Climate Change Emergency

Councillors in Hinckley have declared a climate change emergency and say they will do what is necessary to help.

At a full council meeting on Tuesday 16th July, Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council pledged to take local action to contribute to national carbon neutral targets through the development of practices and policies, with an aim to being carbon neutral in the borough of Hinckley and Market Bosworth by 2030.

The motion - put forward by Councillor Martin Cartwright, Executive Member for Climate Change and Environmental Health at the Borough Council and seconded by Cllr Scott Gibbens outlined that “urgent action" is required to limit the effects of global warming, which not only affects the borough’s residents but people around the globe.

Although a full plan has yet to be drawn up, the council agreed to: 

1. Declare a ‘climate emergency’
2. Pledge to do what is within our powers, to work towards making Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council carbon neutral by 2030, taking into account both production and consumption emissions
3. Call on Westminster to provide the powers and resources necessary for Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council to achieve the target of becoming carbon neutral by 2030, and to implement best practice methods to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius
4. Report to Council within six to nine months with an action plan, outlining how the Council will address this emergency. The action plan will detail the leadership role Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council will take in promoting community, public, business and other council partnerships to achieve this carbon neutral 2030 commitment throughout the borough. The action plan will also outline the staff time and resources required to undertake the actions to achieve the targets
5. Investigate all possible sources of external funding and match funding to support this commitment

Executive Member Councillor Martin Cartwright said “Today we achieved real progress on agreeing to take action to tackle climate change. It is vital that all levels of central and local government play their part in tackling the greatest threat to our planet.

"It is wholly appropriate that Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council joins the 100 plus other councils around the country in declaring a climate emergency.”

Seconding the motion Councillor Scott Gibbens said “Our residents, communities, businesses and partners have a vital role to play and we will look to work in close partnership with them to share resources and best practice. This motion I hope shows to our residents that we do care about the environment we live in.”