Agenda and minutes

Report of the Managing Director

Climate Emergency

This Council notes that many Darlington residents are demanding action on climate change.

Council accepts that in order to limit the effects of global warming it is necessary for the world population to reduce its annual carbon emissions from the current 6.5 tonnes per person to less than 2 tonnes, as soon as possible.

Council recognises that individuals cannot be expected to make this reduction on their own.

All governments nationally and locally have a duty to limit the negative impacts of global warming. This Council has already acknowledged the importance of addressing the issue of Climate Breakdown, having signed up to the Global Covenant of Mayors. Darlington Borough Council also supports the Tees Valley Climate Change Strategy 2010-2020¹, which notes that a 'business as usual' approach to reducing carbon emissions will not deliver anywhere near the savings needed to meet local and national targets.

The world is on track to overshoot the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C limit before 2050². Local councils should not wait for their national governments to change their policies.

Council therefore resolves to:

a)    Declare a 'Climate Emergency';

b)    Sign up to a science-based carbon reduction target that is consistent with achieving the Paris Agreement of no more than 1.5’C global temperature increase;

c)    Work with nurseries, schools and colleges to include age appropriate learning about climate change while calling for the national curriculum to be reformed to include "the ecological crisis as an educational priority";

d)    Work to make the borough of Darlington carbon neutral by 2030 and call on central government to provide the funding and powers to make this possible;

e)    Work with other organisations and governments within the UK and internationally to determine and implement best practice methods to limit Global Warming to less than 1.5°C;

f)     Work with partners to run a conversation with residents, Trade Unions, public sector organisations, businesses and the third sector on developing a plan with the actions and milestones required to reach this target;

g)    Report the progress to Full Council every 6 months.

¹ Tees Valley Climate Change Strategy: https://www.darlington.gov.uk/media/1537/tvccpreport.pdf          

² The IPCC’s Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5ºC:

https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sr15/