Calderdale Council: Declare a Climate Emergency!

Climate change is the biggest issue of our time. The science is clear [1,2], and the solutions are available [3], it is political will that is lacking.

We the undersigned call upon Calderdale Council to ACT NOW on the climate emergency that is unfolding across the planet because:

1. Humans have already caused irreversible climate change, the impacts of which are being felt around the world. Global temperatures have already increased by 1 degree Celsius from pre-industrial levels. Atmospheric CO2 levels are above 400 parts per million (ppm). This far exceeds the 350ppm deemed to be a safe level for humanity;

2.   In order to reduce the chance of runaway Global Warming and limit the effects of Climate Breakdown, it is imperative that we as a species reduce our CO2eq (carbon equivalent) emissions from their current 6.5 tonnes per person per year to less than 2 tonnes as soon as possible;

3.   Individuals cannot be expected to make this reduction on their own. Society needs to change its laws, taxation, infrastructure, etc., to make low carbon living easier and the new norm;

4.   Carbon emissions result from both production and consumption;

5.   Calderdale Council has already shown some foresight when it comes to addressing the issue of Climate Breakdown, having committed to a 34% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020.

6.   Unfortunately, the Council’s current plans and actions are nowhere near enough. The world is on track to overshoot the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C limit before 2050;

7.   The IPCC’s Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C, published in October, describes the enormous harm that a 2°C rise is likely to cause compared to a 1.5°C rise, and told us that limiting Global Warming to 1.5°C may still be possible with ambitious action from national and sub-national authorities, civil society, the private sector, indigenous peoples and local communities;

8.   Councils around the world are responding by declaring a ‘Climate Emergency’ and committing resources to address this emergency;

9.   Bold climate action can deliver social and economic benefits in terms of new jobs, economic savings and market opportunities, as well as improved personal, social and environmental wellbeing locally and worldwide.

Therefore, we petition Calderdale Council to resolve to:

1. Declare a Climate Emergency;

2. Pledge to make Calderdale carbon neutral by 2025, taking into account both production and consumption emissions (scope 1, 2 and 3) [4];

3. Call on Westminster to provide the powers and resources to make the 2025 target possible and to appoint Citizens Assemblies to develop the policies to deliver this target;

4. Work with other governments (both within the UK and internationally) to determine and implement best practice methods to limit global temperatures to less than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels;

5. Continue to work with partners across the county to deliver this new goal through all relevant strategies and plans;

6. Report to Full Council within six months with the actions the Council will take to address this emergency.

References:
1. The IPCC’s Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5ºC (2018): https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sr15/
2. World Resources Institute: https://www.wri.org/blog/2018/10/8-things-you-need-know-about-ipcc-15-c-report
3. Zero Carbon Britain Report: Making it happen (2017): http://www.zerocarbonbritain.org/en/
4. Scope 1, 2 and 3 of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol explained: https://www.carbontrust.com/resources/faqs/services/scope-3-indirect-carbon-emissions