Green Party Councillors have welcomed new City Council plans to tackle climate change.
The ‘Climate Decarbonisation Routemaps: Our Council and the way we travel’, was presented to the Council’s Transport, Regeneration and Climate Change Committee on Wednesday. (1)
The 10 Point Plan for Climate Action that was agreed by the Cooperative Executive in March 2022 by Green Councillors in cooperation with Labour, committed the Council to develop routemaps to decarbonisation across seven areas:
- Our Council,
- The Way We Travel;
- Our Homes;
- Energy generation and storage;
- Our Land;
- Our Business and Economy
- What We Buy, Eat and Throw Away
This is the first of those routemaps focusing on travel and the Council’s own carbon emissions.
The Council activities to reduce its own emissions are focused on improving the energy performance of council housing and the Council’s own buildings. There are plans to reduce emissions from street lighting and the council’s vehicle fleet. The plan also seeks to ensure that the council makes decisions and procures goods and services in a way that minimises carbon emissions.
The plans to improve the way we travel in Sheffield focus on improving routes and facilities that enable as many people as possible to make journeys by walking, cycling and wheeling. The plan seeks to improve the low-carbon public transport network to provide attractive alternatives to private vehicle journeys. There is also a focus on finding ways to ensure goods and services are provided through a low-carbon LGV/HGV and freight/delivery system to reduce vehicle journeys and road traffic. The plan also has a real benefit to health outcomes with decreased vehicle emissions and improved air quality through a shift to electric and zero-emission vehicles.
Cllr Christine Gilligan who is Deputy Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Change Board said,
“I am really pleased that these route maps are coming to our committee and I look forward to progress reports on future route maps and updates on the actions that fall out of these current route maps. Greens will keep the pressure on to make sure the plans are implemented.
“The route map, The way we travel, highlights the urgency of this agenda – look at what is happening in Europe at the moment with record breaking heat events.
“In terms of transport we need everyone in the city to act. We need more public transport, walking and cycling to reduce our dependence on cars. As a council we have the powers to change our car centric culture and this plan stresses the importance of a modal shift in transport. The goal is that by 2030 there will be a 65% reduction in transport related emissions but currently we are facing traffic growth and a 35% increase in journey times This increases not only carbon emissions but also air pollution so I really hope that this committee will fully take on board the need for change and continue to give their full support to all the actions in this road map. We have a responsibility to the citizens of Sheffield to act on the climate crisis now.”
Cllr Ruth Mersereau who is also a member of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Change Committee said:
“As a council, we have committed to reduce our emissions by 95% and to cut transport emissions by 65% by 2030 – this is only 6 and a half years away. The need to address climate change is becoming even more urgent, so I’m really pleased that we have a routemap designed to help us to navigate the actions we need to take.
“This routemap spells out how we can minimise the effects of climate change in our city. Taking these actions gives us a fantastic opportunity to improve public health and well-being, and also bring a range of other positives including creating new jobs, improving our relationship with nature, improving road safety and community safety, and lowering energy costs.”
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