Labour councillors call on Lincolnshire County Council to declare a ‘climate emergency’

Climate protests have recently made the headlines in Lincolnshire and beyond.

At this Friday’s meeting of Lincolnshire County Council, Labour councillors will be pressing for the council to declare a ‘climate emergency’ and to agree to make the council’s activities carbon neutral by 2030.

Councillor Robert Parker, Leader of the Labour Group, said: “We want Lincolnshire County Council to take a strong lead and commit to being carbon neutral by 2030.

“That will mean reducing carbon emissions through, amongst other measures, even greater energy efficiency and improved waste management.

“A simple example is reducing the number of miles officers and councillors travel to meetings by using video conferencing.

“So far, 59 councils in England and Wales have declared a climate emergency and adopted policies to reduce carbon emissions. Those councils include Cornwall, Devon, Durham, Somerset, Suffolk and Wiltshire. Forty-three councils have committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030 recognising the need for urgent action by local government, and we want Lincolnshire to do the same.

“At present the council doesn’t do have a plan in place to become carbon neutral by a specific date, and that is what we want to see.

“We also want to see the County Council press the government to provide the necessary powers and resources to make possible the 2030 target

“We want the council to work closer working in partnership with district, town and parish councils in Lincolnshire, local organisations, businesses and community groups with the aim of making Lincolnshire as a county carbon neutral within the same time scale.

“This will mean a culture change within the council so that we think about the environmental consequences of everything we do.

“We need to reduce our use of energy, plastic, paper. And we need to get that message out across the county.”