UPDATE – we received a formal reply to the collective letter sent to Hampshire County Council. The reply, dated 7th September 2020 and from the Climate Change Team, states that the Council will not move the target date for carbon neutrality forward from 2050, because it does not want to promise what it can’t achieve, particularly in sectors where it might have limited direct control. It cites the national Committee on Climate change, which states that “for most sectors 2050 currently appears to be the earliest credible date”. It intends to utilise changes in national policies and the funding available between now and 2050 to achieve change in these areas. It says it is making progress to a 2025 target for a 50% reduction in emissions for its own estate, and that “actions which have co-benefits will be prioritised, such as improving air quality”.
The letter is HCAN-2050carbonneutraltarget-letterresponsefromHCC89k
END OF UPDATE
Hampshire County Council is considering its Climate Emergency Strategy. The 2050 deadline for carbon neutrality had already been called into question – see
https://democracy.hants.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=1359in which it is noted that the County Council has an ambition to bring the target forward “if this is practically and financially achievable”.
On 29th September it will be agreeing its action plan. We all know 2050 is too late – the IPCC said over a year ago that we have twelve years, i.e. until 2030, to get measures into place to keep global warming below 1.5 deg C, and since then the predictions have got worse. So we are urging Hampshire residents to write to their County Councillors urging them to bring the deadline forward to 2030, or sooner.
Here are the bones of a letter: copy and paste into your email or word processor and personalise it if you can, e.g. what nightmares have you had from the heatwave, how close your house is to sea level or a flooding zone or a forest that could be hit by wildfires, or how much your health is suffering from air pollution.
Dear Councillor X
We welcome the decision of the County Council to declare a climate emergency and approve a climate strategy and, shortly, a climate action plan.
We remain seriously concerned that the County Council continues to set a target date of 2050 to reach zero carbon. The science has changed since July 2019 when you made the declaration.
2050 is too late.
Here are ten reasons for you to review the 2050 deadline:
- As the County Council declared in 2019, we face an emergency. The definition of an emergency is “a dangerous situation requiring immediate action”.
- The IPCC warned in 2018 that we had only 12 years to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
- The consequences of a 2 degree Celsius rise in temperature are terrifyingly worse than a 1.5 degree rise. Going higher is to be avoided at all costs.
- Acting now could mean that we avoid hitting tipping points which accelerate disastrous chain reactions.
- Global heating is already changing our climate, increasing the risks of flooding and droughts, threatening food supplies, eroding our coastline and speeding up the extinction of wildlife.
- The effects of climate change are already experienced by millions of people in other parts of the world, mostly the very poor who have done the least to cause the problem.
- We are already seeing an increase in migrants trying to reach our shores. At 2 degrees these numbers will increase hugely. Some of your climate emergency budget may need to be spent on housing and feeding those people whose livelihoods and safety have been lost to climate related catastrophes and wars.
- Urgent action could mean less suffering in future in Hampshire and across the world from floods, high temperatures and droughts, plus reduce spending to deal with the effects.
- We have increasing evidence of the effects of air pollution on physical and mental health, another County Council responsibility (and cost).
- Talking about 2050 sends the wrong message to people who haven’t yet woken up to the danger, and think we still have plenty of time to act.
(we attach references, in Appendix 1.)
Your strategy includes much to be proud of, but if Hampshire aims to be a leader in the fight against climate change, revising the net zero target to 2030 is essential. Many local authorities, including some led by Conservatives and including county councils, have a target of 2030.
We have a unique opportunity post COVID to build back better – to create jobs, clean up our environment and make Hampshire a leader rather than a follower.
Before the action plan is brought to Cabinet for approval in September, please review your deadline.
