Issue - meetings

Following a public consultation, a revised Climate Action Strategy has been developed setting out South Kesteven District Council’s aspirations to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change within the district.

Purpose of report

Following a public consultation conducted, a revised Climate Action Strategy had been developed setting out South Kesteven District Council’s aspirations to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change within the District.

Decision

That Cabinet approves the adoption of the revised South Kesteven Climate Action Strategy.

Alternative options considered and rejected

There was no statutory obligation to monitor or report on carbon emissions which arose from Council operations or from the wider District. Nevertheless, by doing so and setting out how the Council proposed to address these, it was acting in alignment with its climate emergency declaration of 2019.

Cabinet could have amended the South Kesteven Climate Action Strategy and propose an alternative approach for addressing climate change within the District.

Cabinet could have rejected the South Kesteven Climate Action Strategy and have chosen not to progress work on climate change within the District.

Reasons for decision

The ‘Strategy’ set out a robust framework for action and how the Council was able to respond across different areas to the problems presented by climate change and the need to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

The Strategy was a key document in addressing the climate emergency. Three-quarters of UK authorities have already declared a climate emergency.

In March 2023 the Environment Overview and Scrutiny met and agreed that a consultation on the Strategy would take place in July 2023 for a period of four weeks. 73% of respondents the commitments made by the Council in 2019 (when they declared a climate emergency).

Valuable feedback had been gathered from the consultation exercise, particularly around the need for guidance and support for residents. Also highlighted was the ambition for tackling climate change, and concerns around climate change adaption.

The updated Strategy was the first stage of a two-step process. Detailed plans around eight strategy themes would be presented in a subsequent Climate Action Plan.

The revised Climate Action Strategy was presented to Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 3 October 2023. The Committee recommended to Cabinet to approve the adoption of the revised South Kesteven Climate Action Strategy whilst undertaking to engage with the wider community to further inform the development of the Climate Action Plan.

The following points were highlighted during debate:

·       Emergency planning was taken very seriously. It was important to encourage Parish Councils to formally sign up to the Local Resilience Forum to be part of this.

·       The Terms of Reference were being finalised for the Climate Change Working Group.

·       New obligations were being placed on Councils by the Environment Act. The government had put the onus on Councils to consider biodiversity net gain within Planning from January 2024.

·       A future report would be required on what was intended for the biodiversity action plan, and to report what was already happening in relation to grounds and open spaces.