Greens call for climate change to be ‘number one priority' for Exeter

The Green Party in Exeter has written to Council leader, Cllr Pete Edwards, demanding an urgent response to the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Greens point to the ‘critical role of local councils’ in tackling climate change, identified in the IPCC report.

The Green Party is calling for an immediate review of current strategies, policies, investments and partnerships and for the Council to consider immediately how mitigation and adaptation measures to tackle climate change can be introduced. Measures being proposed by the Greens include:

• a review of the Exeter Core Strategy and a reassessment of the proposed scale and type of growth of the city
• adopting, as a minimum, the ‘Zero Carbon’ standard on all new homes
• developing and implementing a strategic transport policy with immediate targets and specific actions for reducing traffic and pollution levels
• prioritising development of a localised economy rather than the current model which relies on inward investment and consumer-led economic growt
• localising food production and supply, and creating additional food growing areas within the city
• becoming a ‘solar City’, focusing on decentralising energy generation and building on current community efforts
• prioritising fuel poverty through a massive insulation scheme for those most in need.

Diana Moore, the Green Party’s prospective parliamentary candidate said: “Putting tackling climate change at the heart of decision making will bring significant benefits to Exeter. Not only will climate focused policies safeguard the environment but also improve health and well being, boost local jobs, create stronger communities and generate a more resilient local economy."

Ms Moore has invited Cllr Edwards to meet with her to explore how the City Council can take the urgent action that the IPCC demands.

She concluded: “Significant energy and money was invested in attracting the Met Office to Exeter. I hope that we can heed and respond, as a City, to their important work which contributes to the IPCC reports. The latest report has alerted us to the fact we must take urgent action if we are to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Ultimately, we must become a net zero carbon city, and for future generations to enjoy living in such a city we need to get the right policies in place now."

The IPPC report can be found here: https://ipcc-wg2.gov/AR5/images/uploads/WG2AR5_SPM_FINAL.pdf