Sustainability
Every action counts in Leeds’ sustainability push Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, discusses how climate change will factor into all aspects of decision-making following the council’s declaration of a climate emergency early last year Tackling climate change is undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges of our generation. Like many other local authorities, Leeds City Council declared a climate emergency in March 2019 in response to the UN report for urgent action if we are to limit temperature rise and avoid some of the catastrophic effects of climate change, including flooding, heatwaves and rising sea levels – some of which we have already seen at the local, national and global level. Whilst climate change is undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges we will ever face, I am confident that our city can tackle the climate emergency together to transform our lives, and the lives of future generations, for the better. We already know that the people who live and work in Leeds are passionate about tackling the climate emergency. In our Big Leeds Climate Conversation consultation, the council found that 97 per cent of respondents believe that tackling climate change should be a priority for Leeds and 93 per cent are willing to change their behaviour to reduce their impact on the environment. Across the city we have also seen that young people are extremely engaged about taking action against the effects of climate change and how, in many ways, they have been leading the agenda so that their generation and those to come can benefit from a cleaner, more sustainable planet. If we are to raise the standard of living for everyone across Leeds and promote inclusive growth the city, it is vital that we take urgent action immediately. To meet our ambitious targets to become carbon-neutral by 2030, the city will need to work collaboratively – with residents, public and private sector
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emissions by 2025. We will achieve this through our governance, through engaging with residents to reduce their own emissions and through speaking with businesses and organisations to inspire them to minimise their Climate change carbon impact. We will also be making key and decision making asks to central government to meet carbon As a council, we have always recognised reduction targets at a local and national level. the importance of sustainability and this Where our own leadership is concerned, has long been at the heart of our key we have embedded the climate emergency strategies on affordable warmth, air quality, within our performance monitoring, decision improving public transport, flood alleviation, making and governance structures. The council digital access, and asset management. has created a cross-party Climate Emergency Since declaring the climate emergency in Advisory Committee and themed working 2019, the climate agenda has been pushed groups – including transport, planning and to the very forefront of our leadership and biodiversity – to advise on decision making we are leading by example to inspire change and the implementation of the climate across the city. We have announced our bold emergency strategy across Leeds. plans to become a carbon-neutral city by We have also created a new 2030 and to halve our organisational executive board portfolio To halv which gives one executive the cou e member combined responsibility for carbon ncil’s transport, sustainable by 202 footprint development and 5 announ , we have tackling the climate emergency. of bold ced a series p To embed culture l a n s to cut our org change at the heart anis of the council, we emissio ational are putting structures ns in place to support staff across every level of the organisation. We’re developing training and guidance material to make sure that sustainable practice is incorporated within every decision made at the council. This includes sustainable procurement guidance, organisations and central government – to reduce our carbon emissions and become a more sustainable place to live and work.
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