Agenda item

This report sets out the findings and recommendations of H&F’s resident-led Climate and Ecological Emergency Commission.

The Chair explained that the Committee had received some written questions/ comments from members of the public in advance of the meeting and officers would be invited to answer the questions or make a comment to address the main areas of concerns raised as follows:

1:  A resident commented that keeping Hammersmith Bridge traffic free would send a positive message about the Council’s commitment towards climate change.

Bram Kainth (Chief Officer - Public Realm) explained that there were many ways that the Council sent positive messages about its commitment towards climate change. Hammersmith Bridge was a key transport arteria for the borough carrying public transport and it was important to reinstate this, and this objective was aligned with the terms of reference of the Department of Transport Taskforce. The Council continued to work with the government, Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL) to deliver transport related polices and drivers like Ultra Low Emission Zone that would help make great progress towards the Council’s net zero carbon by 2030.

2:  A resident suggested increasing the number and quality of cycling lanes and encouraging more people to walk and cycle more. They highlighted the physical and mental health benefits of walking and cycling.

Bram Kainth (Chief Officer - Public Realm) noted that the Councilaimed to increase cycling and walking from 43% of journeys to 60% by 2030.The Council was building on a good foundation, with 72% of journeys by walking, cycling or public transport compared to 64% for London as a whole. Extensive temporary cycle routes had been in place since the beginning of the pandemic. New cycle hangars had been introduced to enable people in flats to keep bikes and added over 100 new Sheffield cycle stands at key locations across the borough to add to the Council’s on street parking provision. The Council was working with TfL on a number of new cycle routes in the borough from north to south along key strategic routes, these would be re-visited when new funding became available. Cycle training was also offered to all adults across the whole borough.

3:  A resident applauded the ambition of the Council’s 2030 zero carbon pledge, and of the excellent report from the Commission. But they felt that the Council was behind other boroughs in relation to cycle lanes and recycling rates and asked when would we see the kind of urgency and radical policies that the commission was encouraging?

In response Bram Kainth (Chief Officer - Public Realm) noted that recently the Council had seen very encouraging increases in the recycling rate in the food waste pilot areas. Collecting an average of 1.6Kgs of food waste per household, which was extremely good performance, with 6,000 kg per week waste reduction in the pilot areas. However, the ultimate aim was to minimise waste, which the Council had been very successful with to date by producing particularly low residual household waste. Various initiatives were being developed to help residents reduce waste, including the food waste pilot but also sharing initiatives such as ‘Library of Things’ and supporting local groups and businesses to use sharing platforms.

4:  A resident commented that people should move towards a plant-based diet because of the climate and health impacts of animal products.

Bram Kainth (Chief Officer - Public Realm) explained that the Council agreed that diets and food were central- representing 10% of Londoners’ household emissions, and 25% of global emissions. One study of canteen food found beef represented 3% of food but half of emissions.There was broad agreement about this and the UK’s Committee on Climate Change included it within their pathway for the UK to achieve net zero by 2050. The Council would look to increase plant-based options within its own food procurement and encourage others to do the same. This included opportunities to teach about the climate and health benefits of low-waste, sustainable diets, including at the Nourish Hub, due to open 2021. The Council would support residents to share food, preventing it from going to waste and ensuring everyone had access to good quality, sustainable food.

Paul Beaty-Pownall (Chair of CEEC) thanked the Council for the generous support and welcome the Commission had received in their work towards assisting the Climate Change Unit in developing the Council’s draft climate and ecology strategy. He gave a presentation of the findings and recommendations of the resident led CEEC highlighting the following key points:

-        The  Council’s reasons for setting up the CEEC were explained.

-        The Council appointed thirteen local resident commissioners. The Commission conducted extensive research and engagement, within the Council and externally, to produce its findings.

-        The following four principles and a summary of the proposed actions for achieving a net zero borough by 2030 were explained in detail:

o   Defining a vision that encouraged change to a zero-carbon society

o   Communication and engagement with the local community

o   Building knowledge at a local level

o   Creating a road map to net zero

-        The CEEC would also recommend that the Council launched a series of “Demonstrator Projects” in key areas as examples of positive changes that could deliver zero-carbon ways of living.

-        The Council had committed to setting up a community map that would provide everyone with the opportunity to share information about the great things that were already taking place in the borough.

