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PRESS RELEASE |
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Liberal Democrats call for As part of Energy Saving Week 2007, Liberal Democrat Councillors have called upon the Council to set a clear commitment to ensure that Wirral is carbon neutral by 2050 . Liberal Democrat Councillor Sarah Quinn will be proposing to the next meeting of Wirral's full Council that the Council seeks to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 through the implementation of a radical carbon emissions reduction programme. Councillor Sarah Quinn said, “We believe the Council should be using stricter planning controls to ensure that new buildings meet carbon neutral standards. Indeed this will be a Government requirement by 2016 for new housing. “We want to start the scheme with new housing and new businesses, but we recognise that particularly for new businesses there may be situations where it is not possible to avoid some carbon emissions. “So we're calling for a Carbon Offset Scheme, similar to schemes already operating in other local authorities, to operate through the planning process to allow new businesses to offset unavoidable carbon emissions by paying into a fund which then finances carbon reduction schemes elsewhere in the borough. “The fund could be spent on a wide variety of environmental causes which would not otherwise receive public funding, from heat insulation schemes, energy efficient boilers to microgeneration projects” “However, new housing and new businesses are only a small part of the problem; we would encourage all residents, existing business and communities to avoid carbon emissions altogether. We do recognise that there may be situations where this is unavoidable, such as essential foreign travel or difficulties in converting older buildings. “That is why we're calling for a Wirral Carbon Offset Scheme to be extended. “We're requesting Council officers to investigate opening it up to individuals and local organisations to voluntarily offset unavoidable emissions, thereby helping to reduce Wirral's overall carbon footprint.” Wirral's Cabinet Member for Environment, Councillor Gill Gardiner said, “The Council is already doing a lot of good work to reduce carbon omissions in its premises and is encouraging good practice by its staff. “The work is ongoing and includes converting all energy sources to ‘green energy', introducing energy audit programmes, and implementing staff travel plans. “However the Council can only do so much on its own. We need to work with local residents, business, partners and community groups to share best practice, and work together on borough-wide climate change initiatives. Together we can do so much more. “That's why I am particularly keen that the Council joins the growing number of local authorities such as Birmingham and Chester who have committed to the CRed Carbon Reduction Project which offers the Council, businesses, schools, communities and individual citizens the opportunity to commit to greater levels of carbon reduction.” The CRed scheme promotes low-carbon lifestyles and encourages its participants to take steps to tackle climate change. ENDS Editor's notes follow: Liberal Democrat Motion: Full Council 29 October 2007 Notice of Motion - Liberal Democrat Group Carbon Neutral Wirral Council notes that t he Earth's climate is continuing to change because of our use of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitting fuels. Council notes that the UK is already committed to cutting its emissions of CO 2 by 60% by 2050 and that Wirral is also committed to a climate change strategy, the aims of which are as follows: - “Working with residents, communities and local businesses to tackle Climate Change by reducing Wirral's carbon emissions, thereby helping to meet our present needs in a sustainable manner without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” and: “achieve a 20% reduction in Wirral Council's carbon emissions by 2010, starting with year on year reductions in emissions from council activities, and working with residents, communities and local businesses to achieve their own reductions.” Council believes that as the rate and effects of global warming become more evident, there is a need to go further in combating the causes and consequences of climate change.This Council therefore requests officers to investigate Wirral's joining the growing number of local authorities such as Birmingham and Chester who have committed to the CRed Carbon Reduction Project which offers the Council, businesses, schools, communities and individual citizens the opportunity to commit to greater levels of carbon reduction. This Council also seeks to achieve carbon neutrality for the borough by 2050 through the implementation of a carbon emissions reduction programme. Officers are requested to investigate such a programme, to include: -
Whilst the Council would encourage all residents, business and communities to achieve carbon neutrality, Council requests Officers to investigate the possibility of making the Wirral Carbon Offset scheme open to individuals and organisations to offset unavoidable emissions, thereby helping to reduce Wirral's overall carbon footprint and report back to Cabinet within this municipal year. Moved by: Councillor Sarah Quinn Click here for Chester 's CRed scheme:
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