Appendix 1:
References
IPCC report Global Warming of 1.5 ºC – 2018 https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/
Tipping points
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-03595-0
https://www.carbonbrief.org/explainer-nine-tipping-points-that-could-be-triggered-by-climate-change
Effects of climate change https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/climate-change/effects-of-climate-change
Migration due to climate change
https://www.brookings.edu/research/the-climate-crisis-migration-and-refugees/
Air pollution and health https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-matters-air-pollution/health-matters-air-pollution
Signatories:
-
ACAN (Alton Climate Action & Network)
-
ALFI (Alton Local Food Initiative)
-
Alton Society
-
Andover Trees United
-
Basingstoke Transition Network
-
Blackwater Valley Friends of the Earth (Hart & Rushmoor)
-
Build Back Better Havant
-
Cycle Alton
-
EcoChurch, Parish of the Resurrection Alton
-
Energy Alton
-
Friends of Langstone Harbour (Havant)
-
Global Justice South East Hants
-
Gosport & Fareham Friends of the Earth
-
Greenpeace, Portsmouth
-
Hampshire Climate Action Network
-
Debbie Tann, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
-
Havant Climate Alliance
-
Havant Friends of the Earth
-
Havant U3A Environment & Technology Group
-
Let Pompey Breathe
-
New Forest Friends of the Earth
-
Petersfield Climate Action Network
-
Portsmouth Climate Alliance
-
Portsmouth Friends of the Earth
-
Transition Town Andover
-
Transition Southampton
-
Transition Town Romsey
-
WinACC (Winchester Action on Climate Change)
-
Winchester Friends of the Earth
-
XR New Forest
-
XR Portsmouth
-
XR Romsey
-
XR Winchester
Appendix 2
Councils with a target closer than 2050, to February 2020
|
Type |
Control |
Date passed |
Target Date |
Web |
|
|
Adur |
District |
CON |
July 18, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Amber Valley |
District |
LAB |
July 24, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Aylesbury Vale |
District |
CON |
September 18, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Babergh |
District |
NOC |
July 23, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Barnsley |
Metro Boro |
LAB |
September 18, 2019 |
2040 |
|
|
Basingstoke & Deane |
District |
CON |
July 18, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Bath & NES |
Unitary |
LIB DEM |
March 14, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Bedford |
Unitary |
NOC |
March 5, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Birmingham |
Metro Boro |
LAB |
June 11, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Blackburn-with-Darwen |
Unitary |
LAB |
July 18, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Blackpool |
Unitary |
LAB |
June 26, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Bolton |
Metro Boro |
NOC |
August 29, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Braintree |
District |
CON |
July 22, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Brent |
London Boro |
LAB |
July 8, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Brighton & Hove |
Unitary |
NOC |
December 13, 2018 |
2030 |
|
|
Bristol |
Unitary |
LAB |
November 13, 2018 |
2030 |
|
|
Broxtowe |
District |
NOC |
July 17, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Burnley |
District |
LAB |
July 10, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Bury |
Metro Boro |
LAB |
July 10, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Caerphilly |
Unitary |
LAB |
June 4, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Cannock Chase |
District |
NOC |
July 17, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Canterbury |
District |
CON |
July 18, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Cardiff |
Unitary |
LAB |
March 28, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Carlisle |
District |
NOC |
March 5, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Carmarthenshire |
Unitary |
NOC |
February 20, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Chelmsford |
District |
Lib Dem |
July 16, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Cheltenham |
District |
LD |
February 18, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Cherwell |
District |
CON |
July 22, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Cheshire East |
Unitary |
NOC |
May 22, 2019 |
2025 |
|
|
Chiltern |
District |
CON |
July 24, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Chorley |
District |
LAB |
November 19, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
City of York |
Unitary |
NOC |
March 21, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Colchester |
District |
NOC |
July 17, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Cornwall |
Unitary |
NOC |
January 22, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Craven |
District |
NOC |
August 6, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Crawley |
District |
LAB |
July 17, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Croydon |
London Boro |
LAB |
July 15, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Dacorum |
District |
CON |
July 17, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Darlington |
District |
NOC |
July 18, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Dartford |
District |
CON |
October 7, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Derbyshire Dales |
District |
CON |
May 30, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Dumfries & Galloway |
Unitary |
NOC |
June 27, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Ealing |
London Boro |
LAB |
April 2, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
East Devon |
District |
IND |
July 24, 2019 |
2040 |
|
|
East Suffolk |
District |
CON |
July 24, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Eastbourne |
District |
LIB DEM |
July 10, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Eastleigh |
