire Climate Change Strategy 2020 – 2023 5 Contents Executive Summary ....................................................................................... 4 1. Introduction ............................................................................................. 6 1.1. The 2017-2020 Strategy and 2020-2023 update .............................................................. 6 1.2. Changes in the local, national and international context since 2017 ................................ 6 1.3. Developments in the understanding of the impacts of climate change since 2017 ........... 7 2. The international and national context .................................................... 9 2.1. International Context .................................................................................................... 9 2.2. Central government policy and greenhouse gas emission targets ................................... 9 2.3. The National Adaptation Programme ........................................................................... 10 2.4. National initiatives ...................................................................................................... 11 3. The