CARBON Net Zero commitments have been abandoned by Warwickshire County Council (WCC).
WCC’s new Council Plan includes an amendment that the council ‘will not be bound by the 2019 and 2025 declarations of Climate Emergencies’.
The amendment, which was proposed by the council’s Conservative Group and supported by the ruling Reform UK Group, said the council’s prior commitments to Net Zero – set out under the previous Conservative administration in 2019 and 2025 – were ‘no longer economically sustainable in the short term’.
Under the now defunct Climate Emergency declaration, Warwickshire had a target to achieve net zero by 2030 – 20 years ahead of the UK-wide target.
Conservative Group deputy leader Chris Kettle, who proposed the amendment, said: “The economic outlook is significantly worse than when the original Climate Emergency declaration took place.
“At such a difficult time for residents, it was important to make sure we prioritise our residents’ battle against rising prices, while continuing with important environmental work.”
Group leader Coun Adrian Warwick added: “Prioritising Climate Change action over measures to help our residents in their battle against inflation would be the wrong thing to do.
“Where green measures also save money, we welcome them- but we must react to the changing national and international circumstances.
“This shouldn’t be a controversial move.”
Coun Jonathan Chilvers, the leader of the Green Party Group – which had proposed an amendment preserving net zero commitments – slammed the decision.
He said: “Food and prices are going up, flooding of homes is increasing – both made worse by extreme weather caused by climate.
“To remove climate change from the Council Plan is like senselessly hacking off one leg of our understanding and ability to solve the issues we face.
“The Reform leadership seems to have a blind ‘anti-environment’ ideology that is damaging residents lives.”
Liberal Democrat Coun Richard Dickson said: “The Conservatives group split. Three of their members joined with Liberal Democrat councillors to support the Green Party proposal to keep the council’s focus on addressing the climate change emergency.
“Sadly the proposal was defeated by votes from the other Conservative and Reform councillors.”
The Reform group did not respond to a request for comment.
