Climate change campaigners tell Harborough councillors: 'You’re not going far enough or fast enough'

Green campaigners are warning Harborough councillors vowing to tackle and combat climate change – you’re not going far enough or fast enough.

Eco activists are urging the district council to do much more after the local authority backed a Climate Emergency Action Plan.

The council aims to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions by 2030.

It has pledged to pull out all the stops to help protect the planet as the earth’s average temperature continues to rise in a story reported by the Harborough Mail last month.

But Sustainable Harborough Community Steering Committee’s Judy Burrage told the Mail: ‘Having read the story we are very worried that it (the council’s initiative) doesn’t go far enough, fast enough.

“There’s no sense of urgency, little attention to specific practical issues and very few targets or milestones that would drive councillors to take ambitious local climate action.”

She added: “We also think it pays insufficient attention to the need to involve the local community in its development and implementation.”

Judy said that if Harborough council “really wants to coordinate an effective local response to the climate emergency” then councillors and officers should:

Identify and prioritise the key practical actions that will be most effective in reducing carbon emissions with costings

Set out timescales for the implementation of key actions with milestones that enable progress to be monitored and reported

Make clear how outcomes of actions are to be measured and the data made public

Pinpoint sources of funds to finance key actions and how they may be accessed

Develop collaborative working with other local authorities

Put a plan in place backed by people in Harborough in decision-making on climate change and providing clear information on progress and outcomes.

Dr Tim Claydon, the chair of Market Harborough Climate Action Group, said: “While we are pleased that councillors have acknowledged the climate emergency in coming up with a plan, they need to do much more if they are to ‘pull out all the stops’ as they have promised us.”

Asked to respond, Cllr Jonathan Bateman, Harborough council’s Cabinet lead on climate change, told the Mail: “Our Climate Emergency action plan is the first step in guiding the council’s action on emission-reduction and the adaptation to climate change. “We recognise that climate change is a major threat to Harborough district.

“Now we have a guide to action.

“All parts of the council will now be embedding action on climate change in every area of activity and the progress on action will be reported through our performance management process, including regular reports to Cabinet.

“In addition, the council annually publishes its inventory of emissions from our own properties and services,” insisted Cllr Bateman.

“We have reported this every year since 2014.

“In addition, the council will publish an annual report on district-wide emissions, using Government data and will report on actions that have been undertaken during the previous year.

“We want to make the district cleaner and greener - and will be making the most of opportunities through Government funding and working in partnership.

“All Leicestershire councils are working closely together on climate change and biodiversity initiatives.

“National Government funding changes rapidly.

“But working together we hope to be able to respond positively to funding opportunities as they arise.

“Any funding successfully secured would be summarised in the annual report,” added Cllr Bateman.

“We’re very keen to engage with residents, parishes and local businesses - and we will be looking at ways to do this most effectively.

“We know that that we all have to work together to have a chance to act effectively on climate change.”