District |
LIB DEM |
July 18, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Eden |
District |
NOC |
July 11, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Edinburgh |
Unitary |
NOC |
February 7, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Elmbridge |
District |
NOC |
July 17, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Epping Forest |
District |
CON |
September 19, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Exeter |
District |
LAB |
July 23, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Falkirk |
Unitary |
NOC |
August 26, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Fareham |
District |
CON |
October 24, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Fife |
Unitary |
NOC |
September 26, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Folkestone & Hythe |
District |
NOC |
July 24, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Forest of Dean |
District |
NOC |
December 6, 2018 |
2030 |
|
|
Gateshead |
Metro Boro |
LAB |
May 23, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Glasgow |
Unitary |
NOC |
May 16, 2019 |
2040 |
|
|
Gloucester |
District |
CON |
July 11, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Gloucestershire |
County |
CON |
May 15, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Gravesham |
District |
LAB |
June 26, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Greenwich |
London Boro |
LAB |
June 26, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Guildford |
District |
NOC |
July 23, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Hammersmith & Fulham |
London Boro |
LAB |
July 17, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Harborough |
District |
CON |
June 24, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Haringey |
London Boro |
LAB |
March 18, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Harrow |
London Boro |
LAB |
July 18, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Herefordshire |
Unitary |
NOC |
March 8, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
High Peak |
District |
LAB |
October 15, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Highland |
Unitary |
NOC |
May 9, 2019 |
2025 |
|
|
Hull |
Unitary |
LAB |
March 21, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Hyndburn |
District |
LAB |
September 19, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Ipswich |
District |
LAB |
July 9, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Isle of Wight |
Unitary |
CON |
July 24, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Islington |
London Boro |
LAB |
June 27, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Kettering |
District |
CON |
July 24, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Kingston-upon-Thames |
London Boro |
LIB DEM |
June 25, 2019 |
2040 |
|
|
Knowsley |
Metro Boro |
LAB |
January 29, 2020 |
2040 |
|
|
Lambeth |
London Boro |
LAB |
January 23, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Lancaster |
District |
NOC |
January 30, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Leeds |
Metro Boro |
LAB |
March 27, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Leicester |
Unitary |
LAB |
February 1, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Leicestershire |
County |
CON |
May 15, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Lewes |
District |
NOC |
July 15, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Lewisham |
London Boro |
LAB |
February 27, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Lincoln |
District |
LAB |
July 23, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Liverpool |
City Region |
NOC |
May 24, 2019 |
2040 |
|
|
Liverpool City |
Metro Borough |
LAB |
July 17, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Luton |
Unitary |
LAB |
January 14, 2020 |
2040 |
|
|
Maidstone |
District |
NOC |
April 10, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Manchester |
Metro Boro |
LAB |
July 10, 2019 |
2040 |
|
|
Melton |
District |
CON |
July 17, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Mendip |
District |
NOC |
February 25, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Merton |
London Boro |
LAB |
July 10, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Mid Devon |
District |
NOC |
June 26, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Mid Suffolk |
District |
NOC |
July 25, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Milton Keynes |
Unitary |
NOC |
January 23, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Mole Valley |
District |
LIB DEM |
June 18, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Monmouthshire |
Unitary |
CON |
May 16, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Moray |
Unitary |
NOC |
June 27, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Newcastle upon Tyne |
Metro Boro |
LAB |
April 3, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Newcastle-under-Lyme |
District |
NOC |
April 3, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Newham |
London Boro |
LAB |
April 15, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
North East Derbyshire |
District |
CON |
July 8, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
North Hertfordshire |
District |
NOC |
May 21, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
North Kesteven |
District |
IND |
July 11, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
North of Tyne |
Combined Authority |
LAB |
May 7, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
North Somerset |
Unitary |
CON |
February 19, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Northampton |
District |
CON |
June 3, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Northumberland |
Unitary |
NOC |
June 11, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Nottingham |
Unitary |
LAB |
January 21, 2019 |
2028 |
|
|
Nuneaton & Bedworth |
District |
NOC |
December 6, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Oldham |
