BCP Council has unanimously passed a motion proposed by Green Councillors Kate Salmon and Chris Rigby, to publicly support the Climate & Nature Bill being put before Parliament.
Proposing the motion at Full Council, Kate Salmon said: “The Climate & Nature Bill represents the most up-to-date and science-led thinking on how the UK should tackle the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.
“The Bill, written by scientists and experts, was first introduced to Parliament in 2020, by former Green Party MP Caroline Lucas. At that time it was called the Climate & Ecology Bill, and it followed the declaration by the UK Government, and by councils across the country – including this one – of a Climate & Ecological Emergency.
“The Bill is being reintroduced to Parliament next month, with the backing of hundreds of cross-party MPs, including two of our five local MPs, peers, local authorities, experts and institutions. If passed into legislation, the Climate & Nature Bill would ensure that the UK has a plan to achieve emissions reductions, and reverse the decline of the natural world, that will actually meet the scientific need.
“Climate change and nature depletion affect us all, right now. There is an ever smaller window of opportunity for us to make the necessary changes to avoid the worst effects of catastrophic climate change. Even in the 12 days since I submitted this motion, BCP has been battered by another named storm, causing disruption and chaos, and there has been another cliff slip on our seafront as a result of heavy rainfall.
“Climate scientists predicted the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, as a result of greenhouse gas emissions, decades ago. Today, they are simply our reality, Without urgent action at every level of government, we know from the science that the spiral of ever more extreme disruption will continue, and there will be an ever greater human cost.
“The Climate & Nature Bill represents the logical and necessary next step in the UK’s efforts to tackle the climate emergency. This motion seeks to ensure that BCP Council supports the Bill formally and publicly; that we use our influence to encourage the remaining three of our local MPs to do the same; and that we renew and strengthen our own efforts at a local level to ensure we are doing all we can to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and restore the natural world for the benefit of everyone who lives, works, studies or visits here. Thank you.”
Chris Rigby later commented: “I’m really keen to see the Council renewing its commitment to tackling climate change and nature depletion. We’ll be closely monitoring the response of the administration.”