County council follows COP26 lead by signing up to pact on climate action
LEICESTERSHIRE County Council has teamed up with universities, businesses and other groups to draw up principles for tackling climate change, nature decline and carbon reduction.
The Leicestershire Climate and Nature Pact is based on the principles of the Glasgow Climate Pact, signed by the government at the end of COP26 in November 2021.
It supports national and international efforts to tackle climate change by bringing together the private sector, voluntary enterprises, education and research, the public sector and the wider public to drive local action.
The core requirements include the need to act quickly to reduce the impacts of climate change; reducing carbon emissions to net zero; halting ecological decline; supporting climate recovery and working together to deliver effective action.
The county pact was officially launched at a signing ceremony attended by representatives from more than 40 organisations working together towards making Leicestershire a net zero county by 2045.
The first 18 signatories to the Leicestershire Climate and Nature Pact are as follows: the county council; De Montfort University; National Forest; Green Fox Community Energy; Loughborough University; the University of Leicester; Midlands Net Zero Hub; low carbon and fuel cells centre of excellence Cenex; Leicestershire Local Enterprise Partnership; the Environment Agency; Oadby and Wigston Borough Council; North West Leicestershire District Council; Charnwood Borough Council; Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council; Blaby District Council; Tilton Green; Tilton Electric Car Club and Halstead Hill Farm.
The county council is now calling upon other organisations to sign up to the pact and play their part. A number have already informally pledged their support.
Councillor Blake Pain, cabinet member for the environment and green agenda, said: “The Leicestershire Climate and Nature Pact underlines the urgent need for organisations in the county to work together to deliver our climate commitments. It highlights the fact that we can’t reach net zero on our own – we need a team effort to make it a reality.
“We are leading by example and encouraging partners, businesses, groups and organisations to get involved to help shape a greener future for the county, and for generations to come.”
Contact netzero@leics.gov.uk to find out more.