Metro Boro |
LAB |
September 11, 2019 |
2025 |
|
|
Oxfordshire |
County |
NOC |
April 2, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Pendle |
District |
NOC |
July 11, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Peterborough |
Unitary |
NOC |
July 24, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Plymouth |
Unitary |
LAB |
March 18, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Portsmouth |
Unitary |
NOC |
March 19, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Preston |
District |
LAB |
April 18, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Reading |
Unitary |
LAB |
February 26, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Redbridge |
London Boro |
LAB |
June 20, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Redcar & Cleveland |
Unitary |
NOC |
March 28, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Renfrewshire |
Unitary |
NOC |
June 27, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Richmond-upon-Thames |
London Boro |
LIB DEM |
July 9, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Rochdale |
Metro Boro |
LAB |
July 17, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Rossendale |
District |
Labour |
September 25, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Rother |
District |
NOC |
September 16, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Rushcliffe |
District |
CON |
March 7, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Rushmoor |
District |
CON |
June 20, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Salford |
Metro Boro |
LAB |
July 17, 2019 |
2040 |
|
|
Scarborough |
District |
NOC |
January 7, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Scilly Isles |
Unitary |
LAB |
April 11, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Sefton |
Metro Boro |
LAB |
July 18, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Somerset |
County |
LD |
February 20, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Somerset West & Taunton |
District |
LD |
February 21, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
South Gloucestershire |
Unitary |
CON |
July 17, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
South Ribble |
District |
NOC |
July 24, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
South Tyneside |
Metro Boro |
LAB |
July 18, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Southampton |
Unitary |
LAB |
September 18, 2019 |
2040 |
|
|
Southend-on-Sea |
District |
July 18, 2019 |
2030 |
||
|
Southwark |
London Boro |
LAB |
March 27, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
St Alban’s |
District |
LIB DEM |
July 9, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
St. Helen’s |
Metro Boro |
LAB |
July 10, 2019 |
2040 |
|
|
Stafford |
District |
CON |
July 23, 2019 |
2040 |
|
|
Staffordshire Moorlands |
District |
NOC |
July 10, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Stockport |
Metro Boro |
NOC |
March 28, 2019 |
2040 |
|
|
Stratford-on-Avon |
District |
CON |
July 15, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Stroud |
District |
NOC |
December 13, 2018 |
2030 |
|
|
Suffolk |
County |
CON |
March 21, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Surrey Heath |
District |
October 9, 2019 |
2030 |
||
|
Sutton |
London Boro |
LIB DEM |
July 22, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Swale |
District |
NOC |
June 26, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Swansea |
Unitary |
LAB |
June 27, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Tameside |
Metro Borough |
LAB |
February 24, 2020 |
2038 |
|
|
Tandridge |
District |
NOC |
February 13, 2020 |
2030 |
|
|
Teignbridge |
District |
LIB DEM |
April 18, 2019 |
2025 |
|
|
Telford & Wrekin |
Unitary |
LAB |
July 25, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Tendring |
District |
NOC |
August 6, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Tewkesbury |
District |
CON |
October 1, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Thanet |
District |
NOC |
July 11, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Three Rivers |
District |
LD |
May 21, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Tonbridge & Malling |
District |
CON |
July 9, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Torbay |
Unitary |
NOC |
June 19, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Tower Hamlets |
London Boro |
LAB |
March 20, 2019 |
2025 |
|
|
Tunbridge Wells |
District |
CON |
July 17, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Uttesford |
District |
IND |
July 30, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Vale of Glamorgan |
Unitary |
NOC |
July 29, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Wakefield |
Metro Boro |
LAB |
May 23, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Wandsworth |
London Boro |
CON |
July 17, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Warrington |
Unitary |
LAB |
June 17, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Warwick |
District |
NOC |
June 26, 2019 |
2025 |
Link/ |
|
Watford |
District |
LD |
July 9, 2019 |
2030 |
Link/ |
|
Welwyn Hatfield |
District |
NOC |
June 19, 2019 |
2030 |
Link/ |
|
West Berkshire |
Unitary |
CON |
July 2, 2019 |
2030 |
Link/ |
|
West Lancashire |
District |
LAB |
July 17, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
West Sussex |
County |
CON |
April 5, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Wigan |
Metro Boro |
LAB |
July 17, 2019 |
2040 |
|
|
Wiltshire |
County |
LD |
February 26, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Winchester |
District |
LD |
June 5, 2019 |
2025 |
|
|
Woking |
District |
NOC |
July 25, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Wolverhampton |
Metro Boro |
LAB |
July 17, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Worcester |
District |
NOC |
July 16, 2019 |
2030 |
|
|
Wrexham |
Unitary |
NOC |
September 25, 2019 |
2030 |
