Climate change talks
Almost a year after it was established, South Lanarkshire’s climate change and sustainability committee is finally set to meet for the first time.
It will meet today (Thursday, September 17) under the current hybrid arrangement with a small number of councillors and officers present in the meeting room and the rest joining remotely.
Councillors agreed to establish it on September 25 last year following a motion from Clydesdale North’s SNP councillor Julia Marrs amended by Lib Dem group leader Councillor Robert Brown (Rutherglen South).
Originally, the committee was due to meet for the first time in March and subsequent meetings had been scheduled in May and August but no papers were published and the committee remained dormant.
Council leader John Ross (Hamilton South) is the committee’s chair, and is delighted it will begin to examine the council’s impact on the environment.
However, Cllr Brown was disappointed it had taken so long to get to the first meeting and said:“this committee was set up in response to the climate change emergency – so it is really pretty disappointing it is only just meeting now.the pressures of the Covid pandemic are a factor but don’t fully explain the delay.”
He added:“i am particularly keen that we do our best to make the recovery from Covid one which has tackling climate change woven into it.
“In fact the biggest opportunities for economic revival almost certainly lie in creating green jobs to support solar panels, energy efficiency and other issues.”
Cllr Ross said last week:“we are all aware that there is a very real and pressing climate change emergency, but it is important that all politicians and organisations take real action rather than just add more hot air to the situation.that is why the SNP administration at South Lanarkshire Council is delighted that significant measures will be considered at next week’s meeting of the climate change and sustainability committee that has been established as a result of the motion proposed to council by councillor Julia Marrs.
“The agenda is a substantial one that demonstrates the entire council’s serious approach to this all-important issue. Members will consider a comprehensive five-year sustainable development and climate change strategy and an action plan for the year ahead.these set out the action we will take to manage and reduce the council’s carbon emissions and, just as importantly, show how we will work with our communities to support local initiatives to increase environmental responsibility.
“To give just one example of this work, the committee will hear about the fantastic progress being made, with the help of Scottish Government funding, to reduce the carbon footprint of our vehicles by the introduction of more electric vehicles.we are delighted to be taking a lead role in working towards a greener and more sustainable Scotland.”