Abingdon Town Council declares climate emergency
In March 2019, the town council declared a climate emergency, in common with many councils both in this country and around the world.
This was in response to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C, published in October 2018. This report described the enormous harm that a 2°C rise is likely to cause compared to a 1.5°C rise and advised that Global Warming could still be limited to 1.5°C if ambitious action was taken by national and sub-national authorities, civil society, the private sector and local communities.
The town council believes that:
- All governments (national, regional and local) have a duty to limit the negative impacts of climate change. It is important for the residents of Abingdon and the UK that councils commit to carbon neutrality as quickly as possible.
- The consequences of global temperature rising above 1.5°C are so severe that preventing this from happening must be humanity’s number one priority.
- Bold climate action can also deliver economic savings and market opportunities (as well as improved well-being for people worldwide).
In addition to declaring a “climate emergency” the council pledged to become as carbon neutral as possible by 2030 and to do all it can to support carbon emission reduction across the town. In order to achieve this, the town council will:
- work with the district council to determine and implement best practice methods to limit global warming to less than 1.5°C;
- continue to work with partners from local businesses, community groups and residents to deliver this new goal through all relevant strategies and plans;
- report the actions the town council will take to address this emergency;
- call on the government to provide the powers and resources to make the 2030 target possible.
The town council has an Environment and Amenities committee and is working with interested local residents and groups to monitor the council’s own environmental impact and to lead changes within the community.
Working with the Community
The town council has taken important steps to become more environmentally friendly and the environmental impact of all our policies are reviewed regularly. A major part of this will be to engage more fully with Abingdon Carbon Cutters and other groups in the future and to work more effectively with the community in order to meet the challenges which the climate emergency is posing for us and future generations.
Should you wish to contact the council regarding this work please email enquiries@abingdon.gov.uk.
