Greens appeal to councillors over climate change menace

Cllr Tony Rowell said: “The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has issued its report on how to keep our world within 1.5 degrees of warming.

“It warned that unless we all take collective action and responsibility, we will reach 1.5 degrees within the next 20-30 years. We are writing to all councillors to implore you to push even harder for responsible collective action on climate change in our communities and our councils.”

The letter is part of a drive amongst the Greens to support the IPCC recommendations that political action is needed at every level of government.

Cllr Johnny Denis said: “As we all know, if we do nothing and this warming trend continues, a further rise to 2 degrees will have devastating impacts all over our world - on humans and all species alike.

“It will displace billions of people, cause ecosystems to collapse, and render large parts of the Earth uninhabitable. As councillors and councils we have been working hard to play our part, but can we really say we have gone far enough?”

Green Caroline Lucas, the Brighton Pavilion MP, said: “This report couldn’t be written in stronger terms: we are at a tipping point on the edge of complete climate breakdown, and governments around the world are failing to prevent it. “Ministers have a choice: they can keep coating business-as-usual policies in a green veneer and watch as floods and heatwaves become the norm. Or they can embrace the opportunities to create a fairer, healthier, safer society that come with the economic overhaul we need.”