Issue - meetings

To enable Cabinet to determine its recommendation to Full Council on a proposal of amending the Council’s current policy target to achieve net zero carbon in scope one and two emissions from 2030 to the Government’s target date, currently 2050, to allow for more financially sustainable investment to meet the target.

The report sets out the proposed Climate Action Plan for 2024-27, as set out in Appendix A, subject to Cabinet’s endorsement, to deliver against the new target, following Full Council’s approval.

To note that an action within Appendix A, is for further work to be undertaken to improve and streamline data collection on energy usage and emissions.

RESOLVED that Cabinet - 

a)     notes the contents of the Environment Portfolio Holder’s report (A.10) and in particular the development of a draft Climate Change Action Plan, as set out in Appendix A for 2024-27 based upon a revised target of achieving Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050;

b)     recommends to Full Council that –

i)       the Council’s Policy Framework (within Article 4 of the Constitution)) be amended to “Approval of the Council’s target for achieving Net Zero carbon emissions with the relevant strategy and action plans being adopted and delivered by the Executive”;

ii)      in recognition that at a national level the UK Government has outlined comprehensive targets aimed at achieving Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050 and based on the Council’s resources, the Council’s new target for achieving Net Zero carbon emissions be aligned with the UK’s national objectives to achieve Net Zero, by 2050; and

iii)     Cabinet adopts and delivers against its strategy and action plans in accordance with the Council’s Budget and Policy Framework.

c)      subject to Full Council approving the revised Net Zero target, the new Climate Change Action Plan for 2024-2027 be adopted via an executive decision being made by the Portfolio Holder for the Environment; and

d)     notes the limitations of currently available carbon emission data and commends further investigative work by Officers to improve data.

Cabinet considered a detailed report of the Environment Portfolio Holder (A.10) which enabled Cabinet to determine its recommendation to Full Council with a proposal of amending the Council’s current policy target to achieve net zero carbon in scope one and two emissions from 2030 to the Government’s target date, currently 2050, to allow for more financially sustainable investment to meet the target.

The report set out the proposed Climate Action Plan for 2024-27, as set out in Appendix A, subject to Cabinet’s endorsement, to deliver against the new target, following Full Council’s approval.

Cabinet also noted that an action within Appendix A, was for further work to be undertaken to improve and streamline data collection on energy usage and emissions.

The Environment Portfolio Holder proposed that the Council aligned its target date for scope one and two emissions to reach net zero to the Government’s national target date, currently set at 2050, because this Council could not financially sustainably become net zero by 2030. This change was considered a realistic, value for money approach to responding to climate change. Aligning with the national target meant that the Government policy, regulation and funding required to meet net zero would be brought forward to enable the country, and so this Council, to meet what remained a challenging ambition by 2050.

Cabinet was made aware that the Government would need to regulate to meet the 2050 target, and as it did so new statutory responsibilities for the Council would come with new burdens funding to deliver them. Over time it was expected that innovations in technology would make improvements in carbon reductions better value for money, more locally available (in terms of supply and maintenance), and more realistic in terms of delivery. The national target date of 2050 was therefore recommended by the Environment Portfolio Holder.

It was moved by Councillor Smith, seconded by Councillor Scott and:-

RESOLVED that Cabinet - 

a)     notes the contents of the Environment Portfolio Holder’s report (A.10) and in particular the development of a draft Climate Change Action Plan, as set out in Appendix A for 2024-27 based upon a revised target of achieving Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050;

b)     recommends to Full Council that –

i)       the Council’s Policy Framework (within Article 4 of the Constitution)) be amended to “Approval of the Council’s target for achieving Net Zero carbon emissions with the relevant strategy and action plans being adopted and delivered by the Executive”;

ii)      in recognition that at a national level the UK Government has outlined comprehensive targets aimed at achieving Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050 and based on the Council’s resources, the Council’s new target for achieving Net Zero carbon emissions be aligned with the UK’s national objectives to achieve Net Zero, by 2050; and

iii)     Cabinet adopts and delivers against its strategy and action plans in accordance with the Council’s Budget and Policy Framework.

c)      subject to Full Council approving the revised Net Zero target, the new Climate Change Action Plan for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 85