Agenda item

Paragraph 1 (Notice of Mot ion – Climate and Ecology Bill)

35.1     In introducing the paragraph, Councillor Bennett proposed an amended recommendation to the Council as follows:

Background

Tackling Climate Change is a priority for the UK Government. Britain was the first G7 country to legislate for net zero emissions by 2050. East Sussex County Council (ESCC) policy is aligned with that approach. The UK’s interim target of reducing emissions by 68 per cent from 1990 levels by 2030 is faster than any other major economy. The government has recently made the decision to end direct support for the fossil fuel energy sector overseas as soon as possible. Over the next 5 years, the government will spend at least £3 billion providing transformational international climate finance on nature and biodiversity, while the UK, with 357 Marine Protected Areas of different types, is on course to protect over half of our waters.

The Climate and Ecology Bill: seeks to audit the UK’s global carbon footprint by including indirect UK emissions from our international supply chains which may have an adverse impact on developing countries; would involve a re-profiling, broadening and deepening of already ambitious existing carbon budgets; is likely too proscriptive on the use of negative emissions technologies; contains difficult to reconcile aspirations around its approach to domestic, international and inter-generational equity; inevitably imposes a greater burden on UK residents, threatening adverse impacts on their living standards; has recourse to citizen assemblies which are of dubious efficacy and runs counter to our Parliamentary traditions.

The County Council resolves

1. That it believes that:

1. Government climate and ecological initiative, as informed by its commitment to the Millennium and UN Sustainable Development Goals, its environmental policies and its current national carbon budgets as laid down in legislation, advised and audited by the Committee on Climate Change, strike the right balance for a country that leads the G7 on Climate initiative and accounts for approximately 1% of current global territorial emissions.
2. Focus on properly valuing eco-system services, safeguarding and enhancing carbon sinks, conserving and restoring biodiverse habitats, natural and human modified ecosystems and the health of their soils must be an increasing focus for policy.
3. High-level policy ambitions must be grounded at a national, regional and local authority level in direction & fine detail, supported by central funding.

2. To write to our MPs asking them to press Ministers for that greater direction, detail and support to assist us in delivering on net-zero. Additionally, to ask that they consider further policy action which puts a proper value on eco-system services, enhances carbon sinks, preserves and improves natural and human modified ecosystems and promotes biodiversity

35.2     The Chairman announced that the revised wording proposed by Councillor Bennett would be treated as an alteration to a motion and that the Council would be asked if it consented to the alteration. If the Council agreed to the alteration that would become the substantive motion and Councillor Georgia Taylor’s original motion would be treated as an amendment to the substantive motion.

35.3     The Chairman adjourned the meeting for 20 minutes to enable councillors to consider the amended recommendation.

35.4     The following motion moved by Councillor Tutt and seconded was LOST:

To defer consideration of the report to the next meeting of the Council.

35.5     The Council gave its consent to the alteration of the recommendation as proposed by Councillor Bennett.

35.6     The following amendment was moved by Councillor Georgia Taylor and seconded:

Delete the motion moved by Councillor Bennett report and replace with:-

The County Council resolves to:

1)    Support the Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) Bill;

2)    Inform the local media of this decision;

3)    Write to local Members of Parliament, asking them to support or thanking them for supporting the CEE Bill; and

4)    Write to the CEE Bill Alliance, the organisers of the campaign for the Bill, expressing its support (campaign@ceebill.uk).

35.7     A recorded vote on Councillor Georgia Taylor’s amendment was requested and taken. The amendment was LOST, the votes being cast as follows:

FOR THE AMENDMENT

Councillors Collier, Daniel, Denis, Field, Lambert, MacCleary, Maples, Murphy, Osborne, Robinson, Scott, Stephen Shing, Shuttleworth, Swansborough, Georgia Taylor, Tutt, Ungar and Webb.  

AGAINST THE AMENDMENT

Councillors Adeniji, Azad, Beaver, Belsey, Bennett, Bowdler, di Cara, Chris Dowling, Claire Dowling, Fox, Galley, Geary, Glazier, Hollidge, Howell, Kirby-Green, Liddiard, Lunn, Marlow-Eastwood, Maynard, Milligan, Redstone, Simmons, Standley and Barry Taylor.

ABSTENTIONS

None

35.8     The following motion was moved by Councillor Bennett:

The County Council resolves

1. That it believes that:

1. Government climate and ecological initiative, as informed by its commitment to the Millennium and UN Sustainable Development Goals, its environmental policies and its current national carbon budgets as laid down in legislation, advised and audited by the Committee on Climate Change, strike the right balance for a country that leads the G7 on Climate initiative and accounts for approximately 1% of current global territorial emissions.
2. Focus on properly valuing eco-system services, safeguarding and enhancing carbon sinks, conserving and restoring biodiverse habitats, natural and human modified ecosystems and the health of their soils must be an increasing focus for policy.
3. High-level policy ambitions must be grounded at a national, regional and local authority level in direction & fine detail, supported by central funding.

2. To write to our MPs asking them to press Ministers for that greater direction, detail and support to assist us in delivering on net-zero. Additionally, to ask that they consider further policy action which puts a proper value on eco-system services, enhances carbon sinks, preserves and improves natural and human modified ecosystems and promotes biodiversity

35.9     A recorded vote on the motion was requested and taken. The motion was CARRIED, the votes being cast as follows:

FOR THE AMENDMENT

Councillors Adeniji, Azad, Beaver, Belsey, Bennett, Bowdler, Collier, Daniel, Denis.  di Cara, Chris Dowling, Claire Dowling, Field, Fox, Galley, Geary, Glazier, Hollidge, Howell, Kirby-Green, Lambert, Liddiard, Lunn, MacCleary,  Marlow-Eastwood, Maynard, Milligan, Murphy, Osborne,  Redstone, Robinson, Scott, Stephen Shing, Shuttleworth, Simmons, Standley Swansborough, Barry Taylor, Tutt, Ungar and Webb.  

FOR THE AMENDMENT

None

ABSTENTIONS

Councillors Maples and Georgia Taylor