Rochdale Council commits to making the borough carbon-neutral by 2038

Rochdale Council has declared a climate emergency, committing to making the borough carbon-neutral by 2038 – twelve years earlier than the target set by the government.

Councillors voted almost unanimously in favour of a motion at the latest council meeting on Wednesday 17 July, which binds the authority to Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham’s green ambitions for the conurbation.

In an impassioned speech, Lib Dem leader Councillor Andy Kelly called on his fellow councillors to recognise the urgency of the situation.

Presenting his motion, he said: “Climate change is real, whether we like it or not.

“We are in a state of emergency – sea levels are rising, temperatures are rising across the globe, pollution is the highest it has ever been.”

He added that while climate change may be a global issue, its effects were already in evidence much closer to home.

“It affects us locally with air quality, with the flooding issues we see time and again in this borough and it’s certainly going to affect our children and grandchildren – and those children not yet born,” he said.

“For future generations, if we don’t do something about this now, we are poisoning future generations and shortening their lives.”

The Lib Dem leader said that by declaring a climate emergency the council would give itself a platform to develop green policies.

“Declaring a climate change emergency gives us a chance to promote the elimination of single use plastics, to invest in a better transport system, to reinvest in planting trees, – improving air quality, biodiversity and improving the natural heritage of the borough.

“Every new house we can ensure is of the greenest standard, some very practical things we can get behind as a council – ensuring every new house has electric car points.

“All these things we can do, not just to reduce pollution but ensure a long-term sustainability for the borough.”

In a final rallying call, he added: “Councillors, it’s not too late to change things with climate change but it’s getting very, very late in the day.”

Labour – whose amendment set the target date at 2038 for both the borough and council achieving carbon neutrality – backed the motion.

Councillor Wendy Cocks said: “We owe it to our citizens who may suffer from extreme weather, food shortages and other climate related dangers. And owe it to our young people who are concerned about their future.”

Warning that ‘the clock is ticking’ she added: “We have perhaps 10 or 12 years, our own experience, with the Boxing Day floods and other events will continue to be more frequent without action. We in Rochdale must move quickly for the benefit of all the community, our children’s future and the survival of the whole planet.”

Conservative leader Councillor Ashley Dearnley said his party was ‘absolutely committed to ensure that this time, for the first time our generation will leave a better planet for the next generation to come and to safeguard for the future’.

He also said the motion’s call to set up a working group to tackle the issue was ‘really important’ and called for every council report to be made relevant to the issue of climate change.

“At times when it’s been necessary to do that, this council has always done the right thing to ensure that we improve how the council works to the benefit of everyone that lives here,” he said.

What is a climate change emergency?

There is no single definition, but it involves the recognition that urgent action is needed if global warming is to be kept to a maximum of 1.5°C.

A UN report warns that the risk of catastrophic climate change – including extreme heat, drought and flooding – would significantly increase if temperatures rise beyond this point.

It says we could have just 11 years left to limit a climate change catastrophe.

Who has declared a climate emergency?

The UK government declared a climate change emergency in May – a move Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn described as ‘a huge step forward’

It was one of the key demands of campaign group Extinction Rebellion – however, it does not compel the government to take any specific action.

Scotland declared a climate emergency in April – and targets are being set to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2045.

The idea of a local area declaring a climate emergency was first put forward by Bristol councillor Carla Denyer and the motion was passed by the city council in November.

Since then dozens of authorities across the country have declared a climate emergency – with many setting a target of being carbon neutral by 2030.

What does carbon neutral mean?

Greenhouse gases are released through the burning of fossil fuels to produce energy, whether for industry, homes or transportation.

For an area or organisation to call itself carbon neutral it will have to remove the same amount of carbon dioxide from the environment as it releases into it.

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporter