Councillors have unanimously agreed for Warwick District Council to declare a Climate Emergency.

The IPCC advise in their report that we have until 2030 to take urgent action on climate change in order to keep the earth's rising temperature below 1.5 degree Celsius. This means the current global target to cut carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 is simply not enough to avoid a catastrophic change in our climate. Business as usual is no longer an option and Warwick District Council have recognised this by declaring a Climate Emergency.

What does it mean to declare a 'Climate Emergency'?
Declaring a Climate Emergency makes it a requirement to take immediate action to drastically reduce carbon emissions. This means the Council is now accountable for delivering the requirements of its Climate Emergency Declaration.

The commitments of the declaration are as follows:

• Being a carbon neutral organisation by 2025, including with all contracted our services.
• Facilitating decarbonisation by local businesses, organisations and residents, in order for Warwick District to be as close to zero by 2030 as possible.
• Working with other local councils to lobby the central government to provide funding and change regulations to ensure the commitments can be adequately addressed.
• Engaging with and listening to all relevant stakeholders, including the members of Warwickshire Youth Parliament regarding approaches to tackling the climate emergency.
• Ensuring that tackling the Climate Emergency in terms of adaption and mitigation, is central to the strategic business plan.
• Producing by November 2019, an action plan to implement these commitments. Councillor Alan Rhead as the portfolio holder for Environment and Business, has formed a group with shadow portfolio holders for this purpose.