Sheffield Council supports Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill

A Green motion has led to Sheffield Council formally declaring support for the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill.

The Greens’ call was passed by the full council on 31st March after Labour councillors abstained.  The council has now resolved to write to all Sheffield’s MPs urging them to pledge to support the Bill.  Only 3 of the 6 Sheffield MPs have so far supported the bill, which was tabled by Caroline Lucas of the Green Party.

Cllr Douglas Johnson, Green Councillor for City ward, said,

 “I am delighted we can say that Sheffield City Council now supports this important bill going through Parliament.  I am pleased the Labour councillors did not oppose our demand and that the council is now asking those MPs who have not publicly supported the bill to do so.

 At the same time, it is disappointing that Labour councillors did block our declaration of a Biodiversity and Ecological Emergency in Sheffield itself.  There needs to be leadership and action at all levels of government.”

Commenting on the Labour vote to block an Ecological and Biodiversity Emergency being declared in Sheffield, Cllr Peter Garbutt said

 “There is plenty of good work being done by various organisations in Sheffield (such as Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust, Wildscapes and others) but what is needed is leadership, co-ordination and a will to tackle this absolutely vital issue.  The cabinet member for the Environment has been promising this for well over a year now, but all we have is prevarication.”

The Green councillors also succeeded in committing the council to negotiate with private landowners on the Sheffield moors about restoring peat land and using natural flood management techniques.  This will reduce Sheffield residents’ and businesses’ exposure to flooding.

ENDS

For more information please contact Douglas Johnson on 07981 860 662 or at douglas.johnson@sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS

Further information on the Climate & Ecological Emergency Bill is at www.ceebill.uk/bill

Sheffield City Council resolved that it:

(h)           notes that the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill currently passing through Parliament gives greater powers to take strong, urgent action on both emergencies than the current Climate Change Act;

(i)            further notes that more than one hundred MPs have already pledged to support the Bill;

(j)            supports, therefore, the passing of the Bill;

(k)           requests officers to write to all Sheffield’s MPs urging them to pledge to support the Bill; and

(l)            requests officers to write to the Environment Minister, the Rt. Hon. George Eustice MP, the President of the COP26 Climate Conference, the Rt. Hon. Alok Sharma MP, and the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Boris Johnson MP, informing them of this Council’s support for the Bill and urging them to support it through Parliament.

Sheffield is now the largest city to join other councils that have formally resolved to support the CEE bill – see https://www.ceebill.uk/allies_and_supporters