The Chair thanked all Commission members and Council officers for their hard work towards the findings and recommendations on the CEEC report.

Councillor Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler also thanked all Commission members for the detailed and well thought out report, noting that it was aspirational, and the vision encompassed within the report was very important. She asked Councillor Wesley Harcourt (Cabinet Member for the Environment) for his views on the report.

Councillor Wesley Harcourt (Cabinet Member for the Environment) explained that he worked with the Commission on a day to day basis to support the work that had been carried out to date. The Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan was responsible for leading and driving the agenda for change to meet the borough’s carbon net zero objectives. In a motion passed by the Council 2019, the Council announced the commissioning of a new Climate Emergency Unit to urgently tackle the environment impact of all aspects of the Council’s work. Therefore, the Council was fully committed to the issues surrounding climate change.

Councillor Wesley Harcourt (Cabinet Member for the Environment) felt that the work executed by the Council to take urgent action was both interesting and vital to tackle climate change and to protect the environment for the future generations. It was essential for the Council to define and implement a positive vision and embed a culture of change across the borough to achieve the Council’s net zero target by 2030.

Councillor Ann Rosenberg said that the Council needed to target the younger generation in schools and consumers to tackle the climate change crisis. She felt that offering the appropriate education to young people around the climate and ecological crisis played a key role in achieving this.

Scarlett Knowles (Member of the CEEC) noted that she was pleased to be given the opportunity to contribute towards the work of the CEEC as a young person. She felt that majority of the young people were passionate about this issue as it had an impact on the future of the younger generation. One of the main issues for young people was that they felt a disconnect around their involvement in the decision-making process. Therefore, a recommendation had been made to the Council to increase engagement with young people, listen to their views and consult them before making key decisions that would affect them.

Councillor Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler commented that she was impressed by the vision set out in the report. However, she raised some concerns about the viability of several of the recommendations due to the Council’s ability to implement some of the actions.

Pat Tookey (Member of the CEEC), said that Scarlett’s involvement on the work of the Commission had been beneficial and her participation was essential in gathering a fresh outlook on the issues relating to climate change. She felt that although young people were keen and invested in this matter, it was critical for the Council to embed a culture of change against carbon emissions with the Cabinet and Senior Leadership Team to ensure that the appropriate actions were being implemented as a matter of urgency.

Stephen Farrant (Member of the CEEC) commented that the Council needed to engage with local residents and communicate the changes that were required to tackle the climate crisis. Residents must be given a greater opportunity to their share ideas about how to reduce the emissions and increase opportunities for nature to thrive.

Councillor Iain Cassidy commended the work of the Commission and felt that this was a very ambitious report which included clear and aspiring recommendations. He asked how the Council could enable as well as encourage residents to shift towards a sustainable future. In response Paul Beaty-Pownall (Chair of CEEC) explained that the task of the Council was to change the culture of the entire borough through an effective and sophisticated communications strategy to help deliver the recommendations in the report.

Will Reynolds (Member of the CEEC) commented that there was a need for immediate action to meet the carbon net zero by 2030.

Pat Tookey (Member of the CEEC) concurred with Councillor Iain Cassidy’s suggestion about establishing a plan to enable residents to change their behaviour and in doing so, reduce carbon emissions across the borough. She felt that the Council also needed to prepare a robust communications plan which explained the actions the Authority needed to take so that residents understood the climate change implications.

Paul Beaty-Pownall (Chair of CEEC) noted that imagine2030 was a collaborative website that was seeking partnership with CEEC, community and chartable groups, residents and the public sector across the borough. It had been set up by local residents and was seen as an engaging platform on which views and ideas could be posted to envisage and inform a vision of a carbon free world. 

The Chair asked for further clarification to be provided on the immediate actions the Council would take from this report and to carry the recommendations forward. Councillor Wesley Harcourt   explained that the Council had a responsibility to ensure that some of the key recommendations were implemented as a matter of urgency.

Hinesh Mehta (Strategic Lead – Climate Emergency),  provided a summary of the next steps, noting that the Council needed to adopt the Commission’s recommendations. A number of working groups had been convened to help integrate the actions set out by the CEEC into the Council’s road map. The Committee noted that the road map would be shared with the Senior Leadership Team and published on the Council’s website when it was finalised.

RESOLVED:

That, the Committee noted and commented on this item.