Council named among most climate UN-friendly
HYNDBURN is one of the least climate-friendly councils in England and Wales, according to new research.
Friends of the Earth assessed local authorities in different categories and Rossendale was awarded a 48 per cent score, placing it in the bottom 20 out of 339 authorities.
Local authority areas were scored according to performance compared to other authority areas using a league table approach.
Categories included household energy efficiency; eco-heating; renewable energy; proportion using public transport, cycling or walking; electric vehicle chargers; lift-sharing; tree cover; and reuse, recycling and composting of household waste.
Council leader Miles Parkinson OBE said: “At its meeting on the 19 September, members of the council voted to declare a Climate Emergency requiring urgent action.
“This included, amongst other things; a commitment towards making the council’s activities net-zero carbon by 2030, ensuring that all strategic decisions, budgets and approaches to planning decisions are in line with this target and that the council and its partners, proactively include young people, ensuring that they have a voice in shaping the future.
“The council has already undertaken a number of environmental projects, such as putting solar panels on the roof of the council offices, using recycled rain water in our street sweepers, delivering a comprehensive doorstep recycling service, providing a cycle at work scheme and will continue to look at significantly reducing single use plastics, such as plastic cups and packaging.
“The council has also voted to ban the release of both sky lanterns and balloons on all council owned land and property, as well as the general discouragement of this practice through any measures that the council is able to employ.”
Friends of the Earth say all councils, even the best performing, need to step up.
Chief executive Craig Bennett added: “Local authorities can’t do it all themselves, they need more powers and finance alongside government action. But by communities coming together to improve their local area, they can put pressure on the government to place the climate emergency at the front of all decision making: change starts at home.”