September 12, 2019 12.43 pm This story is over 54 months old

Call for North East Lincolnshire Council to declare climate emergency

A motion will be tabled next week
North East Lincolnshire Council.

Councillors in North East Lincolnshire will next week call on the council to declare a climate emergency.

Liberal Democrat councillor Ian Barfield will table the motion which, if passed, would require the authority to consider the impact of climate change on future policy decisions.

Councillor Barfield will say that the region is “particularly vulnerable” to the effects of climate change and that it is “imperative” that emissions are reduced.

He will say: “In order to reduce the chance of runaway global warming and limit the effects of climate breakdown, it is imperative that each of us reduces our CO2eq (carbon equivalent) emissions from their current 6.5 tonnes per person per year to less than 2 tonnes without delay.

North East Lincolnshire councillor Ian Barfield.

“North East Lincolnshire with its coastline and large low lying areas, is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.”

Councillors will consider the motion at a full council meeting in Grimsby on September 19.

More than 100 authorities across the UK have passed motions declaring a climate emergency.

The declarations are often followed up with further motions, such as a pledge to become carbon neutral over the next decade.

MPs made their own declaration in May, although it did not legally require the government to act.

Two councils in Lincolnshire have already declared a climate emergency in recent months.

Both North Kesteven District Council and City of Lincoln Council made the declarations in July.

South Kesteven District Council is expected to table a motion to declare a climate emergency at its full council meeting later this month.

Meanwhile, Boston Borough Council has delayed tabling a motion on the matter, but agreed to “tackle environmental” challenges.

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