Responding to the Housing, Communities and Local Government
Committee report into local government and the path to net zero,
Cllr Darren Rodwell, environment spokesperson for the Local
Government Association, said:
“Councils understand the urgent need to tackle climate change and
have been making active changes in their communities to benefit
the environment. It is absolutely crucial that councils are at
the forefront of the national response to climate change and we
need the Government to work in partnership with local authorities
to continue shaping local areas and help to achieve net zero
carbon emissions by 2050 or sooner.
“The majority of councils have declared a climate emergency and
many have been devising and implementing new ways of reducing
their carbon footprint.
“Already we’ve seen waste collections getting more efficient and
recycling rates increasing over the past decade; investment in
flood defences; electric vehicle infrastructure improvements; and
a focus on parks and green spaces, which create cleaner air in
our communities and thriving habitats for wildlife.
“The position of councils as place-shapers, convenors of
communities and businesses, asset-owners, problem solvers and
with significant purchasing and market shaping powers, puts them
at the forefront of delivering real, tangible changes in the
transition to net zero.
“There is still a long way to go in our work to protect our
planet, but if we are to hit national targets, councils will
be at the core of that.”
