This report will be published as a supplement to the agenda.

The Transition Director had submitted report to formally welcome the final report of the  Oxford’s Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Change established by Oxford City Council, approve an initial response to it, and lay out the next steps to become a Zero Carbon Council and City.

Tom Hayes, Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon Oxford, introduced the  report. The Council had had several years of positive action to address environmental concerns. Following the declaration of a Climate Emergency there was a clear ambition to take some significant steps and to be clear that the declaration was more than words. The Assembly had  been inspirational, intense and active. A key view to emerge  from the Assembly was the  desirability  of moving ‘further and faster’ than the government has in mind . Among other things, it is intended that the Council should reduce its own carbon footprint to zero by 2020. The Council is estimated to account for just 1% of the City’s greenhouse gas emissions, so work with partners will be essential.

The Chair confirmed the need for the Council to work with partners, use its influence more widely and to lobby government.

Cabinet resolved to:

1.         Formally welcome the Final Report on Oxford’s Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Change established by Oxford City Council;

2.         Formally welcome the Council’s Climate Emergency Strategy Support report which underpinned the Citizens’ Assembly, commissioned from Oxford-based environmental consultancy Anthesis;

3.         Agree an immediate response to the Citizens’ Assembly Final Report, including measures in the budget for 2020/21;

4.         In line with the findings of Oxford’s Citizens’ Assembly, agree steps to reduce the City Council’s carbon footprint – that is, the Council’s direct operations, where it pays the bills – to net zero by the end of 2020, initially through the purchase of renewable electricity and gas and offsetting and then through an acceleration of existing and new programmes to reduce the Council’s underlying emissions;

5.         Request that officers develop detailed plans for further projects to accelerate the reduction in the Council’s underlying emissions to achieve a Zero Carbon Council by 2030 or sooner; and

6.         Request the reinvention of the Low Carbon Oxford Partnership as the Zero Carbon Oxford Partnership. Convened by the City Council, this new Partnership will galvanise emitters in the city to agree targets and an action plan for Oxford to become a zero-carbon city.