Environment is the top priority
Sir - To some fanfare in June 2019 the council hailed the climate emergency declaration, praising Greta Thunberg. Was that document legally binding?
The plan promised“to protect fragile biodiversity and natural environment”with an assurance to “embed throughout our entire organisational culture the pursuit of measures to tackle climate change” and“support practices to enhance and sustain the farmed and natural world”. Later, the Bute House Agreement in 2021 became the definitive moment forging climate policy into politics. It opposed “projects that encourage more people to drive”requiring“local community input throughout the planning process”. Last week in Edinburgh the entente came to an end.
Dumfries and Galloay Council had previously fulfilled its obligation to appoint an elected member as our environment champion, though, in May 2022, took the decision to cease appointing champions. Instead, there is now a climate emergency cross party working group that has an overview on carbon reduction and environmental projects in the council. Apparently, it’s not a decision-making body. The group exists to enable discussion between officers and councillors on progress related to a strategic route map in advance of reports to committees.
To quote a certain young lady: “blah, blah, blah”. Given the choice between declaration or agreement in the face of urgency, which model displays greater lip-service?