Page 6 - Town & Around - October 2019

6 Town & Around October 2019 Tel: 01485 540620 email: editor@townandaround.net
Biggest CO2 polluters in Norfolk: Council

does not declare climate emergency
Sophie Hooker
ollowing on from the Borough Council of
King’s Lynn and West Norfolk’s decision
Fto not declare a climate emergency on
Tuesday, a full council meeting was held on
Thursday 5th September where the pertinent
issue of climate change was discussed further.
Despite West Norfolk councillors hearing
earlier the same week that the borough has the
highest level of CO2 pollution in the county, a
recommendation was not made to follow in the
footsteps of half of UK councils in declaring a
climate emergency.
Many of these councils have set 2030 as a
target date in reducing carbon emissions to zero,
20 years ahead of the Government’s 2050 target.
North Norfolk District Council were the first
in Norfolk to declare a climate emergency in
April of this year, and in August hosted an Extinction Rebellion members at the council meeting on Thursday 5th September
Environment Assembly where members of the
public were able to discuss the climate emissions from the borough are much greater new Anglia Local Enterprise partnership, to
emergency with elected members and NNDC than any other area of Norfolk - our borough has enable us to establish the overall carbon
officers. made a bigger contribution than others, so we footprint of the whole of West Norfolk.”
A recommendation from Hunstanton Town bear greater responsibility.” Cllr Devereux also noted that significant
Council’s newly formed Environmental “Nevertheless we are confident that a Climate progress has also been made on the adaptation
Working Party to declare a climate emergency Emergency will be declared in West Norfolk objectives, highlighting the multi-million,
was also passed in August. soon - the council can't ignore reality forever.” seventy-five-year Hunstanton Coastal
During the previous meeting on Tuesday, Cabinet member for environment Cllr Ian Management Plan. This plan includes the repair
councillors heard from environmental health Devereux was asked during Thursday’s meeting and replacement of ageing infrastructure and to
manager Dave Robson and senior policy and what the council intend to do to combat climate maintain flood risk management of the
performance officer Ged Greaves, who did not change, and whether they will be taking the Hunstanton sea defences, including the
give a recommendation on whether the borough “bold, imaginative action” needed to reduce implications of sea level rise:
should declare a climate emergency. carbon levels and to slow temperature rise: “Over the past three months or so, the
The council decided that they would take “The Borough adopted the Norfolk Climate leadership of this council has established a
further time to assess the extent of the problem Change Strategy in 2008… the strategy set two comprehensive action plan, estimated resources
and decide what actions that the borough could higher level goals to mitigate the impact of and provisioned an initial budget and assigned
take before undergoing urgent action. climate change,” Cllr Devereux responded. key staff to undertake the work. In our view, this
Environmental group Extinction Rebellion “Those strategies continue today. Firstly, to cut is a significant achievement,” he added.
King’s Lynn and West Norfolk have been carbon emissions by reducing energy On following in the footsteps of North
lobbying the Borough Council to take decisive consumption and promoting a shift to a lower Norfolk District Council in holding workshops
action in the battle against climate change, with carbon technology.” and seminars on discussing the issue with
members of the group attending the meeting last “Secondly, to improve Norfolk’s resilience to members of the public, Cllr Devereux said that
night. the change in climate, including the reduction of as work progresses, they will publicise their
Extinction Rebellion said: “As residents of the socio-economic and environmental risks results and “no doubt” work with other bodies
West Norfolk it is terrifying that the council will associated with flooding and coastal erosion.” in delivering these.
not even take basic steps towards ensuring our “At that time projects were set up to pursue He also noted the publicity from Extinction
safety.” these goals and over several years annual reports Rebellion and King’s Lynn Klimate Concern
“The council knows that King's Lynn is at sea have demonstrated their success in reducing has influenced the council and that he hopes that
level, and the councillors know that it is CO2 emissions. The implementation of those through continued interaction they will achieve
extremely likely that our town, and much of the projects and others since then have continued to a better community result in mitigating the
land in the borough, will be lost to the sea within deliver reductions in emissions from Borough effects of climate change.
most of our lifetimes as a result of sea level rise Council sources.” As explored in Town and Around from June
and increased storm surges, yet still they refuse “Recent interactions have resulted in our this year, the borough has the third greatest
to acknowledge the risk or take any action. But decision to make this work more visible and to increase in emissions in the UK, which is 34%
what could be more important for the council quantify our current achievements which will higher than the national average.
than to act to save our town and our borough?” enable us to set appropriate objectives and our Robson and Greaves’ report from Tuesday
“Besides the fear of losing our homes, it is future course of action.” found that West Norfolk was responsible for the
also embarrassing for us to see our borough On how they are going go forward, he stated: highest amount of industry CO2 pollution in
lagging behind, when over half the local “The first stage of our programme is to collect Norfolk, with emissions measuring 700
authorities in the UK have already declared a data, to establish a baseline for the current kilotonnes in 2017.
Climate Emergency - and those are mostly local carbon footprint at the borough and then to Transport was found to be the second largest
authorities that are less directly threatened by identify further mitigation measures.” culprit of pollution with nearly 30% of the
climate breakdown than we are.” “In parallel with that, we are exploring district boundary’s emissions due to the
“It is also highly irresponsible, given that working with other Norfolk councils and the congestion on A and B roads.