By Ben Heppenstall
Sheffield City Council is aiming to cut its own emissions to net zero by 2030 as part of its 10 Point Plan to tackle the climate crisis.
The move comes as South Yorkshire politicians took part in debates at COP26 where world leaders have gathered in a bid to prevent catastrophic global warming.
Sheffield Green Party member and House of Lords peer Lady Natalie Bennett and Rother Valley MP Alexander Stafford are both in Glasgow.
Sheffield’s 10 Point Plan is part of the council’s efforts to work with people, partners and businesses to develop and deliver actions needed to tackle the climate emergency.
Coun Douglas Johnson, Executive Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, said: “With COP26 happening as we speak, climate change is on all of our minds and now is the time we need to act.
“The 10 Point Plan is a crucial step in our commitment to ensuring Sheffield reaches net zero carbon.”
The council aims to:
- Put climate at the centre of its decision making
- Be proactive in finding ways to resource the action that is needed
- Take action to reduce carbon now
- Work towards reducing council emissions to net zero by 2030
- Bring the city together to make the changes it needs
- Work with the city to develop delivery plans for the areas where change needs to happen
- Work with and support people, businesses and organisations to take the action that is needed
- Work to build the skills and economy needed for the future
- Work to ensure it has the planning and infrastructure needed for the future
- Prepare the city to adapt for a changing climate
A working draft will be presented to the committee for consideration and comment on Wednesday, with the council inviting residents to submit their thoughts on the plan before then.
Lady Bennett travelled to COP26 in order to “share insights and information” from the conference as a way to “amplify the voices of those who might not otherwise be heard”.
Asked what Sheffield people can do to help the planet, Lady Bennett said: “We can only tackle this crisis by people getting together and working to make that happen. Those benefitting from the status quo aren’t going to hand change to us, we have to win it.”
Meanwhile, Conservative MP Mr Stafford has been writing for the CAPX website about how businesses can benefit from going green. He tweeted a quote from his article saying “climate change is arguably the biggest challenge we face, but tackling it is one of our greatest economic opportunities. And COP26 is the perfect platform to embrace and advance the UK’s leadership position.”
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