Green Group member motion

Background

In 2018, at COP24, the UK Government signed up to having ‘domestic institutional arrangements, public participation and engagement with local communities’ so that localities can play their part in delivering the UKs ‘Nationally Determined Contributions’ in the Paris Climate Agreement.

In May 2021 Alok Sharma MP, President of COP26 said that collaboration would be a key objective of the climate summit

“Governments, business and civil society (sometimes called ‘non-state actors’ and including local government) need to work together to transform the ways we power our homes and businesses, grow our food, develop infrastructure and move ourselves and goods around”

Despite these agreements and statements there is still no formal relationship allowing joint partnership working between Local and National Government on climate action.

This Council

1.     adds its voice to calls by the Local Government Association, the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport and others for a joint local & national government Task Force to plan action to reach ‘net zero’ emissions. Such a partnership can set appropriate regulations, benchmarks and targets and create the much needed long-term funding mechanisms to enable local communities and economies to decarbonise whilst remaining resilient and sustainable.

2.     asks the Leader to write to Alok Sharma MP, President for COP26 , the Prime Minister and the Leadership Board of the LGA informing them of our support for a joint Local/National Government Climate Change Partnership Taskforce and asking for one to be established before the opening of the COP26 Summit in order to honour the commitment it made there.

Cllr Wolff, seconded by Cllr Jarvis, proposed the submitted motion as set out in the agenda and briefing note.

Cllr Rowley, seconded by Cllr Brown, proposed the amendment as published in the briefing note.

Council debated the motion and amendment. On being put to the vote, the amendment was agreed.

On being put to the vote the amended motion was then agreed.

Council resolved to adopt the following motion:

In 2018, at COP24, the UK Government signed up to having ‘domestic institutional arrangements, public participation and engagement with local communities’ so that localities can play their part in delivering the UKs ‘Nationally Determined Contributions’ in the Paris Climate Agreement.

In May 2021 the COP26 President said that collaboration would be a key objective of the climate summit.

“Governments, business and civil society (sometimes called ‘non-state actors’ and including local government) need to work together to transform the ways we power our homes and businesses, grow our food, develop infrastructure and move ourselves and goods around”

Despite these agreements and statements there is still no formal relationship allowing joint partnership working between Local and National Government on climate action.

Local government is nearest to our communities and, as Oxford City Council’s record shows, perhaps most clearly with our Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Change, councils play a critical role in our communities.

Oxford is set to become a net zero city by 2040 or earlier—ten years ahead of the national legal target. We set this ambition because we care about our city and all who live within it, both now and in the future. We have the toughest air quality standard in the country. We set this ambition because we care about the health of everyone in our city. Our actions to realise these targets are widely recognised as best practice and we proactively share examples of our work with Government to influence policy, powers, and funding.

This Council

1.     Reaffirms and expands its 2019 climate emergency declaration to declare a climate and ecological emergency to guide all future decision-making.

2.     Calls on Oxfordshire County Council to demonstrate the power of local government at the time of COP26 by fleshing out their public commitment to full and permanent pedestrianisation of Broad Street with a timetable for action that includes further consultation (building on the large amount of convening and consulting by the City Council) and implementation of a scheme in time for the summer of 2022.

3.     asks the Leader to continue to add her voice to calls by the Local Government Association, the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport and others for a joint local & national government Task Force to plan action to reach ‘net zero’ emissions. Such a partnership can set appropriate regulations, benchmarks and targets and create the much needed long-term funding mechanisms to enable local communities and economies to decarbonise whilst remaining resilient and sustainable.

4.     continues to work in partnership with local councils and through networks such as UK100.

asks the Leader to write to Alok Sharma MP, President for COP26 , the Prime Minister and the Leadership Board of the LGA informing them of our support for a joint Local/National Government Climate Change Partnership Taskforce and asking for one to be established before the opening of the COP26 Summit in order to honour the commitment it made there.