Climate change a key votes issue
A CLIMATE change lobby group has found a majority of people will be looking for candidates with sound environmental policies in the run-up to next month’s county council elections.
Derbyshire Dales Climate Hub has released the results of its climate survey, which was circulated following the end of the first lockdown in 2020. More than two-thirds of respondents said they would be influenced to change how they vote in local elections depending on the strength of a party’s green policies.
The volunteer-run group’s “Vision for the Future” survey set out to understand the ways in which residents of the district could build a better, more sustainable post-pandemic society and to understand what actions residents were prepared to take individually to prevent climate change and what they felt were the councils’ wider responsibilities.
The survey touched upon environmental themes such as community, biodiversity, food and waste, housing, transport and business.
Of the more than 1,000 people who filled in the survey, the findings showed an increase in the number who would consider their vote based on environmental policies, compared to a pilot study in 2019.
The group says that shows an increasing concern and urgency around the climate emergency.
Hub member Dr Sheila Evans said: “Despite the survey being undertaken during a global pandemic, residents showed a steadfast and deep concern for the complex issues around climate and biodiversity.
“The results provide a clear mandate to formulate and act on ambitious plans to enable the Derbyshire Dales to achieve its fair quota of carbon-reducing measures.
“The Tyndall Centre recommends that to abide by the United Nations Paris Agreement, a reduction from 2019 annual levels of 0.57 million tonnes of carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050.
“This translates to a reduction of 14% each year.”
Derbyshire County Council, Derbyshire Dales District Council and Ashbourne Town Council have all unveiled their own measures for tackling climate change, and a string of new approaches, policies and studies are due to be developed in the coming months. The Derbyshire Dales Climate Hub is a volunteer community group of local residents and people who work in the district.
The group aims to bring the community and local authorities together to respond to the issues of climate change and carbon reduction.
A spokesman for the group said: “With over 1,000 residents taking part in the survey, the overall response was a clear need for change.
“Whether it be through the council enabling businesses and other organisations to cut their emissions or proposals to divest pension funds away from fossil fuels, a push for immediate action on the environment was required, particularly at local level.
“Some participants expressed serious concerns around local council decision making believing that they were either not reflective enough of the views of local residents, or were made with short-term objectives in mind.
“While many expressed hope that local councils would take appropriate action in responses to global warming, there was also the expression of doubt that the councils would be able to achieve that objective. “Harnessing the support and energies of local people will be essential to this success.”
The Derbyshire Dales Climate Hub will be showcasing the “Vision for the Future” Climate Survey in a Zoom event on Wednesday April 14 at 6.30pm. Email thedaleshub@ gmail.com for more.
More than two-thirds of survey respondents said green policies would influence their vote in local elections